MERIT Resource Services

About MERIT Resource Services

MERIT Resource Services is a nonprofit outpatient addiction treatment provider with an office in Kennewick, Washington, part of a network of clinics serving Yakima, Kittitas, and Benton counties and the Pasco area. Founded in 1979 as The Valley Alcohol Council, they offer CARF-accredited care for adults and adolescents struggling with alcohol, marijuana, opiates, benzodiazepines, stimulants, hallucinogens, sleeping pills, inhalants, and other substances. Their services include clinical assessments and referrals, intensive outpatient and standard outpatient programs, telehealth, and relapse prevention and aftercare, with integrated support for co-occurring behavioral health needs. Care is available in both English and Spanish.

Treatment starts with an in-depth evaluation, after which a counselor or care manager works with the client, and often their family, to build a plan with clear goals. Intensive outpatient typically meets three nights a week for three hours over roughly six to eight weeks, with a weekly family counseling session, before clients step down to standard outpatient groups of about 90 minutes once or twice a week. Progress is reviewed throughout using the six ASAM dimensions, and anyone who relapses can be reassessed and placed back at the right level of care. They also handle legal and workplace needs through deferred prosecution evaluations, alcohol and drug information school, ongoing programs for people in drug court, and employee and student assistance programs.