Snohomish County is gearing up to boost its mental health and addiction services, opening its doors to proposals for a whopping $3 million in developments aimed at expanding behavioral health facilities. This pot of money, which marks the first wave of funding from the County’s recently minted Housing & Behavioral Health Capital Fund, is dedicated to building new capacity to tackle the challenges faced in the community.
Approved by the County Council just last December, the capital fund is part of a larger, ambitious plan to pour approximately $114 million over the next five years to seriously increase not only behavioral health services but also the availability of affordable housing in the region. They are set to construct over 550 affordable housing units, along with both permanent supportive housing and 150 units of emergency bridge housing. Executive Dave Somers, in collaboration with the Council and community influencers, worked together to create the fund. Somers told Snohomish County's official website, "To address that need, Snohomish County continues to advance holistic, comprehensive efforts to address issues related to behavioral health and substance use."
The call for proposals invites a wide array of applicants, from non-profits and for-profits to local governments and federally recognized tribes. The key requirement – projects have to stay within Snohomish County lines and focus on the county’s residents. These initiatives need to be spearheaded by agencies already licensed as Behavioral Health Agencies by Washington State. With an eye on enlarging the regional support network, projects that aim to create new capacity will receive special consideration in the application process.
Human Services in Snohomish County is leading the charge, encouraging eligible organizations to thoroughly review the Notice of Funding Availability (NOFA) and to quickly submit their applications. It's an opportunity for these groups to step up to the plate and directly contribute to the community's betterment. Acknowledging the area's unified voice on the matter, Somers emphasized the collective resolve to upgrade the quality and accessibility of behavioral health services, stating, "Across our community, there is consistent agreement around the need to expand affordable, high-quality behavioral health capacity serving all parts of the county." This move by the County signals a decisive step towards revamping the critical support structures for individuals struggling with mental health and addiction issues.
