The University of Washington School of Social Work has launched a new initiative designed to support the integration of behavioral health into the emergency response system. The initiative includes a grant program for fire departments who want to increase their capacity to support individuals experiencing mental health or substance-abuse related crises.
The First Responder Behavioral Health Initiative announced grants to nine fire departments who have, or intend to start, behavioral-health response programs that integrate 911 with 988 calls, administer medications for opioid-use disorder, or choose to become a behavioral health agency, increasing community-based mental health capacity.
“With more than 60 programs statewide, Washington is a leader in creating fire and law enforcement-based co-response programs that provide services to acute and chronic behavioral health needs,” says Jennifer Stuber, program director and School of Social Work associate professor. “These grants will help existing co-response programs reach a higher level of excellence and support other fire departments in starting new programs.”
Funding for the First Responder Behavioral Health Initiative is provided by the Washington State Legislature and managed through the Washington State Health Care Authority. The UW School of Social Work was selected to administer the program based on its reputation for innovation in the behavioral health field.
Rep. Dan Bronoske, D–Lakewood, led the effort in the 2022–2023 legislative session to create funding to help fill the gap in emergency response care. “If we are going to ask firefighters and EMTs to respond to these calls, we need to give them the support and the training so that they can do so effectively,” says Bronoske, who also serves as a firefighter with West Pierce Fire Fighters.
The grants, which range from $200,000 to $350,000, will be announced on April 19 at the Co-Responder Outreach Alliance inaugural retreat. The 2024 grant recipients are Clark Cowlitz Fire & Rescue, Central Kitsap Fire & Rescue, Poulsbo Fire, North Mason Fire & Rescue, Port Angeles Fire, Riverside Fire, Spokane Fire, South County Fire, Tacoma Fire, and Walla Walla Fire.