BestCare Treatment Services will take over as the Crook County Community Mental Health provider, replacing Lutheran Community Services (LSC) Northwest, with a goal start date of December 1, 2019.
A verbal agreement has been reached between LCS, BestCare and the Crook County Commissioners to make the transition. A formal written agreement is in the works.
“Our goal is to do what is best for the people of Crook County,” said David Duea, LCS Northwest president and CEO. “Being a county mental health provider does not play to our strengths. I’m excited for BestCare, as they are better suited to be a county mental health provider.”
BestCare has provided behavioral health services in Central Oregon since 1997, and it has been the community mental health provider for Jefferson County since 2002. BestCare provides a wide array of behavioral health services in Jefferson, Deschutes and Klamath counties.
“Our mission is to provide compassionate care to people with behavioral health concerns, with a focus on working closely with our community partners,” said BestCare CEO Rick Treleaven.
LCS Northwest has been offering behavioral health services in Prineville for more than 30 years. There are currently more than 30 LCS Northwest employees and approximately 675 clients in Prineville. The immediate plan is for BestCare to retain LCS Northwest employees.
“We want to make this transition as smooth as possible,” Duea said. “That includes leasing our Pioneer Memorial Hospital facility to BestCare for their use as the Crook County Mental Health Provider.”
LCS Northwest has more than 700 employees in Oregon, Washington and Idaho. Crook County was the sole location where LCS was the county mental health provider.
“BestCare is positioned to come in and provide excellent services to the residents of Crook County,” Duea said. “The transition will help Lutheran continue to grow our services in other areas that play to our strengths.”
LCS Northwest will continue to offer services in Bend and Terrebonne.
Founded in 1997, BestCare is a CARF (Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities) accredited organization specializing in addiction and mental health issues, with a wide range of programs including outpatient counseling, substance use disorder residential and detox services and mental health respite throughout Central Oregon. With eight locations in central and southern Oregon — including Bend, Klamath Falls, Madras and Redmond — BestCare fills a critical need for programs and services addressing alcohol and substance abuse, mental health, gambling addiction and more.
bestcaretreatment.org • 541-504-9577
