Meeting Notes: Bridge Coalition Meeting on April 22nd
Opening Comments (Jim):
- Chat Introductions were done,
- A broad overview of NorthStar Advocates Mission and purpose was discussed,
- Focusing on return to community: safe housing, relationships, and supporting young adults facing unaccompanied homelessness interests and passions.
The Bridge Scope and Vision (v):
- High rate of return to homelessness for young people exiting inpatient care,
- Cross-system information sharing and training,
- Developing Return To Community Plan,
- Developing opportunities for systems reform.
WA State & NorthStar Advocates Legislative Updates
Presenter: Jim Theofelis, Executive Director & Founder of NorthStar Advocates. Jim provided a detailed, real-time update on Washington State’s budget negotiations:
- State Deficit Context: Lawmakers faced a $10–16 billion deficit. Governor Ferguson pushed for $100 million for law enforcement, and opposed new revenue from a wealth tax.
- Bridge Coalition: Despite the fiscal challenges, the Bridge Coalition was included in the final budget—a win. This means continued statewide investment in efforts to stabilize transitions for young people leaving inpatient care.
- SHB 1929 Bridge Houses: Both houses—East and West—were not only funded again but secured ongoing maintenance funding, ensuring sustainability beyond the proof-of-concept phase.
- HPDF (Homeless Prevention & Diversion Fund): Funded at $4 million. While this was $1 million less than previous years, it still represents a critical ongoing investment in diversion strategies that prevent youth homelessness.
- Family Reconciliation Services (FRS) – HB 1509: This bill, which creates a community-based model for family stabilization, also made it into the final budget. Jim noted this win was largely driven by community voices and advocacy.
Jim summarized that although the political climate was tense, the voices of youth and advocates, helped protect key programs in the final budget.
Excelsior SHB 1929 Bridge House Update
Presenter: Lauren Zunker, Vice President of Operations
Lauren Zunker provided an update on the progress of the Eastside SHB 1929 transitional living housing program, which is in its early stages of implementation. As one of the two sites under SHB 1929, Excelsior is developing a trauma-informed, flexible model that supports young people ages 18–24 transitioning out of inpatient behavioral health treatment.
Key Program Features and Vision
- Integrated Health Focus: The program is embedded within Excelsior’s broader integrated health campus, which combines behavioral health, substance use disorder treatment, peer services, and medical supports. The presenters emphasized Excelsior’s commitment to whole-person care and cultural responsiveness.
- Culturally and Developmentally Aligned Design: The team reiterated their goal of creating a developmentally appropriate environment that centers youth autonomy, access, and connection. The physical layout of the building and the programming model are being designed with this in mind.
- Access and Autonomy:
- Each young person will have their own bedroom and private key access.
- Digital badge access points are used throughout the facility to tailor access based on individual needs and safety considerations.
- Youth will be able to come and go, with individualized planning around community access, risk, and support.
- Programming & Activities:
- Excelsior is emphasizing community exposure, including events, outings, and external supports.
- On-site offerings will include:
- Life skills groups
- Mental health and SUD groups
- Peer-based community connection groups
- Optional participation in groups and open space for individualized pacing
Development Phase & Community Collaboration
- The program is still in early startup mode, with many elements in development or being finalized through ongoing collaboration.
- Excelsior leadership affirmed a strong willingness to co-design programming with young people, inviting youth from the Bridge Coalition to participate in shaping services.
- A proposal was made during the meeting (by Jim Theofelis and Sarah Spier) to host a focused listening session with young people to gather input on what would have been helpful in their own transition experiences. Excelsior expressed openness and excitement about incorporating this feedback into final design elements.
Federal Funding Cuts & Policy Shifts:
The Intersection of Behavioral Health and Homelessness Federal Funding
Presenter: Sarah Spier, NorthStar Advocates
Sarah Spier presented a critical overview of the rapidly shifting federal landscape surrounding behavioral health and homelessness funding. The presentation outlined both immediate changes and long-term proposals that have the potential to dismantle decades of coordinated investment in care systems for vulnerable populations.
