Today we mark one of the most significant milestones since we began implementation of the Crisis Care Centers Initiative in June.  The Request for Proposals (RFP) to select behavioral health agencies to operate the first crisis care center is now open. This kicks off the process to site, build and open a regional network of five crisis care centers across King County that will create a new front door for people in crisis who need mental health or substance use services. 

“In the first months of this initiative we’ve strengthened crisis services and bolstered our behavioral health workforce, and we’re on track to select the first new crisis care center operator by January 2025,” said Executive Dow Constantine. “There is widespread support for these facilities and services because too many of our loved ones have waited far too long for the care they need. Thank you to everyone driving this initiative forward, ensuring these centers open as soon as possible.” 

Highlights to know about this RFP include:  

  1. This is the first round of procurement to select the operators for up to three of the five crisis care centers. We will open future rounds of procurement until all five crisis care centers are awarded. 
  1. CCC operators will be behavioral health organizations responsible for siting, capital development, and ongoing operations of the centers. 
  1. This RFP will make available up to $498 million of CCC Levy, Medicaid, and commercial funds through 2032. 
  1. The first crisis care center could open in 2025: “Launch ready” operators ready to open and provide clinical services soon after being selected will be awarded in January 2025; and new site operators that need to develop new facilities will be selected in June 2025. 
  1. Proposals must demonstrate support from the jurisdiction where a crisis care center location is being proposed, such as a written statement. 

For full RFP details and to apply, visit: https://www.zoomgrants.com/zgf/crisiscarecenters. Here are the key dates:

  • Information Session: October 17, 2024 2-3pm 
  • Letter of Intent Deadline: October 25, 2024 by 2pm 
  • Proposal Deadline:   
    Launch Ready: November 22, 2024 by 2pm  
    New Sites: March 21, 2025 by 2pm 
  • If you have any questions, please email dchscontracts@kingcounty.gov

There are multiple ways community members can engage in the process and CCC Initiative: 

  • Reach out to your city or jurisdiction to engage locally in the CCC Initiative and share input 
  • Fill out this Community Survey to share your input on the new crisis care centers with King County and future operators. This survey will close in October. 
  • Sign-up for the CCC Newsletter to follow the initiative’s implementation progress and learn about community meetings and other engagement opportunities 

Considerations from community members, jurisdictions and providers informed the county’s implementation plan for the CCC Initiative, including the collaborative process to site crisis care centers in each crisis response zone. This includes investments to support local jurisdictions and potential operator partnerships

While the Department of Community and Human Services works toward opening the centers, teams across the Behavioral Health and Recovery Division (BHRD) are already putting early investments in place to strengthen our crisis services and behavioral health workforce this year, including bringing: 

  1. More trained 988 / Regional Crisis Line workers from Crisis Connections to talk to, listen, offer support and dispatch mental health professionals from our mobile crisis teams  
  1. More mobile crisis teams into the field to respond to the call when someone is at their most vulnerable, including teams to support youth and their families
  1. More access to life-saving medicine that prevents opioid overdoses like naloxone through new vending machines
  1. More workers into the workforce through apprenticeships, and more supports for our current workforce  
  1. Capital improvements to our community-based behavioral health agencies that need repairs and renovations 

Additionally, in July we celebrated the opening of Connections Health Solutions’ new Crisis Response Center in Kirkland. While not an official crisis care center, it provides the same “place to go” for behavioral health services on a walk-in basis and is a glimpse of what we are creating countywide.     

We also recently announced the opening of a new residential treatment facility in South Seattle with 16 beds for people with mental health and substance use disorders to receive longer term care. The CCC Initiative will add another 115 new residential treatment beds over the years to come.  

“All these combined actions plus today’s RFP release put us significantly closer to building out the full continuum of crisis services we need in every part of the county to make behavioral health care more immediately accessible and available for everyone. In partnership with councilmembers, cities, providers, workers, and community members, we’re keeping this momentum to open the first crisis care centers as soon as possible.” -Susan McLaughlin, Director, Behavioral Health and Recovery Division 

In the meantime, help is available for everyone in King County today: Call or Text 988 or the Regional Crisis Line: 206-461-3222 if you or a loved one are experiencing a mental health or substance use related crisis. Trained mental health professionals and volunteers are available to talk, listen, and connect you to services, including appointments with behavioral health providers for the next day, or can send mobile crisis teams to help in-person. Watch this video to meet the local team from Crisis Connections answering community calls – they are here to help!