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Oak Harbor police say they'll help redesign crisis-services contract and consider a local mental-health team
Summary
Chief Slowick told the advisory board the county contract for DCR/MCOT services (currently structured through Compass Health) is being reworked; Oak Harbor will participate in the RFP design with bids expected in August/September and evaluations in October, and officials are seeking more in-person crisis coverage including a DCR at the hospital.
Chief Slowick addressed the Police Community Advisory Board on July 1 about ongoing efforts to improve crisis response capacity in Island County. He said the current service model for designated crisis responders (DCRs) and the mobile crisis outreach team (MCOT), contracted through a regional provider referenced as Compass Health, "is being reworked because the model that it was originally designed under doesn't really work for our county."
Slowick said the county and city will participate in designing an RFP expected to go out in August or September, with evaluations likely in October, and an aim to have improved service early next year. He emphasized the need for in-person evaluations rather than telehealth in many crisis situations and said the board and city are seeking a DCR presence at the hospital. "Part of that contract we're asking for is a DCR at the hospital all the time or available all the time, which currently we do not have in our county," he said.
The chief also described conversations about whether co-response should remain a law-enforcement support tool or evolve into an independent outreach entity, saying city leaders are researching options and discussing the idea with the mayor and city administrator. He noted CAB's prior work on shelter availability and said CAB members will hear more as the city participates in the RFP process.
On forensic services, Slowick said the department is working with Bridget Collins' nonprofit to build an in-person interview space in Oak Harbor so families need not travel to Mount Vernon; he also said SANE exams at Woodby Health are contracted and not always available locally, sometimes requiring travel to Providence or St. Joe's.
No formal contract changes were approved at the CAB meeting; Slowick framed the remarks as an update on planning and procurement steps.
