The Way Station is a new collaborative effort between PeaceHealth, The Whatcom County Health Department, Opportunity Council, and Unity Care NW that will offer an array of services for people experiencing homelessness in Whatcom County.
The facility, located at 1500 N. State Street in downtown Bellingham, will serve as a landing space for people experiencing homeless, specifically those who are ill or recovering from a medical event. Staffed 24/7, The Way Station will help fill a gap in community services, creating a place where people can safely recuperate after they are discharged from the hospital.
In addition to basics like food and shelter, The Way Station will offer medical and behavioral healthcare, case management, and substance abuse treatment, along with access to showers and laundry. For long-term solutions, housing case managers from Opportunity Council will work to connect people with stable housing.
“This project hits it all — housing, caring for community, saving money and helping to get people better and in housing,” says Washington State Representative Sharon Shewmake, who helped secure funding for the project.
The downtown facility is strategically located in easy reach of public transportation and other health and service organizations, including Opportunity Council and Unity Care NW.
Renovations on the building will likely begin before the end of the year, with doors opening some time in 2022.
