Sound Mental Health, celebrating 50 years of service, is committed to ensuring that the most vulnerable and under-served community members have the opportunity to experience good emotional, physical and mental well-being. The mental health and substance use programs actively support recovery and help them become productive, thriving members of the community.
Sound Mental Health (SMH) was founded by future governor Booth Gardner and a team of other community-oriented leaders in 1966 who held to the belief that supporting those in need was a worthy mission.
Today, SMH offers a broad spectrum of effective and quality behavioral health services to more than 19,000 men, women and children and believes that its partnership with Eastside Pathways expands upon the work it does on the Eastside.
What role does Sound Mental Health play in the community?
Through 14 locations and supported housing facilities throughout King County, including Bellevue and Redmond, Sound Mental Health is dedicated to providing access to quality behavioral health care services that address a wide array of issues including substance use, mental health, housing and homelessness, school-based challenges and many other problems in our community. Our services — which include individual and family therapy, care coordination, case management, medication management and group therapies — reach approximately one-third of all publicly-funded behavioral health clients in King County.
How do you get this work done?
SMH is able to deliver its rehabilitative services through a comprehensive network of partner organizations that begins with the King County Behavioral Health and Recovery Division but also includes partners in primary health care, the public school system, the local and regional law enforcement/corrections system, domestic violence advocacy groups, the foster care system, the faith community, the local business community and many others. SMH Community Support Services provide rehabilitative services for persons who have chronic or serious behavioral health concerns. Our system of partners enables us to deliver much needed behavioral health services to a wide range of underserved individuals.
What are ways that people can get involved with Sound Mental Health?
There are many ways the community can get involved with Sound Mental Health. Businesses interested in supporting our work may consider financial support, sponsorship or other donations. Other ways to support our organization are through planned giving, tribute gifts, gifts of securities, corporate matching gifts and foundation support. Learn more.
Members of the community interested in supporting our mission may consider volunteering at SMH.
We always are in search of therapeutic foster parents to work with children and youth in our Therapeutic Foster Care program. Learn more
SMH accepts student interns for many local and national schools and universities.
How will being a part of Eastside Pathways help Sound Mental Health?
SMH values and thrives upon community partnership and collaboration to successfully fulfill its mission. Partnering with Eastside Pathways ensures that SMH expands its capacity to serve individuals in East King County. SMH’s Child & Family Services division, which has programs in seven of our 14 offices, has three locations on the Eastside in Bellevue, Redmond, at the Together Center and in North Bend, at 401 Ballarat Ave. N.
Many of the people who stand to benefit from this partnership include our youth struggling with mental health and emotional issues (through our school-based services), survivors of domestic violence (through our innovative domestic violence programs), and families and individuals in need of comprehensive mental health and substance use programs.
“SMH is excited to participate with Eastside Pathways to support prevention and intervention for all Eastside children and youth,” said Theresa Winther, Program Manager with SMH’s Child & Family Services. “We’ll enhance support for youth and their families by connecting resources and services in a manner culturally responsive to all forms of diversity, for the purpose of ensuring school and lifetime success.”
Article submitted by Steve McLean, director of communications at Sound Mental Health