Comprehensive Healthcare Expands Same-Day Access to Include Substance Use Treatment

Community members across the Lower Yakima Valley will now receive an assessment on the day they need care

YAKIMA, Wash., May 13, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Comprehensive Healthcare today announced a significant step forward in advancing substance use treatment in the Greater Columbia Region of Central Washington by offering same-day access to substance use disorder (SUD) assessments. This impactful initiative eliminates the need for intake assessment appointments, significantly reducing wait times and ensuring immediate support for community members seeking help.

Like communities across the country, the Yakima Valley has seen drastic increases in substance use challenges, and as is often the case, access to care remains a critical barrier. As of last month, individuals seeking help with substance abuse in Yakima, Kittitas, Benton, Franklin and Walla Walla counties can walk into any open Comprehensive Healthcare outpatient location, receive an intake assessment on the spot and be quickly referred to one of the organization’s SUD services tailored to meet their ongoing needs.

“Based on decades of delivering behavioral health care in our region, we understand the importance of meeting community members’ needs when they are ready, and that’s especially important among those seeking treatment for substance use disorders,” said Jodi Daly, Ph.D., CEO of Comprehensive Healthcare. “By offering same-day assessments for SUD treatment, we’re able to be there for people in that moment, and through our full spectrum of services and established resource network, we can then connect them to care that will help them navigate their journey to recovery.”

Community members coming in for same-day access to SUD treatment will participate in an assessment with a substance use disorder professional (SUDP), who will evaluate their needs and determine the most appropriate course for treatment. Once the assessment is complete, individuals can be immediately referred within Comprehensive Healthcare to receive medication-assisted treatment (MAT), such as Suboxone or Methadone.

In addition to prescribing MAT, the team at Comprehensive Healthcare will connect clients to services based on their level of need and treatment goals. A leader in SUD treatment, Comprehensive Healthcare offers a wide range of care options, from intensive outpatient to outpatient treatment and group counseling, to more specialized programs designed to support individuals at every stage of recovery. Some of those programs include:

• Sub-Acute Detox Facility: Provides community members a secure and supportive environment to safely detox. The facility, located in Yakima, accepts self-referrals, as well as referrals from family, friends, and other local first responders and medical providers. It’s open 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
• Opioid Treatment Program (OTP) and Mobile Medication Unit (MMU): Delivers support to community members who need help with opioid addiction through two main services: prescribing and managing medications for opioid use disorder (MOUD), such as Methadone or Suboxone, and substance use disorder treatment.
• Hub and Spoke: Designed to expand access to medication-assisted treatment (MAT) by leveraging the strengths of Comprehensive Healthcare as the central “hub” alongside a network of smaller, community-based “spokes.” This collaborative approach ensures that individuals struggling with opioid use disorder (OUD) receive comprehensive, integrated care, including medication management, counseling, and essential support services.

“Over the last several years, we have bolstered our SUD treatment programs to better support community members in need, and now, we’ve achieved another milestone in that effort by providing same-day access for assessments,” said Jon Schlenske, Division Chief of Substance Use Disorder Treatment. “At Comprehensive Healthcare, our goal is to be a strong, accessible resource for adults, youth and families facing SUD and mental health challenges. We’re proud of our team’s unwavering dedication to fulfilling that role.”

The rollout of same-day access to SUD assessments is part of Comprehensive Healthcare’s ongoing efforts as a Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinic (CCBHC) grant recipient. Same-day access is a core principle of CCBHCs, designed to reduce delays in care and prevent no-shows, ultimately enhancing client outcomes.

Comprehensive Healthcare began offering same-day access to mental health assessments in 2023, eliminating the need for appointments and adopting a walk-in format. In the year following its implementation, the organization completed more than 3,000 same-day assessments, a 17% increase.

“There are many benefits to CCBHCs, including improving same-day access to care and expanding services based on community needs, and we’re proud to be realizing those benefits at Comprehensive Healthcare,” said Daly. “This model holds great promise for the future of behavioral healthcare in our state, and we’re seeing positive outcomes here in Central Washington from our current work as a grant recipient. CCBHCs provide the supportive foundation that ensures we’re able to be there for those who need us, when they need us, with the right care.”

Walk-in hours for same-day SUD assessments are Monday and Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 11 a.m., and Tuesday through Thursday from 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. For more information, visit www.comphc.org.

About Comprehensive Healthcare: 
As one of largest behavioral health organizations in the state of Washington, Comprehensive Healthcare serves clients in the Greater Columbia Region. Comprehensive Healthcare is a Joint Commission accredited organization, providing compassionate, individualized behavioral healthcare since 1972. As a non-profit organization, Comprehensive Healthcare is dedicated to delivering high quality, evidence-based services to individuals, families and organizations. To learn more, visit Comprehensive Healthcare’s website at comphc.org. 

Media Contacts: 
Cassidy Brown 
Comprehensive Healthcare 
(509) 317-2876 
cassidy.brown@comphc.org 

McKenzie Morgan 
mckenzie@firmani.com