DEAR FRIENDS OF SOUND,

‍

Happy New Year!

SOUND Behavioral Health is entering 2025 with renewed purpose, marked by our refreshed mission and website. With the full support of our board and leadership team, I am proud to share SOUND's new mission statement:

"Improving lives by providing equitable, recovery focused behavioral health care for all in our community."

This mission reflects our organization's evolution and commitment to addressing healthcare inequities while building on our core competencies. It also aligns with our advocacy for widespread Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinics (CCBHCs) in Washington state, which embody our fundamental belief that quality care should be accessible to everyone who needs it.



I'm also delighted to announce the launch of our redesigned website at www.sound.health. The new site better showcases who we are, the services we provide, how to access care, and ways our supporters can contribute to our mission. I encourage you to explore it firsthand.

December 2024 marked a significant milestone for us with the successful launch of the Mobile Rapid Response Crisis Team (MRRCT), in partnership with King County, DESC, and Crisis Connections. We now have a fleet of fully equipped vans providing 24/7 crisis response services across the North, East and South regions of King County, responding to calls dispatched through 988. We're proud to be at the forefront of this expanded King County initiative with our partner agencies, which has garnered substantial media attention:

·        King County expands mobile teams that bring care to people in crisis | The Seattle Times

·        Kiro 7 News – King County deploys new mobile crisis teams to assist with mental health emergencies

·        KUOW - King County expands mobile crisis team

In addition, we continue to celebrate our partnership with Seattle Seahawks wide receiver DK Metcalf and his My Cause My Cleats awareness campaign benefiting SOUND’s Deaf Services Program. Over the holidays, King 5 featured a powerful story highlighting perspectives from a Deaf Services client and Lead Clinician, Heidi Isakson, showcasing the program's importance. You can watch the segment here.

As we look to the future, we recognize the political uncertainties that lie ahead. Our commitment to providing an equitable and safe space for all in our community remains unwavering. We are closely monitoring state and federal funding developments while strengthening our programs and partnerships to serve our community from a position of financial stability and strategic awareness. Recently, I had the opportunity to address business leaders at the Seattle Chamber of Commerce's Community Development Roundtable, highlighting SOUND Behavioral Health's vital role in our region's wellbeing.

We carry on our advocacy work through the Fourfront Contributor coalition as we prepare for the 2025 Legislative Session in Olympia. Our primary focus is protecting behavioral health services from potential budget cuts. I will be participating in a panel discussion about CCBHCs at the upcoming Washington State of Reform Health Policy Conference. If you're attending the conference, I invite you to join the conversation or visit Fourfront’s table to connect with members of our statewide team.

The achievements of 2024 and our vision for 2025 would not be possible without the dedication of our staff, the support of our partners, the generosity of our donors and the trust of our community. Together, we're building a stronger, more equitable, behavioral health care system for all.

Warm regards,

Katrina Egner
SOUND President & CEO