Mental health services

Services are provided through licensed community mental health centers and are available to people who qualify for Medicaid. Services are wide ranging and may include crisis response, language interpretation, interventions, case management, in-home services, employment services, peer support, day treatment, family therapy, medication management, cultural consultations and culturally appropriate care.

A co-occurring disorder happens when an individual has both a primary mental illness and a primary substance use disorder. The term "primary" means that the person has a stand-alone diagnosis that is present regardless of whether they have another disorder. Because COD is more complex than mental illness or substance abuse alone, effective treatment involves responding to these mutually interacting disorders at the same time and in an integrated way.

An individual with COD is best served by a single clinician or program so that both the mental illness and the substance use disorder can be treated together.

COD and Criminal Justice System Involvement

Because of its complex nature, many people suffering from COD become involved in the criminal justice system. For more information on COD and justice system involvement, see the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, Center for Mental Health Services' National GAINS Center.

What COD services are available in King County?

Outpatient COD Treatment

In King County, many of our community mental health providers include COD treatment as part of the regular menu of treatment options. If you are currently enrolled in outpatient services, ask your provider about COD services.

In addition, the BHRD provides funding for several specialized programs for individuals suffering from co-occurring disorders who are also involved in the criminal justice system. These programs provided by Community Psychiatric Clinic and Sound Mental Health are available to individuals through a referral process if they are involved in a Specialty Court (Mental Health Court or Drug Court) or if they are being released from a King County Jail facility or a city jail. These programs provide 12 months of outpatient COD treatment services combined with transitional housing.

Inpatient COD Treatment

A 16-bed inpatient treatment program is available for individuals involved in a Specialty Court or in a King County Jail. The Co-Occurring Disorders Program (CORP) is a combined effort of King County and Pierce County. This limited resource provides a residential treatment program for 90 days for individuals suffering from COD who require inpatient treatment before returning to the community. Access to services is through a referral process and services are provided by Pioneer Human Services.

These services are targeted to adults experiencing severe and persistent mental illness who need a higher level of support to remain stable in the community. Services are focused on an individual’s strengths and promote recovery, resiliency, and movement towards the least restrictive community treatment option. Services can include staff that are on-site 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, room and board, housing stabilization services, and medication monitoring.

To apply:

• An individual can be referred to Mental Health Residential Treatment through a social worker from an inpatient hospital setting or from their outpatient behavioral health provider.
• If you are not connected to an outpatient behavioral health provider and are interested in services, you can call the Client Services line to learn more at 206-263-8997 or 1-800-790-8049.

King County works closely with theKing County Regional Homelessness Authority, mental health providers, and affordable housing providers to develop new housing opportunities for homeless persons with mental illness and/or substance abuse. We contract with two mental health providers, the Downtown Emergency Service Center and Valley Cities Counseling and Consultation to provide homeless outreach activities in Seattle and South King County.

PACT is an intensive, team-based behavioral health service which offers individualized support in the community to people with severe mental health conditions and high service needs. PACT assists participants in their recovery from mental illness and in developing fulfilling lives, as well as increasing their time and engagement in community settings rather than institutions such as hospitals and jails. Learn about PACT here.