DEAR FRIENDS OF SOUND,

I am pleased to announce that SOUND has received a letter of intent notifying us that we have been awarded two Mobile Rapid Response Crisis Teams (MRRCT) agreements from the King County Department of Community and Human Services. We will be responsible for creating and operating these MRRCTs in both the South and Northeast regions of King County. The Southern Region spans from Renton and Burien down to Federal Way and Enumclaw, while the Northeast Region covers Shoreline and Duvalldown through Seattle’s Eastside suburbs to Newcastle and North Bend. The MRRCTs will provide 24/7 in-person, community-based response and intervention for mental health crises. This initiative is in partnership with Crisis Connections, who will manage dispatch, and DESC, who will operate the MRRCT for the Central Region. Each team will be strategically stationed in mobile crisis response vehicles (similar to ambulance-sized vans), ensuring a safe, warm, and private space for assisting individuals in crisis and enabling rapid response within state time requirements. The target roll-outdate is December 1, 2024. More updates on this exciting program will follow in the coming months. What does this mean for SOUND? King County chose SOUND for this opportunity due to our outstanding track record and reputation in crisis services. We currently provide 24/7 Crisis Services for all SOUND clients. At any time of day or night, our community can access SOUND’s crisis line to speak with trained mental health clinicians. These clinicians specialize in providing brief supportive care focused on safety and risk assessment, using present-focused therapeutic interventions, and coordinating care between clients, their teams, and other professionals.

Our services include:

• Emergency assessments

• Phone consultations

• Outreach

• Emergency medication management

• Crisis case management

• Assistance with hospitalization

Our clinicians consider emergency departments and inpatient hospitalization as last resorts, only when personal or community safety is at risk or severe disability is imminent.

Our crisis care approach includes:

• Evidence-based risk and safety assessments

• Evidence-based interventions to help individuals cope

• Empathy, validation, and a non-judgmental attitude towards each person's experience

Beyond de-escalation and stabilization, our clinicians collaborate with clients, their treatment teams, and support systems to develop protective factors that can be maintained in their lives.

Successful Co-Responder Program

Complimenting these MRRCT agreements, is our successfully implemented Law Enforcement and Fire Department Co-Responder Program. Currently, SOUND collaborates with the Tukwila Police Department, Burien Police Department, and Burien Fire Department. These partnerships ensure that a mental health professional can respond alongside or in place of first responders when needed.

SOUND Co-Responders assist a diverse range of individuals within the communities they serve. They accompany police to incidents likely involving a mental health crisis, such as crimes, domestic violence situations, child welfare concerns, or instances of people lacking basic necessities like food, shelter, or water. By building positive relationships within their communities, co-responders work with judges, prosecutors, school counselors, and social workers to divert individuals experiencing a mental health crisis from jail to appropriate treatment. This alternative response enhances community trust in law enforcement and alleviates the burden on first responders, allowing them to focus on tasks they are specifically trained to handle.

SOUND Co-Responders, like our crisis team, are trained in risk and safety assessments and short-term interventions. Once stability and safety are achieved, co-responders collaborate with clients to identify beneficial resources and connections. They facilitate access to mental health services, substance abuse treatment, shelter, and other essential resources.

YOUR Support Needed

Our primary goal is to deliver the appropriate care at the right time, tailored to each individual and their situation. Co-responders have the flexibility to adapt in real-time, ensuring that individuals are safe and have a plan for maintaining safety. Chances are, you’ve witnessed people on the streets of our communities who are in crisis and need help. SOUND has the tools; what we need now are more resources. If you give more, we can do more.

Please consider supporting these critical programs, which are in high demand. Through your generosity, we can address the growing call for our services.

Thank you for your support.

Sincerely,

Katrina Egner
SOUND President & CEO