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Anne Deacon Center triage staff report higher use, staffing stable and housing gap limits follow-up care
Summary
Compass Health’s triage program at the Anne Deacon Center for Hope is operating 24/7 and reported rising use in 2024, but staff told the Whatcom County Incarceration Prevention Reduction Task Force that a shortage of housing and post‑discharge supports limit the program’s ability to prevent repeat crisis visits.
Compass Health’s triage program at the Anne Deacon Center for Hope is operating 24 hours a day, seven days a week and reported rising use in 2024 but continued obstacles in placing clients into longer-term housing, staff told the Whatcom County Incarceration Prevention Reduction Task Force on April 21.
Renee Reese, clinical nurse manager for the Triage program at Compass Health, told the task force the center is voluntary (except for a licensed 12‑hour involuntary hold option) and runs a 16‑bed unit that typically supports three‑to‑five‑day stays for adults in mental‑health crisis. “We are a 24/7, 365 day program, so we never close our doors,” Reese said.
The program reported utilization increases from 61% in 2023 to about 76% for 2024, with quarter‑by‑quarter growth that reached the mid‑80s in the fourth quarter of 2024 before falling back to roughly 75% in the most recent quarter, Reese and Hannah Fisk, Health and Community Services staff, said. Reese also said roughly half of the people served at the triage side were unhoused.
Why it matters: Task force members said triage is a key low‑barrier option for people in crisis and a useful diversion from jail and emergency departments, but they pressed staff on the limited aftercare options that follow a short stay.
Reese described recent operational changes designed to reduce barriers and improve engagement: a shortened medical‑clearance intake for law enforcement (five minutes or less), an open staffed lobby, a snack bar and more client amenities, greater integration with PeaceHealth and jail step‑down referrals, and permission for supervised, unscheduled outdoor smoking to reduce walk‑aways. “We focus on humanizing mental health care clients and giving compassionate care,” Reese said.
Staffing and planned additions: Reese said her program’s clinical leadership includes a medical director and a psychiatric nurse practitioner onsite daily; she reported the site is “staffed well” but noted an open clinician position for Thursday and Friday shifts that clinicians or RNs can cover. Reese said the triage program is adding a dedicated care‑coordination position to make community referrals and follow‑up arrangements for clients while they are on site.
Barriers and concerns: Multiple task force members asked about why utilization fell from a peak late in 2024 to the first quarter of 2025. Reese and Fisk said seasonal factors (weather), variable community resources and program changes affect week‑to‑week census. Members repeatedly raised housing as the main barrier to sustaining client improvements after discharge; Reese said many clients return to unstable settings and that an intermediate placement of one to four weeks would help bridge to longer‑term services.
Data and follow‑up: Task force members asked for additional data, including origin of clients (local vs. out‑of‑county) and readmission rates. Reese said the program collects profile information and can report locality and return‑visit metrics upon request.
Ending: Reese invited task force members to tour the triage unit. County staff and task force members said they will follow up on the requested utilization and readmission data to inform planning and coordination with behavioral‑health partners.
