Unexpected millions in state budget make this Bellingham homeless service center a reality
Millions of dollars were included in the passage of the state’s two-year budget for the creation of a facility in Whatcom County where homeless people can go and be connected to sustainable housing, social and health services.
Four million dollars was included in the state’s $59 billion budget, approved Sunday by Washington lawmakers, for a collaborative project between Unity Care NW, Opportunity Council, PeaceHealth and the Whatcom County Health Department called The Way Station, according to a joint press release from the organizations Tuesday, April 27.
The money will go toward renovating and repurposing the facility at 1500 N. State St. in downtown Bellingham. The building currently houses county health department staff, according to Jed Holmes, spokesperson for the county executive’s office.
Holmes said the money from the Legislature, which the agencies weren’t expecting, is a “significant portion” of the renovation costs of the building. The agencies are working together to finalize their plans, create an agreement and begin renovation now that the barrier of funding has been removed, according to Chris Kobdish, director of planning and development at Unity Care NW.
State Rep. Sharon Shewmake, D-Bellingham, made the funding request, according to the press release.
“This project hits it all — housing, caring for community, saving money and helping to get people better and in housing,” Shewmake said in a prepared statement in the release.
Services provided
The Way Station will serve homeless individuals, including children and families, by providing clinical and behavioral health services, a hygiene program, a medical respite program and general case management that includes housing supports, Kobdish said.
The medical respite program will serve homeless people who are too ill or frail to recover from a physical illness or injury on the streets, but who are not ill enough to be in a hospital, according to the release. While plans are still in the works, Kobdish said the respite program is slated to have around 19 beds at one time. The respite program, which will have 24/7 recuperative respite care staff, will be by referral only, with the bulk of referrals coming from the hospital, Kobdish said.
“Patients experiencing homelessness who are discharged from the hospital but require space where they can recuperate and heal on a temporary basis can do so safely at The Way Station,” the release states.
In addition to the respite program, The Way Station will provide community hygiene services, including showers, restrooms and laundry facilities, the release states. Health care providers’ work is made more difficult by a lack of community hygiene facilities, due to the spread of disease from inadequate sanitation, the release states. By providing homeless people access to showers, restrooms and laundry facilities, the risk of infection to the individual and the community is reduced, according to the release.
The plan for hygiene services also includes a hot room to treat belongings to prevent illness, the release shows. While program details are still being developed, the organizations are looking at doing something similar to the Low-Income Housing Urban Rest Stop model that operates out of Seattle, Kobdish said.
The Way Station will also have other health care services, including medical, behavioral health and substance use treatment, provided by Unity Care NW, the release states. Those services will have expanded access to laboratory testing for illness, vaccine administration and health monitoring.
Case management services will be provided to visitors and respite patients that will connect them to social services, healthcare resources and stable housing programs operated by the Opportunity Council, the release states.
The hygiene, health care and housing programs are expected to be operated on a walk-in basis as it will remove barriers to allow someone to come in and get services, Kobdish said. There will also likely be an opportunity for appointments to be made, Kobdish said.
The Way Station is looking at modeling the space to be able to work with around 750 patients a year, she said. While no hard dates have been set, the organizations are aiming for a goal of opening The Way Station sometime in 2022, Kobdish said.
A priority for years
The Way Station has been a strategic priority for Unity Care NW for more than three years, as roughly 15% of its patients experience homelessness, Kobdish said in the release. The Way Station will make it possible to better serve them, she said in the release.
The downtown Bellingham building that The Way Station is expected to operate out of is owned by Whatcom County. It provides adequate square footage to support the planned services, is close to transportation facilities and other social service and health services, such as Opportunity Council and Unity Care NW, the release states.
“The Way Station will provide a broad array of services — health care, hygiene, case management and more — all at one location, significantly expanding our community’s ability to assist our homeless population,” Whatcom County Executive Satpal Sidhu said in a prepared statement in the press release. “Our partners have been instrumental in building momentum to get this project off the ground. I also greatly appreciate our legislators’ efforts in Olympia to secure state funding that, together with local resources, will help us address a gap in services for the unhoused.”
The organizations are working with RMC Architects on the building’s design, according to the press release.
This story was originally published April 28, 2021 at 5:00 AM.
