Seattle Mayor Bruce Harrell has given his conditional support to siting a new county mental health crisis center inside a former medical building at Broadway and Union. Capitol Hill community groups are also formally weighing on the proposal as the King County Council begins debate on the plan.
“The primary concerns from our community members are about the public safety effects of the Crisis Care Center. Many residents expressed a belief that the Crisis Care Center would improve the public safety of the area,” a letter from the Capitol Hill Community Council also conditionally supporting the plan reads. “Other community members question that belief, and we support the careful consideration of their concerns and a public safety plan that addresses concerns of community members.”
In their letter, the volunteer community group agreed the King County Department of Community and Human Services is so far showing “good faith effort” in answering the council’s questions and responding to concerns.
“While not all the forwarded questions were addressed, and while not all answers are as forthcoming as we may have hoped, we believe that this represents a good faith effort by King County to engage with the concerns of members of the community in a fair way,” the council’s letter continues. “Based on this action, and others including neighborhood walks with community members, we anticipate that King County will strive to be good neighbors and run the Crisis Care Center in a positive way that reflects and responds to the community in which it is housed.”
The full Capitol Hill Community Council letter is below.
CHS reported here in August on Harrell’s conditional support for the planned $56 million Broadway Crisis Care Center that would transform a former Polyclinic facility at Broadway and Union.
In his letter, Harrell said the county and a yet to be announced operator of the center must partner with the Seattle Police Department to assess the former Polyclinic building and its surroundings for safety, execute a “safe operations plan for the building and the surrounding exterior spaces, including public sidewalks and other publicly accessible spaces,” and enter into a Good Neighbor Agreement with the city that “obligates the provider to meet certain safety and disorder standards to be negotiated with the provider.” Requirements would include forming a citizen advisory committee to guide the emergency and walk-in clinic that is planned to be part of a voter-approved, $1.25 billion network of five facilities across the county.
The mayor’s letter of support is a key milestone in the so far limited public process around the proposal.
Other groups are voicing support.
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“The crisis in this neighborhood and struggles of neighbors across Seattle will not be put on hold if we decide to pointlessly search for an alternative,” a letter provided to CHS in support of the Broadway crisis center from a group of Capitol Hill Branch Library workers reads. “Rather than prolong suffering and harm, it is imperative that the opening of this facility proceed quickly.”
In the letter, the library workers call out Capitol Hill business owners who have opposed the Broadway crisis center plans including ice cream entrepreneur Molly Moon Neitzel. “Neitzel is correct that Capitol Hill is experiencing crises, which is precisely why we need a crisis center here,” the group writes. “Just as a neighborhood with children needs a school, or a forest fire needs firefighters, or an ice cream store needs a freezer- the crisis is here and the need is here, and will not simply disappear because the facility gets strung along elsewhere.”
While the library workers are calling on the King County Council to move the Broadway crisis center plan forward as soon as possible, they are also calling on the county to change the crisis levy framework and operate the clinics with “qualified and publicly accountable public, unionized labor.”
Due to contracting restrictions, the county can not yet reveal if Arizona-headquartered service provider Connections that is operating the first Kirkland location in the crisis center network has made a bid to also operate the planned Broadway center. In February, the county selected Connections as its “Launch Ready” partner in a plan to purchase the $39 million Kirkland building while providing funding to operate a 24/7 mental health care facility.
Approved by county voters in the spring of 2023, the levy was planned to cost median-value homeowners an estimated $121 a year over a nine year period, raising as much as $1.25 billion through 2032 to fund creation of the five crisis care centers and increase mental health services in the county.
In addition to buying and owning the properties, the levy will provide companies like Connections access to operations funding plus $2 million annually “in workforce funding to support, strengthen, and recruit their workforce.”
The Crisis Centers must provide 24/7 walk-in care, 23-Hour Observation Units for patients brought in by police “to receive immediate care to stabilize and stay for up to 23 hours,” and “crisis stabilization beds” where individuals can stay for up to 14 days “to receive focused behavioral health treatment.”
Legislation to approve the purchase of the Polyclinic property and opening the crisis center is now in front of the King County Council following Tuesday’s session where the matter was referred to the council’s Health, Housing, and Human Services Committee.
Officials say the hope is to close on the building by the end of 2025, putting the center on track for a 2027 opening.
The Library workers response is perfect, who would have ever guessed they’d have a thoughtful and well informed response? They must have like, read books or something… and been in a position where they interact with people in need on a regular basis due to a lack of other options in a job that focuses on helping people.
My wallet and waistline appreciate that I quit my regular Molly Moons habit.The extra walk to go somewhere that doesn’t oppose helping people in crisis is totally worth it.
There’s a knee-jerk reaction to the word “crisis center” where everyone automatically thinks of unhoused people, but forget that lgbtqia+ people have drastically higher likelihood of self harm and housing insecurity. Having a crisis center easily accessible in the gayborhood is a very good thing that will save lives.
