Connections Health Solutions has opened the multi-service behavioural health crisis response centre, Connections Kirkland, in Washington, US.
The facility is designed to provide urgent care along with short-term stabilisation for people experiencing behavioural health or substance use emergencies.
With the capacity to serve over 14,000 individuals every year, the centre will be accessible to all King County residents in need of emergency behavioural health services, irrespective of their insurance status.
Connections Health Solutions has collaborated with the North King County Coalition, which includes Bothell, Kenmore, Kirkland, Lake Forest Park, and Shoreline, to deliver immediate and accessible behavioural health crisis care to the local community.
The centre’s operations are supported by an investment of $11.5m from King County, supplemented by an additional $10m in grant funding from the Department of Commerce.
The Kirkland centre extends its services round-the-clock, offering a walk-in outpatient clinic, 23-hour observation, as well as continued stabilisation care for those requiring extended treatment.
Connections Health Solutions also runs two such emergency behavioural health response centres in Arizona, apart from a mobile crisis response unit in Gallatin County, Montana, and a recently inaugurated crisis stabilisation unit in Virginia.
Looking ahead, the company plans to expand its services with the launch of a new emergency behavioural health walk-in centre and mobile crisis response unit in Pennsylvania later this year, followed by another crisis response centre in Virginia in the first half of next year.
Connections Health Solutions CEO Colin LeClair said: “Together with the North King County community, we’re creating a new paradigm for emergency behavioural health care in Washington.
“The Connections model is proven to provide high-quality, treatment-focused care when individuals need it most, so they can avoid unnecessary hospital admissions and lessen the burden on the judicial system. We appreciate the collaboration and partnership from government, providers, first responders, and community advocates who have all helped bring this life-giving resource to the King County community.”
