Agency receives grant for in-patient behavioral health stabilization facility in Colville

Stevens County will receive state money to build something it doesn’t have: a facility to provide support to people with behavioral health problems.

The Washington State Department of Commerce announced $48.5 million in grants for 17 projects, with Northeast Washington Alliance Counseling Services receiving $2 million for a crisis stabilization facility in Colville.

Stevens County is one of 10 counties to receive a grant to construct new behavioral health facilities.

“I love knowing that more facilities are being created throughout the state that will get people the services they need in the communities they’re already a part of,” said Leslie Wolff, the community programs manager at the Department of Commerce.

The funds will be used to purchase and renovate a building into a 14-bed crisis stabilization facility.

As of right now, there are no licensed residential treatment facilities in rural counties surrounding Spokane. The only behavioral health facilities are located in Spokane.

It can be difficult for new providers to start facilities in rural communities and to “try to figure out how they’re going to get the funding help,” Wolff said. “… We have a requirement within our capital budget funding that people accept Medicaid.”

Four Spokane County projects are also receiving money from the state, including MultiCare Foundations, which will receive $6 million for an inpatient behavioral health unit at Deaconess.