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Children, teens and families in Snohomish County now have 24/7 access to immediate crisis and behavioral health support.
Compass Health announced in a news release earlier this month that it expanded its YGo Youth Mobile Crisis Program, which provides free crisis stabilization and short-term intervention services to youth aged under 20 and their families.
The expansion involves an increase in staffing and service coverage across Northwest Washington. In addition to operating 24 hours a day and seven days a week, the YGo team in Snohomish County now has 33 members.
“Expanding our team and resources means we can get to families faster, provide thoughtful and effective care, and help stabilize situations before they escalate,” Rick Deluga said in the news release.
Deluga is the program manager for the Snohomish YGo team. He told the My Neighborhood News Group that the program started operations in January 2024, around the same time he was hired.
YGo is set up in a way for youth to get the support they need immediately, Deluga said. Team members make an effort to meet youth within two hours but no more than 24 hours after they receive a call.
“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,” Deluga said.
YGo mental health clinicians and peer support specialists can help during times when youth show signs of depression, anxiety or thoughts of self-harm, and when there is acute distress at home or in school, among other situations.
Staffers work with youth and families for up to eight weeks after the initial call. As soon as immediate needs are addressed, they connect them to ongoing care within Compass Health or through other providers.
To reach YGo, people can call or text 988 (suicide and crisis lifeline), or contact Volunteers of America Western Washington’s crisis care line at 1-800-584-3578.
Compass Health, a community-based health care agency, offers many services such as comprehensive mental health treatment, crisis prevention and intervention, supportive housing, children’s services and community education.
The agency provides services in Snohomish, Skagit, Island, San Juan and Whatcom counties. In total, it serves about 6,000 youth per year and 55% of them live in Snohomish County.
On Friday, April 17, the agency is hosting The Great Compass Health Camp Out in Snohomish. The fundraiser event from 6-9 p.m. at the Thomas Family Farm, 9010 Marsh Rd, will support programs such as YGo.
The event will bring “the magic of summer camp to life for one unforgettable evening filled with games, nostalgic bites, fun and meaningful opportunities to give back,” according to the event website. Tickets cost $75 per person.
Angelica Relente is a Murrow News Fellow covering housing and related issues in South Snohomish County for the My Neighborhood News Group. Contact her at [email protected].
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