A pilot project is in the works to prevent drug-addicted people from veering off the path to sobriety after they’re released from a jail sentence.

Medford Municipal Court has asked Medford City Council to approve $65,000 to pay for a bed and case management services at the Jackson County Community Justice Transition Center in Talent for those leaving jail. In addition, the court would have access to another short-term bed.

“One of the most obvious holes had to do with people being released from jail after spending several weeks there sobering, not having a realistic option for them to transition to, and inevitably going back out to the street,” Municipal Court Judge Virginia Greer said in a recent plea to the council.

Too often, those with addiction problems are released from a jail sentence, and then once they’re released, they wait for a bed at an in-patient treatment center.

This waiting period sometimes causes people to slip back into using because they end up on the streets again. Many drug-addicted individuals are also homeless.

Greer wants to close this treatment gap by securing a bed at the transition center, a facility that is less restrictive than jail and offers wrap-around services to provide a short-term bridge to people who seek recovery.

“It really is a phenomenal program,” Greer said.

If approved by the council, the pilot project would continue for 18 months.

The city has eight beds available at the Jackson County Jail to hold offenders and get them somewhat stabilized from their drug addiction.

The Medford Police Department Livability Team uses the eight beds to provide outreach and to develop a plan for when someone gets released from jail.

However, the timing of jail release and starting the treatment program through organizations such as OnTrack, Addictions Recovery Center or Jackson County Mental Health doesn’t always line up.

The transition center would provide the next step for individuals who have indicated a willingness to remain sober and need a continuum of care.

Medford police Lt. Rebecca Pietila said, “It’s a place to go that is not jail. It helps ease that transition before they enter treatment.”

The Kelly Shelter and Urban Campground, which offer shelter for the homeless, are low-barrier facilities, meaning those who stay there do not have to be drug-free. Those types of shelters are not viable options for drug-addicted people who need to be in a drug-free environment.

The county’s transition center not only has case managers to develop programs for drug-addicted individuals but also helps people get on the Oregon Health Plan, helps find transitional housing and helps find employment opportunities.

Kiki Parker-Rose, director of Jackson County Community Justice, said, “We’re looking forward to the partnership.”

Parker-Rose said the transition center helps with various addictions, including alcohol, fentanyl and heroin.

While the transition center has 169 beds, Parker-Rose said the number of people being helped at any time varies from 100 up to 135 because of the oversight required to manage a communal-living situation.

On-site peers, many of whom have gone through the sobriety program at the transition center, help newcomers on their own path to sobriety, Parker-Rose said.

In 2022, the success rate of the program was 93%, Parker-Rose said.

“The transition center is Jackson County’s investment into the unhoused population,” she said.