Stopgap Funding and Temporary Stability
In March 2025, Congress passed a series of continuing resolutions to avoid a government shutdown and fund federal agencies through September 30, 2025. These stopgap measures preserve funding at FY2023–2024 levels but delay decisions on long-term funding priorities. While this offers temporary relief, it leaves essential programs in a state of uncertainty and limbo.
Agencies like the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) are currently operating under this temporary funding, but future allocations remain highly vulnerable to ideological and structural shifts.
The FY2026 Budget Proposals: What’s Changing
House and Senate budget drafts for FY2026 propose sweeping changes that would fundamentally restructure how behavioral health and housing programs are delivered at the federal level. Key proposals include:
- Cabinet-level agency restructuring
- Elimination of harm reduction, Housing First, and equity-based programming
- Movement toward abstinence-only models and institutional treatment
- Cuts to or elimination of core housing and Medicaid services
HHS Restructuring: The Rise of the Administration for a Healthy America (AHA)
The Department of Health and Human Services, currently overseeing 28 divisions, is facing a proposed consolidation into 15 umbrella agencies. One of these will be the new Administration for a Healthy America (AHA), which would absorb core behavioral health agencies like SAMHSA (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration) and HRSA (Health Resources and Services Administration).
Key changes include:
- Refocus from behavioral health to chronic disease, environmental health, and food/water safety
- Loss of trauma-informed care, harm reduction, and peer support emphasis
- More than 10,000 staff cuts and closure of five regional offices
- A potential 30% reduction in the HHS budget
Specific Programs at Risk
SAMHSA
- 50% staff cuts, reducing capacity to manage grants and crisis services
- Possible rollback of the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline
- Elimination of naloxone distribution, syringe services programs (SSPs), and peer recovery support
- Defunding of grants for underserved and marginalized populations (Tribal, LGBTQIA+, BIPOC)
HRSA
- Elimination of behavioral health integration in community health centers
- Loss of rural mental health access and telehealth infrastructure
- Potential dismantling of the agency’s equity and workforce development priorities
CMS/Medicaid
- $880 billion in proposed cuts by 2034
- Reduction in the federal share of Medicaid costs (FMAP), which could force 12 states to reduce or end Medicaid expansion
- Loss of Medicaid coverage for 3.6 million people
- Risks to crisis response, SUD treatment, and behavioral health provider participation
HUD and Housing Supports in Jeopardy
While HUD is not being formally restructured, it faces:
- A 50% reduction in workforce, especially in homelessness and civil rights enforcement roles
- Elimination of technical assistance funding for marginalized communities
- Shifts away from Housing First toward institutional, treatment-first models
Specific programs at risk include:
- Section 8 Housing Choice Vouchers (expected shortfall of 32,000 vouchers)
- Emergency Housing Vouchers (originally funded by ARPA, now at risk of expiration)
- Rapid Rehousing (grant freezes, rescinded TA across 240+ jurisdictions)
- A projected $168 million cut to the Homeless Assistance Grant Program
The Elimination of USICH
In a significant structural rollback, the United States Interagency Council on Homelessness (USICH) was dissolved by executive order in March 2025. This ends coordinated homelessness policy across 19 federal agencies, dismantles national strategy alignment, and removes an important mechanism for accountability and technical guidance at the federal level.
Sarah concluded by emphasizing that this is a time for vigilance, advocacy, and collective voice. The proposed changes represent not just financial challenges but an ideological shift away from evidence-based and person-centered care.
If enacted, these changes will drastically affect the availability, coordination, and quality of behavioral health and housing services nationwide—particularly for youth, young adults, and historically underserved communities.
Friends of Youth Federal Funding Impacts
Presenter: Paul Lwali, President & CEO
Paul Lwali’s presentation was a poignant and powerful reflection on a difficult decision that Friends of Youth was forced to make in March 2025: to terminate all federal grants due to newly enacted anti-gender, anti-DEI, and anti-immigration policies tied to recent executive orders.
