County begins construction of new Crisis Stabilization Facility

A new Crisis Stabilization Facility in Bellingham will finish construction within one year, taking an estimated 10 months to build.

The Crisis Stabilization Facility will provide services to adults who are experiencing a mental health crisis, or who are in need of withdrawal management services, and will help them restore and stabilize their health.

A groundbreaking ceremony was held on September 30 at the site in Bellingham. Whatcom County Health Department human services manager Anne Deacon, Whatcom County executive Jack Louws, Whatcom County councilmember Barry Buchanan and Incarceration Prevention and Reduction Task Force co-chair Jack Hovenier all spoke about the importance of the new facility.

Quoting President John F. Kennedy, councilmember Buchanan referred to the project as “our own moonshot.” Hovenier said that the behavioral health facility will provide rehabilitation and reduce trauma for people on the edge of society.

The current Whatcom County Triage Center, located on the same parcel of land, only has capacity for 13 beds. The new 24,450-square-foot facility will have 32 beds, with two 16-bed treatment units. One unit will provide mental health stabilization and the other will provide substance withdrawal services.

The facility will also partner with Compass Health and Pioneer Human Services to provide counseling, medication and treatment.

“It’s been a long-awaited facility,” human services manager Deacon said. “We’ve been working on it for over 10 years. We’re pretty excited about it.”

In the current facility, Deacon said that patients usually spend an average of three to five days receiving treatment.

According to a press release from Whatcom County executive Jack Louws, the Washington State Department of Commerce provided $7 million for the facility’s construction. The North Sound Behavioral Health Organization provided $2.5 million and Whatcom County’s Behavioral Health Fund added $3 million towards the project.

Deacon said that the current staff at the Triage Center will continue working at the new in-patient treatment facility when it opens. The Crisis Stabilization Facility could create 20 new jobs of varying levels and skills, from medical professions to residential aids. It will be open to Medicaid recipients in the region.