PORT ANGELES — Clallam County approved a $69,000 agreement with Peninsula Community Mental Health Center on Tuesday to provide medical services to 25 unfunded clients for the remainder of the year.
The contract is paid for through the county’s Chemical Dependency and Mental Health Program fund — which comes from a one-tenth of 1 percent sales tax approved by voters three years ago.
“We had one of these last week,” said Commissioner Steve Tharinger, referring to a $8,910 maximum contract increase with Bill Maier for more mental health services.
“This is, again, trying to strengthen capacity for treatment for CD chemical and mental health services.”
The recession in Olympia is making it more and more difficult for the county to provide chemical dependency and mental treatment for those who need it most. Meanwhile, the demand for such treatment is on the rise, county officials have said.
The clients who are referred for treatment will receive individual and group therapy.
Hoko-Ozette Road
In other board action, the three commissioners approved an agreement with the state Department of Transportation to reconstruct of a short section of Hoko-Ozette Road that washed out in a 2007 flood. The section is located near Milepost 3.
“This project will move the road away from the river in this particular spot,” said Ross Tyler, Clallam County engineer.
Federal funds will cover $33,053 of the $36,145 project. The county will pay for the rest.
Tuna trophy
Earlier in the meeting, Josie Gilbeck, executive director of the Port Angeles Food Bank, awarded a plaque and small trophy to the Clallam County Sheriff’s Office for winning a county competition for the food bank’s annual canned tuna drive.
County employees donated 5,211 cans. Of those, 2,102 came from the Clallam County jail staffers and an additional 1,130 came from Clallam County Juvenile Services employees.
“We really appreciate it,” Gilbeck said.
All told, the food bank collected the equivalent of 21,917 cans, smashing a 14th-year-old record and the 14,000 goal.
“We’re serving approximately 700 families a week,” Gilbeck told the commissioners.
“We broke it down and last month it was over 9,000 [individuals] that came through the food bank.”
Since Gilbeck become executive director in early 2009, the Port Angeles Food Bank has extended its hours at 402 S. Valley St. and increased its efficiency by 400 percent.
“With the economy right now we had to make a lot of changes,” she said.
“We’re just more open and available because there’s much more need now.”
The commissioners also signed letters supporting the 2010 Veterans’ Stand Down, National Drug Court Month and a proclamation recognizing Saturday as National Maritime Day.
