ConnectionsWA will select site by end of year with capacity to serve 2,000 people annually
OLYMPIA, WA – The Washington State Department of Commerce today announced a $4.2 million grant to ConnectionsWA for a new 16-bed crisis stabilization facility in King County. The facility will leverage $5.3 million in non-state funding to complete the project.
ConnectionsWA will select a site in King County to purchase by the end of this year and plans to begin construction in 2023. The facility will assist law enforcement in their efforts to divert people who are better served in a mental health environment from arrest and unnecessary hospital emergency room visits. ConnectionsWA estimates that the facility will stabilize approximately 2,000 individuals per year, connecting them to community support resources for ongoing assistance. ConnectionsWA is affiliated with Arizona-based Connections Health Solutions, a national leader in immediate-access behavioral health crisis stabilization.
This grant also helps the state meet its obligations under the Trueblood Contempt Settlement Agreement addressing unconstitutional delays in competency evaluation and restoration services for people detained in jails.
Grants are awarded through a competitive process conducted by Commerce, the Washington State Health Care Authority, Department of Social and Health Services, and Department of Health. All projects must maintain the facility for the intended use for at least 15 years.
The grant announced today is the first of three funding rounds offered this year through Commerce’s Behavioral Health Facilities program. More information and a link to sign up for email updates are available on the Commerce website.
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