Daybreak Youth Services to remain open until judge reviews patient safety investigation by Department of Health

One of the only residential treatment centers for youth in Eastern Washington, Daybreak Youth Services, will remain open until a judge can review allegations the facility failed to cooperate with a Washington state Department of Health investigation.

The Department of Health issued a notice of intent to suspend Daybreak’s license last month after the facility refused to cooperate with an ongoing investigation into patient safety concerns.

Daybreak, founded in 1978, offers trauma-focused addiction and mental health treatment for youths ages 12 to 18. The Spokane inpatient facility, at 628 S. Cowley St., can treat up to 36 girls at a time and is a mirror to the Vancouver-area clinic that treats boys. Daybreak also offers outpatient coed clinics and counseling in Spokane Valley.

The health department began investigating allegations of misconduct as a result of “patient boundary issues” with a staff member, according to a news release.

The department accuses Daybreak of failing to provide investigators information despite repeated requests.

Tom Russell, Daybreak’s chief executive officer, denied that claim and said the facility fully cooperated with the investigation.

The facility had 28 days to request a hearing on the license suspension before it took effect.

The facility requested a hearing late last month. The request postponed the suspension until an administrative law judge can review the case and make a decision. The facility remained open Tuesday.

The hearing had yet to be scheduled as of Tuesday afternoon, according to the Department of Health, but will be scheduled by the end of September.