County Funds Behavioral Health Crisis Center For Five North King County Cities

King County Executive Dow Constantine

"King County invested $11.5 million of state and local dollars toward a crisis center located in Kirkland.  It will service five North King County cities.  It's the start of what we can achieve together when it comes to community behavioral health." -- King County Executive Dow Constantine.

 PHOENIX, March 8, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Connections Health Solutions, the leading innovator of immediate access behavioral health crisis care, is proud to announce it has secured a location in the 405 Kirkland Corporate Center in Kirkland, WA, for the county's first person-focused, multi-service behavioral health crisis response center.  Within a safe, dedicated space for high-quality care, the center will provide a spectrum of care services, from walk-in behavioral health urgent care to continued stabilization, to individuals experiencing all types of behavioral health or substance use crises.

"The cities of the North King County Coalition recognize the importance of life-saving treatment and mental health care, and our communities have long sought a solution to get individuals in crisis the care they need, at the time it is needed most," said City of Kirkland Mayor Penny Sweet. "Connections Health Solutions' proven expertise in providing high-quality, community-based behavioral health crisis care will help meet the unique needs of our community. Kirkland is honored to be the location of this resource."

Addressing the unmet need in behavioral health crisis care has been a priority for leaders in North King County and its cities. Connections will work in partnership with a coalition of five North King County cities – Bothell, Redmond, Kenmore, Kirkland, Lake Forest Park, and Shoreline – to continue advancing the coalition's focus on maintaining a safe community for all.

"We're honored to partner with the coalition to provide immediate access to care and to connect the North King County community to a local crisis response center where high-quality treatment occurs and hope is restored," said Colin LeClair, Chief Executive Officer for Connections Health Solutions. "Connections is in our name, and we have experienced, firsthand, the stabilization and treatment success that can be achieved when city and county officials, members of the community, law enforcement and local providers come together to help put people experiencing a behavioral health crisis on the journey to recovery. We look forward to the ongoing collaboration between the five cities and all partners as we strive to connect people to the immediate care they need and the community resources that will continue to support health and recovery."

The building where Connections will operate can accommodate upwards of 14,000 individuals annually across the behavioral health crisis care spectrum. The building's extensive space also allows for multiple care services within the same building, from an outpatient clinic providing walk-in access, to 23-hour observation care, and continued stabilization beds for individuals who need extended care. Importantly, the location is accessible to North King County cities and in close proximity to Interstate 405 and State Route 522, so that transportation is not a hindrance to care, whether individuals walk in, are transferred from regional emergency rooms, or arrive in the care of first responders.

"Providing a 24/7 place for people in crisis to receive effective care helps make recovery possible as part of a connected behavioral health system that provides people with the care they need when they need it in their communities," said King County Executive Dow Constantine. "King County invested $11.5 million of state and local dollars toward this crisis center in Kirkland, and it's the start of what we can achieve together when it comes to community behavioral health."

While behavioral health crises look different for everyone, a dedicated therapeutic center will provide individual access to high-quality behavioral health crisis care while relieving the necessity to put pressure on emergency rooms and strained community resources needed for physical health emergencies.

"The benefit to individuals in crisis, first responders, healthcare providers, and our community comes at a critical time, as the lasting impacts of the pandemic continue to be felt across our communities – and especially for those in need of life-saving behavioral health care," said City of Shoreline Mayor Keith Scully.

Connections is open to all regardless of severity of need or insurance, care will be available 24/7, and no appointments will be required. Connections expects to open the crisis response center in 2024.

"The arrival of Connections Health Solutions represents a critical step toward needed access to dedicated behavioral health crisis care resources in North King County," said City of Kenmore Mayor Nigel Herbig. "A crisis does not only occur during business hours. In turn, our community must have additional resources when making an appointment or a waiting room does not suffice."

"This center is an important part of a sustainable solution for a strengthened behavioral health community care continuum," said City of Bothell Mayor Mason Thompson. "We look forward to continuing to work alongside our coalition cities and Connections to open this critical resource for our residents."

"Connections has been serving communities for more than 30 years. Expertise and experience of that caliber matter in behavioral health crisis care and treatment," said City of Lake Forest Park Mayor Jeff Johnson. "The positive impact of this center will be felt among families across the five North King County cities for generations to come."

Founded and developed by emergency department psychiatrists, Connections Health Solutions is widely recognized as the national leader in crisis care; pioneering the 23-hour observation model and welcoming any, and all, members of the community experiencing a behavioral health crisis to receive care and treatment, with respect and without judgment. The Company currently operates two of the largest and most studied behavioral health crisis response centers in the country and has expanded operations to meet the needs of both rural and urban communities.

ABOUT CONNECTIONS HEALTH SOLUTIONS
Connections Health Solutions, LLC is the leading innovator of behavioral health crisis care. The Company operates the two largest behavioral health crisis facilities in the nation and provides a range of services to help stabilize and treat people with mental health and substance use diagnoses. Connections' model emphasizes providing treatment in the least restrictive setting and has demonstrated improved quality and cost savings, including significantly reducing hospital admissions in Medicaid and behavioral health populations. For more information and crisis resources, please visit: www.connectionshs.com

SOURCE Connections Health Solutions