Building Bridges to Stability: Friends of Youth Shares Early Successes of Bridge Pointe
Bridge Coalition Spotlight | October 2026
For young people exiting inpatient behavioral health treatment, the transition back into the community can be one of the most vulnerable periods in their recovery. Without stable housing, continued behavioral health services, and meaningful connections to community support, young people face significant barriers to maintaining their progress and building a stable future.
Washington State’s SHB 1929 Bridge Housing Program was created to address this critical gap by providing eligible youth and young adults experiencing or at risk of homelessness with up to 90 days of temporary housing, wraparound behavioral health services, and individualized support as they transition from inpatient treatment into the community.
During the October meeting of the Bridge Coalition, hosted by NorthStar Advocates, Eric Buley, Senior Director of Homeless Youth Services at Friends of Youth, presented an overview of Bridge Pointe, the organization’s Bridge Housing program in Kirkland, Washington. His presentation highlighted the program’s approach, the young people it serves, and promising early outcomes.
About Friends of Youth and Bridge Pointe
For 75 years, Friends of Youth has supported youth, young adults, and families through comprehensive services including: housing and homelessness programs, behavioral health support, and foster care services. Friends of Youth has a longstanding commitment to helping young people overcome barriers and build pathways toward stability and independence. Over the past year alone, the organization has served more than 3,200 youth, young adults, and families.
Through Bridge Pointe, the designated Western Washington SHB 1929 Bridge Housing program, Friends of Youth operates two homes in Kirkland, Washington, designed to provide young adults exiting inpatient behavioral health treatment with a safe, supportive, home-like environment as they work toward recovery, stability, and independence.
The homes offer:
- Private bedrooms and shared common living spaces
- ADA-accessible accommodations
- Opportunities to develop independent living skills
- A supportive environment that encourages connection, recovery, and personal growth
Rather than moving directly from inpatient behavioral health treatment into homelessness or unstable housing, participants have the opportunity to continue their recovery while developing a plan for their next best place.
Comprehensive Behavioral Health and Wraparound Supports
Bridge Pointe recognizes that housing alone is not enough to support young people transitioning from inpatient behavioral health treatment.
According to the presentation, more than 65% of Bridge Pointe participants have co-occurring disorders, highlighting the importance of integrated mental health and substance use disorder services.
The program provides individualized wraparound supports, including:
- Self-Directed Return to Community Plans: Supporting young people in identifying their goals, needs, and next steps toward stability.
- Behavioral Health Therapy: Ongoing mental health services to support recovery and emotional well-being.
- Substance Use Disorder Counseling: Individualized services supporting substance use recovery.
- Group Services: Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), substance use disorder groups, and Return to Community planning.
- Peer Support: Opportunities to connect with individuals who bring lived experience and understanding.
- Housing Navigation and Case Management: Assistance identifying and securing appropriate housing and supportive placements.
- Transportation: Helping participants access appointments, services, employment opportunities, and community resources.
- Pro-Social Activities: Opportunities to participate in recovery meetings, job fairs, and social outings.
Together, these services support young people in building the skills, relationships, and resources necessary for a successful transition into the community.
Serving Young Adults Across Washington State
Although Bridge Pointe’s two homes are located in Kirkland, the program serves young people from communities throughout Washington.
At the time of the presentation, Bridge Pointe had served participants from 10 Washington counties:
Chelan, Cowlitz, Franklin, King, Kitsap, Lewis, Mason, Pierce, Skagit, and Snohomish.
This geographic reach demonstrates the statewide need for supportive transitional housing options for young adults exiting inpatient behavioral health treatment.
Promising Early Outcomes: Employment, Recovery, and Treatment Engagement
One of the most significant portions of the presentation focused on Bridge Pointe’s early program outcomes. The data highlighted encouraging progress in employment, recovery, and continued engagement in behavioral health treatment.
Key Program Outcomes:
- 25% gained employment while participating in the program.
- 76% maintained sobriety throughout their entire participation in the program.
- 96% adhered to their medication plans, demonstrating continued engagement with their treatment and recovery.
These outcomes highlight important areas of progress for young people navigating the transition from inpatient behavioral health treatment into community living.
Employment can provide financial stability and a sense of purpose, while continued recovery and medication adherence can help participants maintain the progress they made during treatment.
