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Spokane County opens RFP for youth caregiver respite and expands crisis stabilization coverage to 350% FPL
Summary
The county announced a request for proposals for youth and adolescent caregiver respite (ages 10–17) and plans to expand coverage at the Spokane Regional Crisis Stabilization Center so non‑Medicaid residents up to 350% of the federal poverty level can access services.
Spokane County announced a request for proposals (RFP) for youth and adolescent caregiver respite services and described a policy change to expand access at the Spokane Regional Crisis Stabilization Center.
Jessica Thompson, reporting on program updates, said the county opened an RFP on Nov. 20 for caregiver respite services intended to provide a supervised, trauma‑informed setting for youth ages 10 to 17. The RFP closes Dec. 18. "These services are all supervised by a mental‑health professional," Jessica Thompson said, describing planned respite slots that mirror the county’s prior model and offering 48 hours per month per use.
Separately, Ashley McGee described a planned expansion of funding at the Spokane Regional Crisis Stabilization Center to cover individuals who are not Medicaid‑eligible but fall between 220% and 350% of the federal poverty level (FPL). That change is intended to reduce insurance‑related barriers to stabilization, withdrawal management and co‑occurring inpatient care and is slated to start at the beginning of the new year.
Why it matters: the youth respite RFP would restore a community service that county staff said previously existed and is intended to prevent escalation to higher‑intensity care by offering families short‑term, therapeutic respite. The expansion to 350% FPL broadens access to crisis stabilization for uninsured or underinsured residents who previously fell outside county funding eligibility.
Program details and next steps: the youth respite RFP accepts proposals for facility‑based or in‑home models and looks for trauma‑informed programming; the county will review proposals after the Dec. 18 closing date. County staff said they will track impact data after expanding the Spokane Regional Crisis Stabilization Center eligibility and will share results with the BHAB.
The board did not take a formal vote on either the RFP or the FPL expansion during this meeting; staff presented the items as administrative updates and implementation planning.
