Crisis Stabilization Center

Anne Deacon Center for Hope

The Anne Deacon Center for Hope is a crisis stabilization center serving adults in Whatcom County and the North Sound Region. The Center for Hope offers short term, in-patient substance use disorder and behavioral health support services. The Center opened in January 2021, replacing the old Whatcom County crisis stabilization center with expanded services and double the capacity of the previous facility. Services offered at the Center for Hope are provided by Compass Health and Pioneer Human Services. 

Get Help

If you or someone you know needs mental health stabilization or substance use disorder services, these local resources are available to you: 

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Background

Between 1970 and 2014, the number of people in jail in Whatcom County grew almost nine-fold—from 45 to 391 on any given day—while the overall county population only grew two-and-a-half times. In many cases people incarcerated were facing underlying challenges that led to incarceration, including behavioral health and substance use disorder.

In 2015, the Whatcom County Council made increasing the capacity of the Crisis Stabilization Center a key priority. Whatcom County Health and Community Services took the lead in planning and implementation with support and assistance from the Incarceration Prevention and Reduction Task Force. Whatcom County began a project in late 2017 to design a larger facility with expanded services.

The $13 million expansion project was funded through a combination of support from the Washington State capital budget, the North Sound Behavioral Health Administrative Services Organization, and the Whatcom County Behavioral Health Fund.

The Incarceration Prevention and Reduction Task Force works to continually review Whatcom’s criminal justice and behavioral health programs. The IPRTF makes specific recommendations to safely and effectively reduce incarceration of people struggling with mental health and substance use disorder. Meetings are open to the public. Community members who attend may provide public comment on issues related to incarceration prevention and reduction. To learn more or attend an upcoming meeting, visit the IPRTF webpage.