Crossposted from Cultivating Connections

A Crisis Care Center is a place for people experiencing a mental health or substance use crisis to go and receive urgent care. Funded by the voter-approved levy, anyone can walk into a Crisis Care Center 24/7 with or without insurance to get help and a path to recovery.

Crisis Care Centers are also a place first responders can take people in crisis. Now, instead of going to jail or an overcrowded emergency room – which can often make things worse – first responders can easily transport a person to a center to receive proper care. Importantly, first responders can move quickly onto their next call, making our communities safer and their jobs easier.

Our first Crisis Care Center, known as Connections Kirkland, is now open. Already, 12 local police departments including Seattle and Redmond, plus Emergency Medical Services, King County Fire Departments, City of Seattle’s CARE Department, and King County’s Mobile Rapid Response Crisis Teams take people across the county to Connections Kirkland. In the near future, we plan to open four more centers, including one for youth. Read more.