Kittitas County Jail Project Narative for Opioid Settlement Funding Request 3-2026 (updated)

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Project Narrative Kittitas County Jail Request for Funding from Opioid Settlement Funds for 2026-2027 Like most jails in the United States, Kittitas County Jail faces high liability for those who are arrested and booked into the jail facing unknown medical issues, substance use, and mental health concerns. The largest concern besides alcohol withdrawals, is withdrawals from opioids including Fentanyl. Mental health crisis is also just as important to monitor and address as there is also an increased chance of a person suffering from a crisis within the flrst 72 hours of being incarcerated, or someone who have used a substance to handle their mental illness which is no longer available to them. Depending on what research you look at, the number varies on how many people are incarcerated while under the infiuence of a substance, have a substance use disorder, and have any mental health concerns or conditions. Research published indicates that roughly 44% of the population in American Jails suffer from a mental illness (SAMHSA 2024), 63 percent of individuals sentenced in jails have a substance abuse disorder (Bureau of Justice Statistics 2020), and other research indicating up to 48% of those incarcerated suffer from both or have co-occurring disorders. The trends seen at the Kittitas County Jail are not very different, but what is different is the work that is done to evaluate, treat, and set these clients up for success through programming by medical, mental health, and reentry staff in a rural facility setting. This request is to help the Kittitas County Jail continue these successful programs and this narrative will provide some history, past funding source(s), the requested amount and narrative for the attached budget spreadsheet for better understanding. In total, for the second half of 2026 and the entire year of 2027, the Kittitas County Jail is requesting $1,238,981.21 from the Opioid Settlement Funds and believe the programs that have been implemented and the design of them directly relates to the authorized spending of these funds based on the guidelines provided for these funds and how they can be used for those who are incarcerated and suffer from opioid use disorder, mental health issues, and/or co - occurring disorders. The Kittitas County Jail started in 2018 developing processes and protocols for treating Opioid Use Disorder (OUD), including withdrawals, by utilizing Medications for Opioid Use Disorder (MOUD). From 2020 through September 2026 the jail has been funded by the Department of Justice COSSAP/COSSUP (Comprehensive Opioid, Stimulant, and Substance Use Program formally COSSAP) to develop, implement, and evaluate the program while also using additional funding from the Washington State Healthcare Authority MOUD/MAUD (medications for alcohol use disorder) in jails. The COSSUP funding is on track to be done at the end of September, and the Healthcare funding has been lowered every year since it started (2022) and neither of them appears to be a good