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Partly cloudy this evening, then becoming cloudy after midnight. Low around 45F. Winds SSW at 5 to 10 mph..
Partly cloudy this evening, then becoming cloudy after midnight. Low around 45F. Winds SSW at 5 to 10 mph.
Updated: April 28, 2026 @ 7:16 pm
NonStop Local Multimedia Journalist
A dispute in Franklin County is raising questions about how people in crisis will pay for care at the Columbia Valley Center for Recovery when it opens to the public on May 1.
Kennewick, Wash. — A dispute in Franklin County is raising questions about how people in crisis will pay for care at the Columbia Valley Center for Recovery when it opens to the public on May 1.
The disagreement involved Franklin County Sheriff Jim Raymond and Franklin County commissioners, with the new recovery center at the center of it. The county’s 0.1% tax for mental health needs has been in place since 2022.
Brian Dansel, Franklin County administrator, said part of that money had gone to the recovery center and therapeutic courts.
“Some of [the funding] has gone to that center. And then some of it, a very a large chunk of it, has been used for our therapeutic courts,” said Dansel.
Dansel also confirmed the center had a “no wrong door” policy. He said that meant people who walked in had to be helped, even if they were not from the area.
“Even if a person was from Seattle, Washington, if they walked in, they would have to be helped,” said Dansel.
Raymond questioned how bills would be covered for people without insurance. He said the operating plan depended on money being available to handle insurance-related gaps.
“This whole comprehensive agreement comes down to there has to be a pool of money. So when there’s insurance problems Comprehensive or the Benton and Franklin County commissioners have a pool of money that they can draw from to rectify those bills in order for the for the center to continue to operate in an effective, efficient manner.” said Sheriff Jim Raymond.
Raymond said that pool of money already existed, but county commissioners had not started using it. He also shared an email thread with Benton County Administrator Matt Rasmussen showing Franklin County had not signed an operating agreement with care provider Comprehensive Health Care.
“The lack of operating agreement does not mean FCSO can’t bring people to the facility. It does mean that we won’t be able to guarantee admittance though, since anyone outside of Benton County will have to have an ability to pay.” said Matt Rasmussen.
Dansel explained the county wanted stronger safeguards in the agreement so Franklin County would not pay for care that should be covered by Medicaid. Rasmussen said there had not yet been progress on that issue.
Raymond also raised concerns about Commissioner Stephen Bauman’s role as vice-chair of Lourdes’ Board of Trustees and whether that created a conflict in negotiations involving Lourdes competitor Comprehensive Health Care. NonStop Local contacted the county commissioners about that claim and have not heard back at the time of publishing.
NonStop Local Multimedia Journalist
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