It’s also like, what, people want it to sit there unused and eventually become a squat through disuse, and then instead of setting up a center near where people in crisis are, they talk about shipping them anywhere else to far flung resources (and they don’t care where, so long as it isn’t here) and the problem is supposed to be ‘solved’ forever and ever and ever.
There is something grim about people being insane about something to help with bouts of insanity.
I agree with the library staffers’ position too, but I wouldn’t cite this issue as a reason to stop patronizing Molly Moon’s. She didn’t suddenly turn into a maga monster by opposing the center, she simply made a cost-benefit calculation that I disagree with. I don’t question either her devotion to the neighborhood or her concern for people in crisis. (Now, if your waistline is signaling that it’s time to stop eating ice cream altogether, I can’t argue with that.)
At this point, the mayor, other city leaders and citizens have done a better-than-average job of centering public safety in the discussion of this facility.
Unlike places like Clement House, DESC properties and other facilities that opened and continue to operate with a broken and ineffective “trust us, bro!” level of neighborhood accountability, this crisis center feels like something material will really happen if it turns into a neighborhood degrader.
Of course, one hopes there’s no cause for alarm. But if alarms do sound, I’m more confident they will be addressed quickly. Or else…
This has my conditional support as well – but without a place and a plan to support these people after their 14 days are up – clearly an inadequate amount of time to truly address anything more than a person’s most acute needs, I do fear this will become yet another revolving door, an expensive psychiatric ER without the needed primary care follow up, but at least it’s a start…
I am not opposed to this facility, but I do wonder exactly how patients will get there to be assessed and treated. The drug addicts will not voluntarily go there. As for the mentally ill, who we who live in the neighborhood see ranting and raving on our streets on a regular basis, how will they become patients? It’s not likely they will get there on their own either. Will the police (or their mental health team) take them there on an involuntary basis? If a concerned citizen calls 911 to report a deranged person, that person will be long-gone by the time police arrive.
From our previous report — Mayor’s conditions for $56M Broadway Crisis Care Center plan include Seattle Police safety sign-off, citizen advisory committee
Right, but would the police take them there involuntarily? Or does the person in crisis have to agree to the police/first responders to accept medical care and be taken to the crisis center?
The cops get them there. Just not directly. The courts/probie makes them as part of probation.
I should add. Yes…Some prisoners will need to detox before heading to a cell. In some cases it might be someone drunk. It may be a heroin addict etc. You can’t put them in jail like that.
“Heroin addict.” You are showing your age. In fact I was just talking to a couple of old friends as we went to lunch around 12th and Jackson, who were heroin addicts back in the day, and they commented that it’s apparently almost impossible to find heroin anymore, and noted the lack of needles (I knew this already). If ONLY heroin was the problem, we (the city) and the addicts would be out of this mess a lot easier. It’s all fentanyl, meth, or tranq now, all much harder to detox and kick than heroin, and all much much cheaper.
Yes I am aware. My age has nothing to do with it. I tried to get from a to z.
Like Drunk to Junkie. Not the entire list of possible.
If this is the only gripe you got? Find someone else to torment.
Oh, I’m sorry. I forgot that you are always right, and ‘tormenting’ or insulting is only one way with you and the other ‘progressives’ on here (see below where you call comments “word stew” “not too bright” “made up” and on and on). Don’t worry, you are on my ignore list now. Feel free to spew falsehoods as you like.
That doesn’t answer the question of how… who live in the neighborhood see ranting and raving on our streets on a regular basis, how will they become patients? And no outreach to those in crises in the neighborhood? I fear this will bring more people in crises to live on the streets in Capitol Hill, drop off gunshot victims. It’s not an urgent care.
I’ve attended several meetings, and the Q&A sessions have been very limited. However, it was confirmed that individuals enter voluntarily. Involuntary commitment is rare and involves a lengthy process. When SPD, SFD, or other agencies bring someone in, that person can choose to leave at any time.
There is no plan for outreach to people living on our neighborhood streets and in parks. While some may choose to walk in voluntarily, relying on that is not a plan—it’s a hope.
The current plan is for this single site to serve as the drop-off point for all individuals in crisis brought in by SPD and SFD across Seattle.
No…It’s not that. Yes, going to drug court will land you there. YES it is mandatory if you want to stay out of jail.
Your word stew is just that. Ask better questions or listen and comprehend better.
If this is true–no involuntary commitment–how will this change anything?
That’s the question and answer. And, no. This is not part of the diversion program. It is voluntary. You can walk out at any time. I visited the Kirkland facility and asked your same question.
Involuntary is the insane asylums. Not the treatment side. You get treated and released. Like a real hospital.
“The drug addicts will not voluntarily go there.”
Maybe, maybe not. But? The courts send them as part of probation.
Probation is sometimes a result of a criminal charge and then being found guilty in a court of law, so months after the incident. Maybe you mean that a court requires they go to the Crisis Center as a condition of their bail?
Wow…that’s not too bright. Can’t think of anything else? Or just reaching for negativity?
