Veteran and Veteran Families' Outpatient Behavioral Health Services

Pierce County is seeking proposals to provide outpatient behavioral health services that address ongoing or emerging needs of indigent veterans and their families. Programs must promote recovery, stability, and long-term wellness while reducing reliance on crisis and impatient care. Services should strengthen functioning and reduce social isolation, a risk factor for suicide or worsening behavioral health conditions among veterans. Data from the 2025 National Veteran Suicide Prevention annual report indicates higher suicide rates amongst lower income veterans or those not connected to behavioral health services. Given the persistently elevated suicide rates in veteran populations, proposals that include evidence-based suicide prevention strategies are strongly encouraged.

Programs should coordinate with existing veteran and behavioral health systems and demonstrate measurable improvements in health, stability, and community connection. While not required, proposals that include workforce development (such as training or supervising students, interns, or fellows interested in veteran-focused behavioral health) will be prioritized, as this helps build long-term system capacity.

This procurement is aligned with the Pierce County Behavioral Health Improvement Plan (BHIP), the 2026-2027 Pierce County Council's Behavioral Heath Focus Areas, and the County's 2026-2027 behavioral health funding priorities.

Proposed projects that serve more than one geographic area of the county will be given priority.

Pierce County is particularly interested in proposals that leverage partnerships with the Department of Veteran Affairs (VA), Community Care, and other veteran service providers, and that demonstrate measurable improvements in stability, access, reductions in wait times for services, and long‑term outcomes for veterans and their families.

In December 2020, the Pierce County Council passed Ordinance 2020-138 , authorizing a 1/10th of 1% Behavioral Health and Therapeutic Courts Tax (BHTC) in accordance with RCW 82.14.460 . The BHTC fund was established for the purpose of improving the quality of life for Pierce County residents and decreasing criminal justice system costs and emergency department use by reducing negative outcomes associated with untreated mental health and substance use disorders.

The Veterans Advisory Board has identified access to behavioral health care for veterans and their families as an unmet need within in the County. Due to the identified need from the Veterans Advisory Board, funding from the Veterans Relief Fund was allocated and combined with funding from the Behavioral Health and Therapeutic Courts Tax to increase care for local veteran family behavioral health needs. Pierce County recognizes outpatient and community-based services as a critical part of the behavioral health continuum, and the BHTC fund currently supports a range of outpatient services such as individual and group therapy, substance abuse counseling, and community-based services such as outreach and case management.

Despite progress, significant gaps remain in the integration of housing, primary care, and social supports; this is particularly true for underserved and marginalized populations such as veterans and their families. Pierce County is seeking to address these gaps by prioritizing behavioral health as a cornerstone of its veteran services strategy. This procurement aims to enhance outpatient and community-based services while veterans wait for care provided either directly by the VA or with Community Care, a service where the VA pays a community provider for services. With the intention of reducing reliance on crisis interventions and ensuring that veteran families can access behavioral health support regardless of insurance status. By focusing on the whole-person wellness, this initiative seeks to improve long-term outcomes and quality of life for veterans and their families.