Public Health, Safety, Justice, and Equity Committee

The mobile medical unit initiative represents a significant expansion of regional addiction treatment capacity. The didgwálič Wellness Center's model emphasizes whole-person, trauma-informed care that addresses multiple needs simultaneously - childcare, food assistance, transportation, mental health, dental care, and addiction treatment. This comprehensive approach has made the center a national model since its 2017 opening. The Swinomish Tribe approached county leaders in February 2024 offering to extend services beyond their Anacortes facility. Through collaborative planning involving tribal leadership, Whatcom County, and the City of Bellingham, officials selected 2028 Division Street as the optimal location. The site's proximity to existing crisis services supports the vision of creating an integrated …

**Malora Christensen (Whatcom County Response Systems Manager)** emphasized the project's alignment with broader efforts to address the opioid crisis and praised the Swinomish Tribe's generosity. She highlighted the integration with existing behavioral health services and the potential for creating a comprehensive treatment campus. **Daniel Hammill (Committee Chair)** provided historical context, noting the initiative's connection to the City Council's 2024 decision to decriminalize public drug use and the search for treatment-focused alternatives. He expressed gratitude for the tribal partnership and acknowledged the gift this represents to the community. **Skip Williams (Committee Member)** praised Hammill's l…

**Daniel Hammill, on the partnership's significance:** "I don't know of another example in the country. We've all talked about that, what that looks like. And so I just want to like acknowledge the thanks for getting this." **Malora Christensen, describing the didgwálič model:** "It is the embodiment of trauma-informed care, of whole-person care, of seeing people in their environment and saying, what is needed for wellness? What is needed for health? Is do you need childcare while you're seek…

The committee gained detailed insight into operational plans for the mobile medical unit program, including specific hours, staffing, and service capacity. The partnership moved closer to implementation with the pending county lease approval and February soft opening timeline. Council members expressed strong support for the initiativ…

### Meeting Overview The Public Health, Safety, Justice, and Equity Committee met on January 13, 2025, to receive a briefing on a groundbreaking partnership with the Swinomish Tribe to bring mobile opioid treatment services to Bellingham. The committee learned about plans for two million-dollar mobile medical units that will provide medication-assisted treatment for opioid addiction at a new location on Division Street. ### Key Terms and Concepts **Medication-Assisted Treatment (MAT):** Medical treatment for opioid addiction using FDA-approved medications like suboxone and methadone combined with counseling and behavioral therapies. **Didgwálič Wellness Center:** The Swinomish Tribe's opioid treatment center in Anacortes, opened in 2017, considered a national model for addiction treatment with wrap-around services. **Opioid Treatment Program (OTP):** A specialized medical program regulated by the DEA that can dispense controlled medications like methadone for opioid addiction treatment. **Trauma-Informed Care:** An approach that recognizes and responds to the impact of traumatic stress on patients, emphasizing physical and emotional safety. **Wrap-Around Services:** Comprehensive support services that address multiple needs like transportation, childcare, mental health, and other barriers to treatment. **Crisis Stabilization Center:** A facility that provides short-term crisis intervention services, located adjacent to where the mobile units will operate. **Behavioral Health Campus:** An emerging concept in Bellingham where multiple mental health and substance use services are co-located on Division Street. **WTA Route 48:** A Whatcom Transportation Authority bus route that could potentially provide transportation access to the treatment site. ### Key People at This Meeting | Name | Role / Affiliation | |---|---| | Daniel Hammill | Committee Chair, Third Ward Council Member | | Edwin "Skip" Williams | Committee Member, Fourth Ward Council Member | | Michael Lilliquist | Committee Member, Sixth Ward Council Member | | Malora Christensen | Whatcom County Health Response Systems Manager | | Dr. Bryce Parent | Chief Medical Officer, Didgwálič Wellness Center | | Erik Ostergaard | SUD Clinical Supervisor, Didgwálič Wellness Center | | Mayor Kim …