Probation is ALWAYS a result of criminal charges. It’s not a one and done event. It’s usually 1ce a week mental health. Or maybe NA/AA meetings is it. It just depends. There’s other services besides emergency there.
BUILD IT! We need it.
For those that haven’t been following this closely, it will be a huge regional facility (building is 100,000 square feet). People will be brought or sent here from all over Seattle and beyond, held for a day, and then let out the front doors onto Broadway. It will not address the dytopian conditions you see currently. Rather, it will further concentrate them here like in the Tenderloin in San Francisco or E Hastings in Vancouver. This is bad for Capitol Hill. Catastrophically bad. Contact your king county and Seattle elected officials to request a pause so there is adequate time for public input and analysis of this and other potential sites before they purchase the property.
“Seattle and beyond, held for a day, and then let out the front doors onto Broadway.”
Getting tired of hear this excuse. They go HOME. They come from home and go back to home.
You need to follow it more closely. Your made up danger is in your head.
Except that many of those discharged from the facility will have been homeless, and so they return to the streets.
riiiight…okay…wow
It is a private jail, just say no.
The Stranger had an article on why the suggested facility is a bit fascism incarnate.
The Purchase and Sale Agreement (PSA) documents are now public.
The County is purchasing the facility from United Healthcare, with an $11,000,000 payment going to GT Capital, the current holder of the PSA. That is quite a payday for simply facilitating the deal.
When will The Seattle Times publish its next article investigating this apparent misuse of public funds?
And how is it that Connections, a private equity-backed company based in Arizona, is the only option being considered to run the facility?
It seems they are counting on District 3 to approve this without asking questions, all under the banner of “care” whatever the cost or implications.
We need real oversight of how the County is spending taxpayer money, who will be operating this center, and how and what they define as “care.”
$56 million of King County tax dollars going to United Health Care. They have had a rough year. I am sure they are appreciative that King County residents are helping shore up their balance sheet. Arizona-based Connections is the real winner. They could get hundreds of millions of King County tax dollars to run this for-profit facility in the coming years. Maybe now is a good time to buy stock before the King County council rushed through the vote to move forward in the next 10 days. I bet this is the easiest $11 million GT Capitol has ever made. Friends in high places. At least this will be great for Capitol Hill! Just think how many “new neighbors” we will have activating our business districts with their fentanyl smoking once they are released from the regional care facility onto Broadway after a 24-hour hold. Once QFC and Walgreen close, this will be a perfect opportunity for Katie Wilson to open her promised Seattle-run grocery store. I am sure shoplifting won’t be an issue.
I have a number of concerns with the CHCC letter. Re: “…to those who are passionate about Capitol Hill, judging by the number of mentions and comments…,” there are about 20-30 people max at CHCC meetings and there were not 37 respondents to the survey, but 37 responses. This is in no way inclusive of all “those who are passionate about Capitol Hill.” It is not remotely statistically significant data. The CHCC cannot claim to know what the community wants, given CHCC has very little community engagement, thus far.
Re: “we believe that this represents a good faith effort by King County to engage with the concerns of members of the community in a fair way,…”. Did you know that DCHS has not yet even reached out to: the president of Seattle U, Silver Cloud, QFC, SAAS, Spruce Academy, nor any of the residents of surrounding buildings, including the section 8 family housing that is nearby? Those people and businesses, all of whom are within a 2-3 block radius of the proposed site, were informed by other parties, last week. Also, DCHS did not site any other locations, did not perform the legally required site assessment, is under contract to pay $11MM in fees (on a $50MM purchase, with tax payer $)…to note a few issues with this.
Then there’s the retaliation faced by the initial businesses that expressed legitimate concerns around the fact that this site is a block from 2 of the city’s top 10 drug trafficking and overdoes sites – they experienced vandalism, property crime and threats following expressing concerns at DHCS’s 1st “community” meeting, which was invite only and limited in number.
Re: “King County will strive to be good neighbors and run the Crisis Care Center in a positive way” is not accurate in that KC will not run the CCC. That’s one of the major concerns: they are siting it and turning it over to someone else to run with, currently, zero legal obligations to meet neighborhood safety concerns.
I feel it’s reckless for the county to not have an overarching comprehensive plan, tying together the different providers, how they’ll integrate, how they’ll address issues, how they’ll work with the community for $1.25B of our dollars, that should be a minimum requirement, IMO. All the risk to the community lies in lack of coordination, lack of integration and lack of support/resources from stakeholders. This is what DCHS is not (yet) providing. Not surprising, given the recent audit results. The community engagement to date is disingenuous, at best.
I kindly request the CHCC does more homework and have actual community engagement at a statistically significant level before speaking on behalf of the community.
Thanks for informing me of this development. I can now feel confident about moving out of Capitol Hill for good and live somewhere that isn’t facing “crisis”. This neighborhood has turned to shit.
Sincerely,
Redd (real name redacted to avoid harassment from neighbors)
Why would you care about your neighbors’ differing opinions if you’re moving out anyway?