The Emergency Services Patrol (ESP) team, in the Behavioral Health and Recovery Division, is one of DCHS’ direct service teams. 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, the team patrols in and around downtown Seattle, looking out for people in crisis. To learn more about their work, the team’s history, and what’s ahead, we sat down with the ESP … Continue reading 50 years in, DCHS’ Emergency Services Patrol carries out a critical mission
Mental Health Month: DCHS Makes Getting Routine Mental Health Care Easier for People in King County
May is mental health month, and we want to check in—how is your mental health? It’s been an especially stressful year for many communities that our Department of Community and Human Services serve, including King County’s immigrant, refugee, and LGBTQIA+ communities, people experiencing homelessness, veterans, and people who are low income. Just like getting an annual physical, we all need to prioritize our mental health too, likely more than we do. “Setting … Continue reading Mental Health Month: DCHS Makes Getting Routine Mental Health Care Easier for People in King County
Breaking the Cycle: Connecting People to Mental Health Care After Hospitalization
For too long, communities across King County have faced barriers to getting the behavioral health care they need to support their long-term recovery. At the Department of Community & Human Services (DCHS), we are breaking the cycle through our commitment to following through, connecting people to routine mental health care and recovery supports after they are discharged from treatment in hospitals, inpatient programs, or Crisis Care Centers. New data shows efforts to connect clients of King County’s behavioral health services to outpatient care after a hospitalization are working and setting a national standard for follow-up care. The period after leaving a hospital is a … Continue reading Breaking the Cycle: Connecting People to Mental Health Care After Hospitalization
Help Shape Affordable Housing in Unincorporated King County
Want to learn how King County can create more affordable housing in unincorporated communities? We’re exploring three policy tools that could improve housing affordability and stability — and we want your input. Multifamily Housing Tax Exemption (MFTE): A program that lowers property taxes for housing developers that include affordable homes. It can apply to housing like townhomes and condos. … Continue reading Help Shape Affordable Housing in Unincorporated King County
Full Speed Ahead: How the Crisis Care Centers Levy Is Unlocking Free, 24/7 Mental Health Support for King County
Thanks to the voter-approved Crisis Care Centers (CCC) Levy, King County is expanding its services that offer immediate mental health and substance use care for people in a moment of crisis, including: Someone to Call (988) Someone to Respond In-Person (Mobile Response Crisis Teams) Somewhere to Go (Crisis Care Centers) Someone to Follow-Up (Post-Crisis Follow-Up Teams) Less than two years into implementing … Continue reading Full Speed Ahead: How the Crisis Care Centers Levy Is Unlocking Free, 24/7 Mental Health Support for King County
New Youth Mental Health Urgent Care Now Open in Kirkland
As part of the voter-approved Crisis Care Centers initiative, we are excited to share that youth behavioral health urgent care is now available at our first Crisis Care Center, Connections Kirkland—whether or not you have insurance. The Crisis Care Centers initiative is making sure everyone including children and teens have access to free 24/7 behavioral health crisis services, including: Someone to call: 988 Crisis Line Someone … Continue reading New Youth Mental Health Urgent Care Now Open in Kirkland