The City of Bellingham receives a portion of money Washington state received from settlements with opioid manufacturers. The City expects to receive about $3 million between 2025 and 2038.
We work closely with public health and behavioral health partners to use our portion of this funding to align with projects, programs, or services that will best serve our community.
Our funding priorities
Our Health and Human Services Strategic Initiatives Manager works to connect with the many service providers, non-profit agencies, and other local governments in Bellingham and Whatcom County to coordinate and direct the City’s work related to behavioral health. About $75,000 of the City’s share of funding goes toward this salary annually.
We have dedicated $1 million of the City’s opioid funding toward a new 23-hour behavioral health crisis relief center. The crisis relief center will be a safe place for people who are experiencing an acute behavioral health crisis to go and receive immediate health care and stabilization services. It takes the burden of treatment off the emergency department, and provides a link in services that’s not met by other treatment centers.
Background on opioid settlement funding
Washington state has received millions of dollars from opioid settlements and has allocated half of those funds to communities for opioid prevention, treatment, and recovery. Settlement funds have been distributed to regional networks, which then decide how to allocate funds locally. Bellingham receives funding through the North Sound Behavioral Health Administrative Services Organization.
Local officials decide how to best spend the opioid settlement funds in their community.
