King County’s Department of Community and Human Services (DCHS) recently announced a new funding opportunity to support jurisdictions interested in potentially hosting a Crisis Care Center to help meet the pressing need for urgent behavioral health care in our communities. 

A Crisis Care Center is a place anyone can walk in to get urgent care for a wide range of mental health and substance use crises, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.  

Connections Kirkland, the first of five Crisis Care Centers opened last year. King County is now selecting future Crisis Care Center operators and sites in Central (Seattle/Vashon), South, and East Crisis Response Zones (CRZs), plus one center specifically for youth in any CRZ. 

Funding is set aside to assist jurisdictions in siting activities, including identifying viable sites, assessing feasibility, evaluating local barriers and opportunities, and conducting community engagement. The levy is making these investments to help jurisdictions assess and prepare for potentially siting a Crisis Care Center in their area. This approach is intended to encourage equitable participation across the region.

The Request for Proposals (RFP) for Capacity Building and Technical Assistance Funds for Jurisdictions is now open with the first round of applications due on September 19 at 2:00 PM (PST). Learn more and apply today! 

In each funding round, jurisdictions may request up to $100,000 per Crisis Care Center category (Regional Crisis Care Center and Youth Crisis Care Center). Most individual awards will range between $25,000 and $75,000, depending on the scope of proposed activities.  

Eligible Jurisdictions 

This funding opportunity is open to cities and Tribes with siting authority within King County. Jurisdictions of all sizes are encouraged to apply.   

  1. Jurisdictions in the East and South CRZs are eligible to apply for these funds. 
  1. All jurisdictions are eligible to apply for funding to support the Youth Crisis Care Center regardless of existing Regional Crisis Care Center locations. 

The City of Seattle in the Central CRZ is receiving separate funds in line with the focus of the RFP and for continued community engagement. Please find more details and a list of eligible cities and Tribes in the RFP. 

Key Dates: Applications Due

  • September 19, 2025 by 2:00 p.m. PST (Proposal Round 1)  
  • November 14, 2025 by 2:00 p.m. (Proposal Round 2) 
  • January 9, 2026 by 2:00 p.m. (Proposal Round 3) 
  • March 6, 2026 by 2:00 p.m. (Proposal Round 4) 
  • May 1, 2026 by 2:00 p.m. (Final Close Date unless the funds are fully expended sooner; Proposal Round 5) 

Activities 

The grants will help jurisdictions partner with potential operators to conduct early planning, preparation and community engagement work in order to determine readiness to host a Crisis Care Center. 

Allowable activities prior to an operator being selected in the relevant Crisis Response Zone include, but are not limited to:  

  1. Site Feasibility Studies – Conducting assessments to determine the suitability of potential locations for a Crisis Care Center, including zoning analysis, environmental impact reviews, and infrastructure evaluations.  
  1. Financial Planning – Developing cost estimates, funding strategies, etc. to assess long-term site viability.  
  1. Site Readiness and Pre-Development Activities – Preliminary design work, site preparation analysis, and partnerships with developers or contractors.  

Once an operator is selected for a future Crisis Care Center, the activities should align with supporting the operator’s work. Such eligible activities up until the Crisis Care Center is open may include, but are not limited to: 

  1. Regulatory and Permitting Analysis – Reviewing local, state, and federal regulations to identify potential barriers or requirements for facility development.  
  1. Community Engagement and Interested Party Consultation – Hosting public meetings, focus groups, and community forums to gather input from residents, service providers, first responders, and other interested parties.  
  1. Needs Assessments and Data Collection – Analyzing service gaps, population needs, and geographic considerations.   

Thanks to King County voters, the Crisis Care Centers Initiative is creating a robust crisis response system that makes sure everyone has someone to call (988 crisis line), someone to respond (crisis teams), somewhere to go (Crisis Care Centers) and someone to follow up with (post-crisis teams).