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Comprehensive Plan to End Homelessness Updates

Posted on: August 23, 2023

Over $29M awarded for behavioral health services in Pierce County

BH news and events

Pierce County Human Services is announcing the awards from the recent Behavioral Health Request for Proposals (RFP), which funds mental health and substance use services for residents across Pierce County. Funding is available from two taxes – the Behavioral Health Tax and the Liquor Excise Tax – and will fund services for a 24-month period from January 1, 2024 – December 31, 2025.

Over 60 proposals were submitted to the department aiming to address funding targets identified in the Behavioral Health Improvement Plan including community education, prevention, crisis services, rural health services and more.

The Behavioral Health Advisory Board (BHAB) funding recommendations amount to $29,998,250, awarded to the following 28 programs:  

Applicant

Funding

Program and/or Initiative

Pierce County Sheriff’s Department

$3,780,000

Co-Responder Program

This program embeds mental health professionals with law enforcement when responding to 911 calls for people experiencing a behavioral health crisis.

Comprehensive Life Resources

$3,029,700

School Connect

Provides outpatient treatment and navigation services to youth in the Peninsula, Orting, Puyallup and White River School Districts.

Seneca Family of Agencies

$3,000,000

Wraparound with Intensive Services (WISe)

Services for high-risk youth and families, providing 24/7 support.

Greater Lakes Mental Healthcare

$2,124,200

Jail Diversion

Assists individuals with behavioral health issues who have committed a non-violent felony to participate in treatment and rehabilitation.

WorkForce Central

$1,989,200

Behavioral Health Workforce

Formally establishes the Pierce County Behavioral Health Consortium focused on recruiting, training and retaining a diverse and high-quality behavioral health workforce.

Mary Bridge Children’s Hospital

$1,876,000

Youth Engagement Services (YES)

This model supports school-age children seen for behavioral health crises at MultiCare emergency departments.

Valley Cities

$1,733,400

Military Family Clinic

Provides outpatient mental health treatment for post-9/11 veterans and their families members.

First 5 Fundamentals

$1,200,000

Family Connects

Provides brief nurse support through integrated health for families of newborns.

Asian American Chemical Dependency Services

$1,180,000

Outreach and Community Education

Provides community education, prevention, early intervention and treatment of behavioral health disorders among the Asian American population in Pierce County.

Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department

$1,100,000

 

Teen Mental Health First Aid

Expands teen Mental Health First Aid training in schools and youth-serving organizations, targeting 12 of the 15 school districts in Pierce County.

MultiCare Behavioral Health Network

$955,000

Alternative Response Team

Partnership with the Pierce County Sheriff providing support for non-emergency situations to connect residents with behavioral health services and reduce and/or prevent future 911 calls.

Horses Guiding Humans

$750,000

Healing with the Herd

Provides equine assisted psychotherapy and equine assisted learning activities to encourage healing.

Behavior Bridges

$750,000

Preventing Crisis for Autism and DD 2.0

Provides supports to families of children with complex behavioral and developmental needs by providing preventative care and training to the neurodiverse community.

Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department

$747,200

NFP and Black Infant Health

NFP is an intense home visiting program supporting low-income first-time mothers and their babies from birth to two years old. Black Infant Health provides culturally aligned home visiting and group support services to Black parents from pregnancy to one year postpartum.

Comprehensive Life Resources

$730,800

Behavioral Health Shelter Program

Provides brief onsite behavioral health counseling at local emergency shelters, encampments and permanent housing programs.

Pierce County Alliance

$627,000

Misdemeanor Mental Health Court

Provides wraparound services for participants enrolled in Pierce County District Courts Mental Health Court.

Pierce Transit

$610,600

Hardship Assistance Response Team (HART)

Provides dedicated Behavioral Health Professionals to assist individuals experiencing a behavioral health issue on or near Pierce Transit property thereby diverting the individual from law enforcement and hospital resources and preserving their ability to use the Pierce Transit system.

Tacoma Area Coalition of Individuals with Disabilities (TACID)

$551,000

Wellness and Recovery Program

Promotes the wellness, recovery and resilience of adults experiencing disabilities in Pierce County.

Communities in Schools of Lakewood

$547,000

Lakewood Youth Wellness Project

Provides “Integrated Student Supports” inside schools to address the needs of students facing academic and non-academic barriers to achievement in school and life.

Pierce County Alliance

$522,000

 

Felony Drug Court

Enhances services for justice-involved residents impacted by substance use and in need of comprehensive treatment and supportive services for recovery and successful reentry into the community.

Oasis Youth Center

$392,500

Bridging the Gap

Provides a safe place for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and questioning (LGBTQ+) youth to connect, learn, and grow.

Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department

$350,800

Mental Health First Aid

Establishes a dedicated, coordinated “hub” for Mental Health First Aid training accessible to all Pierce County residents.

Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department

$340,000

Child Wellness

This project proposes a series of complementary upstream prevention efforts developed through the framework of Positive Childhood Experiences (PCEs).

Clover Park Technical College

$281,150

Student Counseling Services

Provides counseling services to Clover Park Technical College students seeking assistance.

Progress House Association

$262,000

Clubhouse

Provides a supportive and inclusive environment for individuals who face social, vocational, educational, and reentry challenges due to their mental health conditions.

Asia Pacific Cultural Center (APCC)

$216,500

Mental Health Program

Provides services that honor Asian American, Native Hawaiian, Pacific Islander (AANPI) cultures while working towards improving the mental well-being of AANHPI communities. APCC collaborates with AANHPI-identifying, Washington-licensed mental health therapists to provide culturally sensitive mental health community education workshops and mental health vouchers throughout the year.

Multicultural Child and Family Hope Center (MCFHC)

$183,000

Expanded Peer Therapeutic Drug Court Services

Provides Therapeutic Court recovery services to the BIPOC community, veterans, and people living throughout Pierce County through Peer Support Services.

HopeSparks

$169,200

Hip Hop Therapy

Provides Hip Hop Therapy as a group program providing opportunities for middle school youth of color to express their feelings and ideas through hip hop.

 

Funding is allocated for a 24-month period between January 1, 2024 – December 31, 2025 and was made available through two taxes – the Behavioral Health Tax and the Liquor Excise Tax.  In December 2020, the Pierce County Council passed Ordinance 2020-138, authorizing a 1/10th of 1% Behavioral Health and Therapeutic Courts Tax (BHTC) in accordance with RCW 82.14.460. This fund was established for the purpose of improving the quality of life for county residents and decreasing criminal justice system costs and emergency department use by reducing negative outcomes associated with untreated mental health and substance use disorders. The liquor excise tax is used to fund substance use treatment programs provided by agencies licensed by the Department of Health.

Learn more about behavioral health services in Pierce County by visiting www.piercecountywa.gov/bh


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Media Contact:
Kari Moore, Public Information Specialist
253-363-0325
[email protected] 

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