The King County Department of Community and Human Services (DCHS) recently released a Request for Proposals (RFP) seeking Behavioral Health Agencies (BHAs) to create new residential facilities and beds for mental health and substance use treatment in King County. 

DCHS is hosting an information session at 10 a.m. this Friday, September 19 for interested proposers. 

With funding from the Crisis Care Centers (CCC) Initiative, this RFP aims to restore King County’s Mental Health Residential (MHR) facilities capacity to its 2018 level of 355 beds and expand the availability and sustainability of all types of residential treatment in King County.   

Residential treatment is a community-based treatment option that provides 24/7 treatment in a safe, supportive environment where people can receive intensive services to stabilize and recover from mental health and/or substance use conditions. 

Multiple mental health residential treatment facilities have closed in recent years due to rising operating and maintenance costs, aging infrastructure, and insufficient resources to repair facilities. 

For full RFP details and to apply, visit: https://www.zoomgrants.com/zgf/RTFCD2 

RFP highlights and requirements include:   

  • Covered costs include purchasing land, acquiring existing facilities, planning and design, building renovations or expansions, new construction, and other capital pre-development and development expenses.  
  • This RFP does not provide funding for operations. Operational funding, including Medicaid and other payor sources, will be contracted subsequently to proposers in advance of site openings.  
  • Proposer is required to be a member of King County Integrated Care Network (KCICN) or meets the eligibility to join the KCICN as a Mental Health or Substance Use Disorder (SUD) Residential Treatment provider 
  • Proposer is required to be licensed as a Behavioral Health Agency or out of state equivalent. 
  • Proposer facility will provide MHR Treatment or SUD Treatment. 

In addition to meeting minimum requirements, proposals with the following desired qualifications may be scored more favorably: 

  • Increase CCC Levy efficiency by proposing restoration, rehabilitation, or otherwise using a facility that is already licensed, already sited, or otherwise already meets regulatory requirements. 
  • Increase access to residential treatment beds throughout King County by opening or expanding new Residential Treatment capacity in areas where few or no similar Residential Treatment facilities exist. 
  • Include integrated SUD treatment options (either internally or through partnership). 

DCHS is seeking proposals that include the following desired programs as well: 

  1. Two to three programs (up to 48 beds) with opportunities for community integration in South King County. 
  1. Up to two programs (up to 16 beds each) that will deliver high intensity treatment at the level of an Intensive Step-Down Program  
  1. One youth program of up to 16 beds that will serve clients 13-17 years of age, with programming and structure to provide care for adolescents with disruptive or aggressive behaviors and that can accommodate and provide specialized care for adolescents with cooccurring intellectual or developmental disabilities. 

For all CCC Levy programs, DCHS seeks to support BHAs that recognize and address the inequities that exist in communities in King County. Proposers for this RFP can increase equity in the behavioral health system by proposing funding for an organization with expertise and experience providing culturally and linguistically appropriate services to populations experiencing behavioral health inequities. 

Key Dates:

The Crisis Care Centers Initiative is a once-in-a-generation investment approved by King County voters to transform how people can access behavioral health care in our region. 

In addition to restoring residential treatment capacity, the CCC Initiative’s top priorities include creating a countywide network of five crisis care centers and strengthening King County’s behavioral health workforce.