Parkland-Spanaway area to get new $6.1 million crisis center to serve mentally ill
News TribuneNov 07, 2019
Elected officials, social workers and first responders spoke Wednesday of the long-awaited
Crisis Recovery Center will be the county's second crisis center. The first was built in
"I've been waiting for this for a long time," County Executive
"For many years, we have not afforded people with mental health issues sufficient dignity,"
The 9,600-square-foot facility at
Patients will be transported by law enforcement, ambulance or family to be stabilized at the facility, according to
Staffing will include nurses, a mental health professional, discharge coordinators and peer staff with a 1-to-3 staff-to-patient ratio. All employees will be trained in verbal and physical de-escalation, but each patient receives a risk assessment upon arrival. Those deemed a risk to others will not be admitted, according to a
The center is open to anyone who needs stabilization.
"We know that many homeless individuals suffer from mental illness and substance addictions," the handout said. "A new crisis care facility will help them and others get the care they need, which for many is the first step toward stable housing."
The project will cost
Medicaid would fund ongoing operational expenses,
Why
Many of the mental health or substance abuse responses are from frequent callers, who need help the fire department can't provide, Olson said.
"Big red isn't the answer. We are putting people in crisis into emergency rooms full of chaos, and it's not helpful," he said. "We are medics. We can help with the trauma, the medical component, but not so much with the more complex issues."
The Crisis Recovery Center has mirrored
The
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