Compass Health Breaks Ground on State-of-the-Art Regional Center for Intensive Behavioral Health Services
The commemorative event marked the start of construction on Phase II of the organization’s Broadway Campus Redevelopment located in Everett’s core
EVERETT, Wash.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Compass Health is one step closer to transforming behavioral healthcare in Northwest Washington. Today, the non-profit organization officially broke ground on Phase II of its Broadway Campus Redevelopment, a state-of-the-art facility designed to address the region’s most complex behavioral health needs.
The facility, slated for completion in summer 2025, will include more than 70,000 square feet of space purpose-built for intensive behavioral health services, including a 16-bed evaluation and treatment unit (E&T), a 16-bed crisis triage center, intensive outpatient behavioral health services, and offices for crisis prevention, outreach and community engagement teams. At the center, Compass Health anticipates serving nearly 1,300 clients through more than 35,000 points of care each year.
Lawmakers including Reps. Julio Cortes and Brandy Donaghy, Sen. Keith Wagoner, Everett Mayor Cassie Franklin and Everett City Councilmembers Paula Rhyne and Liz Vogeli joined Compass Health leadership, including CEO Tom Sebastian and board chair Alex de Soto, and around 100 supporters, partners and community members for an event commemorating the project milestone. Leaders remarked on the facility’s regional impact and participated in the ceremonious turning of the dirt to mark the start of construction on the facility.
“Today is a historic day for Compass Health, one made possible through years of hard work and dedication from our project team, and by the continued support we’ve received from so many across our communities, and at the local, state, and federal levels,” said Compass Health’s Sebastian. “Together, we’re building the future of behavioral health, and bringing a much-needed resource to the region.”
Across Northwest Washington, behavioral health needs continue to grow. Coupled with rapid population growth, increasing rates of poverty, unemployment and homelessness, these needs are often exacerbated, reaching crisis levels, and requiring intensive treatment for stabilization. Compass Health has an established footprint in Northwest Washington, serving more than 12,000 clients annually across a five-county area.
The new Phase II Broadway facility will build on that track record, providing the intensive services necessary to treat individuals with severe behavioral health needs, alleviating demand on regional resources, including hospitals, law enforcement and community responders, and helping these individuals avoid jail and emergency department or inpatient stays. For example, the facility’s crisis triage center will enable ambulance and law enforcement drop-offs, connecting those in crisis to immediate, stabilizing care, and the evaluation and treatment unit will accept direct referrals from local hospitals, and offer acute care in an inpatient setting.
“This facility represents significant progress toward modernizing our state’s behavioral health system and expanding access to quality intensive behavioral healthcare,” said Senator June Robinson, who was instrumental in securing funding for the project. “I applaud Compass Health for leading such an impactful initiative and delivering a solution to some of the most visible challenges facing our communities.”
Compass Health anticipates the new facility will also be instrumental in staff recruitment and retention efforts. From the aesthetic layout to the functional design, it has been designed with providers and clients at top of mind, creating a workplace that will attract the mental health professionals needed to meet the growing demand for care.
“The benefits of this project extend far beyond the services that will be provided,” said Alex de Soto, Compass Health Board Chair. “It represents another significant improvement to Everett’s Broadway corridor, an exceptional employment opportunity for more than 150 community members, and a trusted care option to ease demand on our first responders and healthcare partners across Northwest Washington.”
Compass Health has received support from a combination of public, private, and philanthropic sources to fund the majority of the $68.5 million project, including significant investment from the State of Washington, totaling $39.7 million in competitive and direct appropriations, as well as $1 million in ARPA funding from City of Everett. Project funding also includes substantial New Markets Tax Credit allocations provided by JP Morgan Chase, Accion Opportunity Fund and The Corporation for Supportive Housing, a loan from Coastal Community Bank, interim financing from Capital Impact Partners, Craft 3 and Nonprofit Finance Fund, and an early seed loan from Primary Care Development Corporation.
The project is also in the closing catalyst phase of its $14 million capital campaign – It’s Time: The Campaign for Compass Health. To date, Compass Health has raised over 75 percent of the campaign’s goal from lead funders, including $3 million from the Sunderland Foundation, $2 million in Community Project Funding championed by U.S. Representative Rick Larsen, $1 million from the M.J. Murdock Charitable Trust, $1 million from the Norcliffe Foundation, and $700,000 from Premera Blue Cross, along with more than 30 significant private gifts.
“We are exceptionally grateful for all the donors who have come alongside Compass Health to make this project possible, and we remain hard at work to raise the final $3.6 million of our capital campaign goal,” said Tom Kozaczynski, Compass Health’s Chief Advancement Officer.
The development team for Phase II includes Lotus Development Partners (Development and Construction Manager); Ankrom Moisan Architects (Project Architect); KPFF (Structural Engineer); Harmsen (Civil Engineer); Bush Roed Hitchings (Surveyor); Sider + Byers (Mechanical and Electrical Engineer); SiteWorkshop (Landscape Design); RDH (Envelope Consultant); RWDI (LEED Consultant); and BNBuilders (General Contractor).
This new facility will serve as the centerpiece of Compass Health’s Broadway Campus Redevelopment, a three-phase infrastructure project, which will encompass the 3300 block of Broadway in Everett. Andy’s Place, Phase I of the redevelopment, opened in May 2021 and provides 82 units of permanent supportive housing to formerly homeless individuals who are living with chronic behavioral health challenges. Phase III will focus on integrating behavioral health services with a primary healthcare clinic.
“The Broadway Campus Redevelopment reflects the collective vision of our entire organization, bringing together a full continuum of care that meets the needs of the communities we’re proud to serve,” said Sebastian. “Today, we celebrated a monumental stride in bringing this vision to life, and we couldn’t be more excited for the many decades of service that will take place in this facility.”
For more information about Compass Health’s Broadway Campus Redevelopment, visit www.compasshealth.org/broadwayredevelopment. To learn more about the It’s Time Capital Campaign, visit www.compasshealth.org/itstime/.
About Compass Health
Compass Health is Northwest Washington’s behavioral healthcare leader. A community-based healthcare agency, Compass Health integrates behavioral health and medical care services to form a key section of the community safety net and serve clients and others in need of care and support. From comprehensive mental health treatment to crisis prevention and intervention, supportive housing, children’s services, community education and much more, the non-profit organization serves people of all ages throughout Snohomish, Skagit, Island, San Juan, and Whatcom counties.
Contacts
Jaki Brophy (425) 349-8374
Compass Health
jaki.brophy@compassh.org
Annie Alley (206) 466-2713
Firmani + Associates Inc.
compasshealth@firmani.com