Psychiatric clinic closes due to lack of money

A clinic that provided child and adult psychiatric services in Snohomish County has been closed by Compass Health.

The Dean Brooks Psychiatric Clinic treated 1,208 people, providing prescriptions for mental health issues.

It closed March 30.

The nonprofit agency said it had to shut down the services because of mounting financial losses, estimated at $75,000 to $100,000 since July of last year, said Jess Jamieson, Compass’ president and chief executive officer.

The hope was that the clinic, which opened in October 2005 on Compass’ Federal Avenue campus in Everett, would at least begin to break even this year.

That didn’t happen, Jamieson said.

Three administrative support employees, two clinical support people, one full-time counselor and one part-time counselor were laid off, he said.

“We are not happy that we had to close it,” Jamieson said. “We were just not able to generate the kinds of fees and revenues for this expanded service.”

One of the problems was the lag between the expenses of running the clinic and when they were paid, he said.

As expenses continued to lag further and further behind payments, a decision was made to close down the clinic and not accept new patients, he said.

Doctors treated both Medicaid patients and those with insurance for mental health issues.

Now, only Medicaid psychiatric patients will be served at its clinics in Lynnwood, Smokey Point, Monroe and Everett, said Dr. Shirley Stallings, Compass’ chief medical officer.

Closing the Brooks center leaves a hole in services, she said.

“There are not enough psychiatric resources in our community, especially for kids,” Stallings said. “Many practices are full that see adults. It’s difficult for people to find those resources.”

Compass hopes it can reopen the clinic at some point in the future, Jamieson said. “When that is, I don’t know.”

Reporter Sharon Salyer: 425-339-3486 or salyer@heraldnet.com.