Compass Health expanded its YGo Youth Mobile Crisis Program in Snohomish County, enabling 24/7 access to immediate crisis and behavioral health support for children, teens, and families. The program provides free crisis stabilization and short-term intervention services to youth under 20 and their families. Since program operations began in January 2024, the Snohomish County YGo team expanded to 33 members.
Mobile response model and intervention
The YGo team aims to meet youth within two hours but no more than 24 hours after receiving a call. According to Rick Deluga, the program manager for the Snohomish YGo team, the program is designed to interrupt traditional crisis pathways: “We want to interrupt the traditional pathways that youth have when they are in a crisis, which is avoiding sending them to the emergency department or having a law enforcement or paramedic be the ones who arrive, because that’s not always the most appropriate response.” Mental health clinicians and peer support specialists can help youth experiencing depression, anxiety, thoughts of self-harm, and acute distress at home or in school. Staffers work with youth and families for up to eight weeks after the initial call, connecting them to ongoing care within Compass Health or other providers once immediate needs are addressed.
Access and broader services
To reach YGo, people can call or text 988 (the suicide and crisis lifeline) or contact Volunteers of America Western Washington’s crisis care line at 1-800-584-3578. Compass Health is a community-based health care agency serving five counties: Snohomish, Skagit, Island, San Juan, and Whatcom. The agency serves about 6,000 youth per year, with 55% living in Snohomish County. Beyond the YGo program, Compass Health offers comprehensive mental health treatment, crisis prevention and intervention, supportive housing, children’s services, and community education.
This article is an AI-assisted summary. All facts and figures are drawn from the original report: https://mymltnews.com/24-7-crisis-support-program-now-available-for-snohomish-county-youth-and-families/