20 hours Ago By Chrissy Booker
Columbia River Mental Health Services, which abruptly suspended some operations March 24 due to financial woes , announced Thursday it has hired its former CEO back. Also Thursday, the Cowlitz Tribal Foundation announced that it extended $1.6 million in emergency funding to the agency.
The grant enabled Columbia River Mental Health Services to maintain select behavioral health programs , including methadone distribution at its NorthStar Clinic. The foundation said in a news release that the funding marks its largest single gift to date. Craig Pridemore previously served as Columbia River Mental Health Services’ executive from 2007 to 2011 and 2014 to 2020.
Pridemore will first address the agency’s immediate financial challenges and remain in the role until a permanent CEO is appointed, according to a Thursday news release from the organization. For now, Pridemore will not receive any compensation. “When we get this agency back on its feet again, we can talk about that,” Pridemore said in the news release.
“Until then, we have a lot of rebuilding work to do. I have no doubt that with the current leadership and staff, we can do that work together.” Former CEO Victor Jackson joined the organization in October 2020.
Jackson received $208,447 in annual compensation in 2022, according to the organization’s 990 tax forms . During his previous tenure, Pridemore oversaw expansion of the agency both geographically and in the number of people served, while increasing the agency’s cash on hand from $94,000 to $5.2 million, the news release said.
“When Craig retired from the agency in 2020, he left it on a solid financial footing, with strong staff morale and effective working partnerships across the community,” said Dimitry Makhanov, chair of the nonprofit’s board. “The board is confident that he is exactly the person we need to reposition this agency for the future.” Pridemore, 64, is a former Washington state senator who represented Vancouver from 2005 to 2012.
He also served as a Clark County commissioner from 1999 to 2004. “The agency owes money to a number of local businesses and to its employees,” Pridemore said in the news release. “It is my duty to ensure those debts are paid and that this agency restores its good name in this community.
That is my commitment and my promise.” This story was made possible by Community Funded Journalism , a project from The Columbian and the Local Media Foundation . Top donors include the Ed and Dollie Lynch Fund, Patricia, David and Jacob Nierenberg, Connie and Lee Kearney, Steve and Jan Oliva, The Cowlitz Tribal Foundation and the Mason E.
Nolan Charitable Fund. The Columbian controls all content. For more information, visit columbian.
com/cfj ..
