Swinomish Wellness Center opens in Anacortes

The Swinomish Indian Tribal Community invited the general public to the grand opening ceremony for its didgwálič Wellness Center in Anacortes Nov. 15. Welcoming the larger community in was much more than symbolic: the didgwálič center’s treatment program is open to all. Well over half the clients will be non-tribal members.

John Stephens, the center’s chief executive officer emphasized that point: “The Tribe is committed to the betterment of the broader community and this is a huge investment to make sure this happens.” The Tribe’s wellness program on the reservation has 50 clients in it now.

The new facility, on South March Point Road, has capacity for 350; it will limit clients to 250 upon opening.

Close to 600 people participated during the daylong event: 150 tribal members and employees came to the pre-opening; 225 were in attendance for the ceremony and lunch and another 200 people walked through the afternoon’s open house.

Many of the 30 staff members conducted tours. Rachelle Walls, a Chemical Dependency Professional, brought small groups through the building. “This should have taken three years to construct and open, but it was completed in about 15 months. The urgency was driven by the opioid epidemic,” she said. Like other staff, she pointed out that the Center is open to non-natives.

The biggest barrier to getting treatment in Anacortes is the lack of available facilities, she said. This center changes that: It is the largest medication-assisted treatment facility north of Snohomish County, said Stephens. The service area includes Whatcom, Snohomish and Island counties.

The Center’s marketing materials list its services: outpatient treatment services: Primary medical care, mental health counseling, medication assisted therapies (suboxone, vivitrol, methadone), case management and referrals, DUI/deferred prosecution, shuttle transportation and onsite child care.

In early December, the center expects to get the final license from DEA, the federal Drug Enforcement Administration and will be able to prescribe medicines.

In the Swinomish language of Lushootseed, the word didgwálič means the place where camas grows. The center stands on land where camas grew, and historically it was a meeting place for the tribe.

“Camas provided a source of nourishment and wellness for the tribe,” Stephens said. “Now, (the land) will continue to do so.”

Call 360-588-2800 to get on the list for services. A waiting list has been started.