There is retail and office space available on the Evergreen Way side of the building at 6502 Evergreen Way.
The Everett Enhanced Service Facility entrance is off of Fleming with parking underneath for staff.
The ribbon was cut by Todd Madison (l) Sue Closser (c) and State Rep. John Lovick (r)
One of the common rooms with a fireplace and large windows.
There is a large pantry and nutrition center.
The back yard is open with several gathering spots.
It is housed inside the new building at 6502 Evergreen Way just north of Popeyes. There is commercial space on Evergreen Way on the lower level with the Enhanced Service Facility taking over the upper portion of the building stretching back to Fleming.
One of the issues driving the homelessness situation in Everett and elsewhere is few places offer services for those suffering from mental illness.
Patients who aren’t criminals but who need help and supervision to keep up their medication and have some stability are often released from places like Western State to live with relatives untrained to help or are just released into the community to fend for themselves on the street.
Everett is just the third city in the State of Washington to get an Enhanced Services Facility. The others are in Spokane and Vancouver.
Operated by Sunrise Services, Inc. the facility will serve up to 16 residents with 24 hour care.
“This is a safe and compassionate place for people with severe mental illness,” said Sue Closser who is President of Sunrise Services in Everett who is operating the Enhanced Services Facility. “This meets an unmet need in the community.”
Closser says they will ramp up slowly with a couple of clients a week until they are at capacity. Unlike at what you may find at a group home, the Everett Enhanced Services Facility has both a registered nurse and mental health professionals on staff.
The building is secure with sprinkler system and auto closing fire doors. There are cameras and all staff have call devices. The clients are free to come and go and can live at the facility for as long as they would like to stay. The building is airy and light filled, there’s a central pantry where residents can make snacks as well as enjoy three prepared meals a day. The State of Washington required extensive training of all staff prior to signing off on final operating permits.
This neighborhood in Everett has a long history of mental health service to residents. For years there was a two-story apartment that provided a place to live and other services to those suffering from mental illness on Madison street just west of Evergreen Way where Rodland Toyota now stands.
The facility is not low barrier housing. No drugs or alcohol are allowed and residents come via discharge from a psychiatric hospital. While no longer considered to have to be hospitalized they still require specialized support and care. This is not a treatment facility but assisted living for those with mental health support needs.
The building was a project guided by Todd Madison of Madison Properties who worked with Sunrise Services and DSHS in a unique public-private partnership to get the building complete. It’s taken a little over two years to bring it to this point. Here is our story from last year on the initial application.
Also here is a great FAQ to further help explain Enhanced Services Facilities. Click link for printable PDF:
It may only be 16 beds but it is an important drop in the bucket to help deal with those who are homeless and suffering from mental illness on the streets of Everett and in the communities beyond.
August 15, 2018
Everett