Lutheran group describes new Canal Drive behavioral health site, schedules Aug. 5 ribbon-cutting

A Lutheran presenter detailed a newly consolidated Canal Drive behavioral health site that will house outpatient services, medication management and wraparound programs and keep an outpatient location in Pasco. The presenter said the move brought multiple offices together to improve safety, accessibility and privacy for clients and staff and to create space for community collaboration.

The presenter said the buildings include multiple conference rooms and staff lounges, child-friendly restrooms, a playroom and a sensory room, and that interior design choices — murals and color-coded carpeting — were made to support trauma-informed care. "We still have our location in Pasco off of Bedford Entry, which is our outpatient," the presenter said, adding that medication management will operate out of both sites.

Program staff described core services that will operate from the Canal Drive location, including the WISE wraparound program for youth with complex needs, the SWIFT stabilization program (about a 90-day triage model for rapid access), outreach and engagement for transition-age youth through the LINK program, and outpatient therapy. "We get them in quickly," a program lead said of SWIFT, explaining that same-day or next-day access is a program goal.

Committee members asked about insurance coverage and capacity. Presenters said the WISE and SWIFT teams are currently funded primarily by Medicaid and that outpatient medication management is being prepared to accept commercial insurance panels to broaden access. The presenter also said staff would provide requested service and hospitalization counts after compiling the underlying reports.

The presenter invited committee members to a ribbon-cutting and tours scheduled for Wednesday, Aug. 5 at 11 a.m., and said informational materials and construction photos would be shared with the group.