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Crisis Clinic 

Description

Since 1964, Crisis Clinic has provided crisis intervention and information and referral to anyone in King County needing immediate assistance. Crisis Clinic's anonymous and confidential telephone and support services are available to anyone needing assistance in King County. Many of our callers are the most vulnerable in our community: those needing immediate mental health services, the homeless/near homeless, families needing basic needs services, family/friends of those with mental illness, etc. Crisis Clinic is a safety net for those in emotional crisis, or in need of health and human services.

If you are looking for personal or financial assistance, we encourage you to dial 2-1-1 or visit Community Resources Online for information and referrals to health and human services.

Mission Statement
Our passion is caring and listening - empowering people to make positive life changes. We do this through connections between people and critical resources.
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Crisis Clinic
9725 3rd Ave NE, Suite 300 
Seattle 
WA
98115 
(206) 461-3210 

Kathleen Southwick 
Executive Director 

Programs

Crisis Clinic Programs

24-Hour Crisis Line
The Crisis Line provides immediate, confidential help to individuals and families and friends of people in emotional crisis. Professionally trained volunteers, supervised by mental health professionals, answer the crisis line, help the caller through their crisis and help assess if professional consultation is needed. In 2010 the Crisis Line answered 96,000 calls for help. Starting in 2010, the Crisis Line started providing support online via www.crisischat.org.

King County 2-1-1
2-1-1 provides expert assistance to people seeking information about community resources. With information from our database of 5,200 King County services, specialists explain step-by-step how the social service system works, coach callers on how to access community resources and recommend the agencies best able to help. 2-1-1 has a housing, legal, disability and caregiver specialist who offers specialized services in these areas. In 2010, 2-1-1 answered 110,000 calls for help.

Teen Link
Teen Link is an anonymous, confidential teen help line for teens, answered by teen volunteers every evening. Teens can call, or chat online, to receive help about any issue, big or small. Teen Link also provides youth suicide prevention presentations in King County high schools and middle schools and helps spread the word that suicide IS preventable. In 2010 the help line answered over 1,400 calls for help, and trained 8,600 youth in suicide prevention.

Recent Successes and Current Challenges

Since 1964, Crisis Clinic has offered safe and confidential services for anyone in emotional distress or in need of services, and we have continued to adapt to the current needs of our community.  We're proud that we're a vital service service some of the most vulnerable individuals and families in our community; those in poverty, homeless or near-homeless, single-parent families, those with disabilities, cultural minorities and those who are recently unemployed. In 2011 Crisis Line added an additional line: The WA Recovery Line for help for substance abuse, problem gambling and mental health issues. We answered over 107,000 calls for emotional help( Crisis Line), recovery resources(WA Recovery Help Line) and basic tangible needs ( King County 2-1-1) Crisis Clinic is committed to sustaining our work in the long run, responding to the current needs of our community, and continuing to be a safety net for those in need.

As mentioned above, our major organizational challenge is facing an overall increase in need for our services, while facing decreases in funding from previously stable funders. Thus, we may become more reliant on charitable support from foundations, corporations and individuals to be able to maintain our current level of service and meet the increasing demand. Crisis Clinic is appreciative for the support of Seattle Foundation, and for the support of our community partners and donors.

Evaluation


Crisis Clinic helps to connect community members to the critical resources they need to find or stay in housing, pay utility bills, secure food and medical care, and much more. Through the 2-1-1 information line, Crisis Clinic helped 110,000 King County residents meet their Basic Needs in 2010. As service providers find creative solutions to meet the increasing demands of community members reaching out for support, Crisis Clinic remains at the forefront based on their capacity, agility, and expertise.

Proven Success
Crisis Clinic is a recognized expert in the field of resources and referrals. For example, Crisis Clinic has been newly selected to act as ponsor of The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation Ending Family Homelessness Initiative beginning in March of 2012. This will create a single point of entry and assessment for families in crisis seeking housing, and will coordinate waiting lists and services between King County agencies.

Leadership
The Board of Directors has recently completed a strategic planning process that will guide the organization through the next several years. Included in the plan are strategies focused on balancing increasing need for services with decreasing resources, developing new lines of business, and playing a stronger advocacy role in state budget planning.

Financial health
Crisis Clinic has experienced significant cuts in public funding to the 2-1-1 line, necessitating the release of agency reserves to subsidize costs. The Board of Directors is looking carefully at ways to remain sustainable despite cuts, including taking on additional contracts such as the recent acquisition of the WA State Recovery Line.

Grant History with The Seattle Foundation:

Grants Awarded through The Seattle Foundation Grantmaking Program:

DateAmountPurpose
3/10/2012 $20,000.00support general operating expenses.
3/10/2011 $20,000.00support general operating expenses.
6/5/2009 $40,000.00support the 2-1-1 Community Information Line.
10/18/2007 $40,000.00support general operating expenses.
3/16/2005 $60,000.00support general operating expenses.

Financials

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