These policies, which Paul described as contradictory to the organization’s mission and ethical standards, left Friends of Youth with no sustainable path forward for maintaining federal partnerships. The decision impacted multiple programs, including:
- Colin Ferguson Residential Foster Care
- Federal Long-Term Foster Care
- Street Outreach Services
- Four federally funded beds at Youth Haven Emergency Shelter
In total, this loss represented $5.1 million, nearly 30% of their annual budget. As a result, Friends of Youth had to lay off 41 staff members and begin transitioning 268 youth clients to other providers.
Paul emphasized that the decision was not made lightly. It followed months of internal deliberation with the board and executive leadership team and reflected a deeply held belief that the mission—to be “friends of all youth, not just some youth”—must remain uncompromised.
What stood out most in Paul’s remarks was the moral clarity and transparency with which the decision was made. Rather than quietly scale back, the organization chose to speak publicly about the implications of these federal shifts. Paul also expressed gratitude for the outpouring of support from partners, local government, and elected officials—including Senator Patty Murray, Representative Susan DelBene, and Representative Kim Schrier—who reached out in solidarity.
Paul noted that Friends of Youth remains committed to continuing its remaining programs, including:
- The Willows Youth Services Center, the 18–24 emergency shelter in East King County
- The Youth Haven Shelter (serving youth ages 7–17)
- Behavioral health counseling, case management, transitional living, and other supportive services
Paul’s presentation reminded everyone in attendance that standing up for what is right—even at great cost—is a leadership act. The room responded with empathy, respect, and a shared commitment to supporting each other in difficult times.
Pioneer Human Services Presentation
Presenter: Haley-Jo Syth, Assistant Director of Clinical Programs
Topic: Integrated Behavioral Health & Stabilization Services at the Spokane Regional Stabilization Center
At the April Bridge Coalition meeting, Haley-Jo Syth presented an in-depth look at Pioneer Human Services’ work at the Spokane Regional Stabilization Center, highlighting their integrated approach to behavioral health crisis response and substance use treatment for adults, including young adults transitioning out of institutional care.
Overview of Services
The Spokane Regional Stabilization Center is a 24/7 facility with three co-located programs:
- Mental Health Crisis Stabilization Unit (MH CSU)
- 16 beds
- Designed for individuals in acute mental health crisis
- Provides psychiatric care, medication support, and short-term stabilization
- Medically Monitored Withdrawal Management (Detox)
- 14 beds
- For individuals experiencing withdrawal from substances
- Offers nursing care, medication management, and supportive monitoring
- Co-Occurring Inpatient Residential Treatment
- 16 beds
- 28-day program supporting individuals with both mental health and substance use disorders
- Includes intensive therapy, case management, and discharge planning
Integrated & Trauma-Informed Model
Haley-Jo emphasized that Pioneer’s model is deeply multidisciplinary and trauma-informed. Key components include:
- Licensed clinical staff and therapists delivering group and individual therapy
- Case managers facilitating connection to long-term housing, Medicaid, and recovery services
- Peer support specialists, including those with lived experience
- Family therapy and support services as needed
- 24/7 nursing and psychiatric consultation
The model is designed to support individuals at every stage of crisis, helping them transition smoothly between levels of care (e.g., from detox to residential to community-based supports).
Referral Pathways & Access
- The program serves individuals 18+, including many justice-involved and housing-insecure adults.
- Referrals come from law enforcement, hospitals, crisis teams, and community providers.
- The center accepts Medicaid, Kaiser Permanente, and individuals with no insurance (through Spokane County ASO funds).
Haley-Jo noted the flexibility of their admissions process and emphasized that the goal is to create low-barrier, rapid-access options for those in urgent need of stabilization and treatment.
Community Updates:
- No updates.
Closing Comments:
- Jim closed the meeting and thanked everyone for their support and active participation in this work.
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