Sound’s Adult Recovery Services (ARS) team offers integrated addiction and dual diagnosis treatment, with people receiving individualized recovery support. This group serves all adults, including older adults and provides a full range of outpatient and case management behavioral health services.
Approximately 900 people receive services from Adult Recovery Services in Auburn. Some of those folks receive services every day and others show up once a quarter, to check in.
Sound Adult Services has 13 clinicians and one peer. The team is growing, too.
“We’ve got an offer out right now to a 14th clinician!” exclaimed Pat Dickerson, ARS South department manager.
The team, led by Cassandra Jackson, is made up of high-energy, dedicated people.
“The ARS team members are extremely compassionate and positive. They care first and foremost about people.”
Older Adult Services (OAS), led by Salim Qassis, a part of ARS South, provides behavioral health care to Sound’s geriatric population. These clients typically have a multitude of complex mental, medical, physical, environmental and psychosocial challenges which may accompany the aging process. OAS works closely with the Department of Health and Human Services (DSHS) and other geriatric providers. OAS also provides family support groups, training and consultation for businesses and human service agencies and community education classes.
The team also works with people who need supported housing. The Supported Housing Team is a part of ARS and is led by Annamaria Gueco.
“The Supported Housing program strives to place each eligible person in the least restrictive situation that is safe, stable, therapeutic, culturally and age-appropriate,” says Jackson.
King County locations include:
- South King County (SKC) Housing First – Serves the chronically homeless who need permanent housing
- Pacific Court, Capitol Hill Apodments & Holly Creek – Supportive Housing
- Project Homestead includes – Outreach and Engagement, intensive wraparound services, supportive permanent housing for high needs families
- Kenyon House – Serves clients with AIDS/Mental Health (MH)/Substance Use Disorders (SUD). Provides service-enriched permanent housing
- McDermott Place – Uses a Housing First approach and serves Vets/ MH/SUD. Includes permanent housing, harm reduction, relapse prevention, employment and peer support, in partnership with Low Income Housing Institute (LIHI)
- Gossett Place – Serves Young Adults/Vets/ MH/SUD. Includes permanent housing, harm reduction, relapse prevention, employment and peer support, in partnership with LIHI
- Ernestine Anderson – Serves Older Adults/Vets/ MH/SUD. Provides permanent housing, harm reduction, relapse prevention, employment and peer support, in partnership with LIHI
- Homeless Services – Includes Outreach and Engagement, The Project for Assistance in Transition from Homelessness (PATH) and South King County Homeless Outreach.
Sound serves adults all over King County. Location plays a role in what makes ARS/ Auburn different than the other Adult Recovery Teams.
”Located in South King County, there are traditionally fewer supports and less understanding by the larger community of our clients and their symptoms/behaviors,” says Dickerson. “This means that our location, our team and our treatment had to branch out to fill the gaps. We are able to provide a space in the world for our clients that is theirs. This outlook has our team in the unique position of seeing whole healthcare as the next logical step in caring for our clients.”
Dickerson feels proud of the people she works with.
“People work hard to achieve their goals,” she says. “Every single day there is a person who demonstrates an unimaginable level of resilience! ARS is where the rubber meets the road. We see the value in meeting people where they are to provide client-centered, strength-based services. ARS strives to provide a space in the world that respects and values people who don’t necessarily find that anywhere else.”