Housing Outcomes: Supporting Successful Transitions
Perhaps the most significant finding was that more than 69% of Bridge Pointe participants successfully transitioned into permanent housing or structured supportive programs.
The presentation provided a detailed breakdown of participants’ exit destinations:
Permanent or Supportive Placements (31%)
- 12% secured their own rental housing.
- 8% transitioned into permanent housing with family or friends.
- 8% transitioned into long-term care facilities.
- 4% secured permanent housing designated for individuals who previously experienced homelessness.
Programmatic Supportive Transitions (38%)
- 31% transitioned into transitional living programs.
- 8% transitioned into Oxford Houses, providing structured recovery housing.
Temporary Placements (23%)
- 23% transitioned into temporary housing with family or friends.
Emergency Shelter (8%)
- 8% transitioned into emergency shelter.
Percentages are reported as presented by Friends of Youth and may not total exactly due to rounding.
These findings demonstrate the importance of offering multiple pathways to stability. For some young people, the next best place may be independent housing or a permanent family connection. For others, continued support through transitional living or recovery housing may be the most appropriate next step.
While not every participant transitioned directly into permanent housing, the majority moved into housing or structured programs designed to support their continued stability.
The Impact Behind the Numbers
Beyond the program outcomes, the presentation included a powerful reflection from a Bridge Pointe participant about what the program meant to them.
“Everything. Honestly, just the fact that I can get the help I need. They’ve helped me get everything—a phone, housing connections. I’ve gone from not much willingness or wanting to change to having hope that I can actually do something. It’s life-changing, to say the least.”
This reflection captures something that statistics alone cannot fully convey: the importance of hope, connection, and having the right support at the right time.
For young people leaving inpatient treatment, access to a safe place to live, continued care, and supportive relationships can create opportunities to rebuild their lives and move toward a more stable future.
Strengthening Washington’s Behavioral Health System Through Collaboration
The early outcomes shared by Friends of Youth demonstrate the importance of continued investment in programs that bridge the gap between inpatient behavioral health treatment and stable community living.
At NorthStar Advocates, our mission is to prevent and end homelessness by supporting young people, strengthening families and communities, and holding the systems designed to serve them accountable.
NorthStar Advocates, through its leadership of the Bridge Coalition, played a pivotal role in spearheading and advancing SHB 1929, landmark Washington State legislation designed to prevent youth and young adults from exiting inpatient behavioral health treatment into homelessness. Working alongside coalition partners, service providers, advocates, policymakers, and young people with lived experience, NorthStar Advocates helped advance a legislative solution to a longstanding gap between behavioral health treatment and housing stability.
Today, the implementation of SHB 1929 is taking shape through programs like Friends of Youth’s Bridge Pointe, demonstrating how coordinated advocacy, legislative action, and cross-system collaboration can translate into meaningful support for young people across Washington State.
Through our continued leadership of the Bridge Coalition, we are working to strengthen the intersection of Washington State’s behavioral health and homelessness response systems, ensuring that young people leaving inpatient behavioral health treatment have access to the housing, services, and community supports they need.
Our goal is clear: No young person should exit inpatient behavioral health treatment into homelessness.
Join the Bridge Coalition
The Bridge Coalition is hosted by NorthStar Advocates and meets virtually on the fourth Tuesday of every month from 1:00–2:30 p.m. Pacific Time.
Meetings bring together partners from across Washington State to share innovative approaches, discuss emerging challenges, highlight program outcomes, and collaborate on solutions that improve the lives of youth and young adults transitioning from systems of care, particularly inpatient behavioral health facilities.
We welcome behavioral health and housing providers, community partners, policymakers, advocates, and individuals with lived experience who are interested in strengthening Washington’s systems of care.
Interested in joining the Bridge Coalition? Visit NorthStar Advocates to learn more about the coalition and upcoming meetings.
https://northstaradvocates.org/the-bridge-program/
Learn More About Bridge Pointe
For additional information about Friends of Youth and the Bridge Pointe program:
Website: www.friendsofyouth.org
Program Contact: Eric Buley, Senior Director of Homeless Youth Services
eric.buley@friendsofyouth.org
Referrals: bridgepointe@friendsofyouth.org
Phone: 425-891-3385
This article is based on the presentation delivered by Friends of Youth during the October 2026 Bridge Coalition meeting, hosted by NorthStar Advocates.
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