The Seattle Human Services Department (HSD) is pleased to announce the outcomes of the Youth and Young Adult Mental Health RFP, which ended on May 16, 2022, and the release of $938,841 from the HSD General Fund to organisations that offer behavioural health assistance for youth.
The latest distribution of funding for these services occurred in 2016 and only permitted the provision of evidence-based mental health care. In response to comments from the community, HSD broadened the scope of this RFP to encompass non-residential behavioural health through clinical, evidence-based treatment modalities and/or non-clinical, culturally-specific approaches that contribute to holistic mental and behavioural health and wellbeing.
HSD received 17 proposals requesting a total of $3.57 million. The members of the evaluation committee have professional and personal understanding of youth-centered programming, counselling, and chaplaincy work.
Seven members of the evaluation committee advocated financing the top eight bids. All provide assistance to BIPOC and LGBTQ+ youth via clinical and/or non-clinical, culturally tailored behavioural health approaches:
- Southwest Youth and Family Services
- Southeast Youth and Family Services
- Neighborcare Health
- Therapeutic Health Services
- Northwest Credible Messenger
- Atlantic Street Center
- Boys and Girls Clubs of King County
- WAPI Community Services
Southwest Youth and Family Services will provide services that include individual, family, or group therapy and that will be culturally attuned and linguistically appropriate to increase access and reduce disparities for BIPOC youth. Close coordination with Seattle Public Schools in West and South Seattle is designed to improve accessibility for students seeking counseling.
Northwest Credible Messenger will support BIPOC young people through a culturally responsive, behavioral health approach. The program will provide culturally responsive peer support services, counseling for individuals, groups, or families, triage services for youth awaiting treatment, and Healing Centered Engagement that includes meditation, mindfulness, and art-based sessions.
Atlantic Street Center developed the CoRe (Courage, Cooperation, Respect and Resourcefulness) program, an innovative 10-week group workshop using video games to deliver evidence-based therapy that builds interpersonal and emotional regulation skills among diverse, at-risk youth. Interactive games in a peer-learning environment encourage youth to practice coping mechanisms without the normal resistance.