EVERETT – Compass Health has expanded its YGo Youth Mobile Crisis Program, strengthening access to immediate crisis and behavioral health support for children, teens, and families across Snohomish, Skagit, and Whatcom counties.
YGo provides crisis stabilization and short-term intervention to youth under the age of 20 and their families, at no cost to them. Multidisciplinary teams of licensed mental health clinicians and peer support specialists respond to youth experiencing behavioral health challenges, including anxiety, depression, thoughts of self-harm or suicide, or acute distress at home or in community settings such as schools, shelters, or juvenile courts.
Youth, family members, friends and others who work with children and teens can access the service by calling or texting 988, the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, or by contacting VOA Crisis Services through the Crisis Care Line at 1-800-584-3578.
“Soon after launching this program in 2024, it became clear that more youth and families across the region needed timely access to this kind of care,” said Amy Pereira-Clevenger, director of crisis response and stabilization at Compass Health. “With support from the state, we were able to grow the program’s capacity by adding team members and extending service hours. This growth has allowed our teams to reach youth sooner, while continuing to provide services that are community-based, family-centered, and focused on stabilization.”
Community members contact YGo for help with a variety of situations, including:
- When children or teens show signs of depression, anxiety, or anger
- When youth are experiencing panic attacks
- When someone is struggling with suicidal thoughts or safety concerns
- When substance use is affecting well-being
- When school attendance or engagement becomes a concern
The expansion increases both staffing and service coverage across Northwest Washington. The Southern YGo team, serving Snohomish County, now operates 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and includes 33 team members. The Northern YGo team serves Skagit and Whatcom Counties seven days a week from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. and is staffed by 10 professionals.
Both teams work to stabilize youth on a short-term basis, providing services for up to eight weeks. Once immediate needs are addressed, teams focus on connecting youth and families to ongoing care, either within Compass Health, such as outpatient therapy or the Wraparound with Intensive Services (WISe) Program for youth with higher needs, or through other appropriate community-based providers. To date, YGo teams have responded to more than 4,500 youth and family members.
“YGo exists to show up for youth in moments of crisis and make sure they’re not facing those moments alone,” said Rick Deluga, program manager for the Southern YGo team. “Expanding our team and resources means we can get to families faster, provide thoughtful and effective care, and help stabilize situations before they escalate.”
YGo began as the Child, Youth, and Family Crisis Team (CYFCT), operating under the Mobile Response and Stabilization Services (MRSS) model. Recently, CYFCT was rebranded as YGo to better reflect the program’s mission: to help youth “go” from crisis to recovery while empowering families and communities with the tools and support they need. The new name signifies action, hope, and progress toward stability.
“The name YGo better communicates our mission and the positive momentum we aim to create for youth in crisis,” said Bobbie Racine, program manager for the Northern YGo team. “It’s a name that resonates with youth and their families and reflects the supportive, solution-focused approach of our teams.”
YGo is part of Compass Health’s broader continuum of crisis care. The organization also operates its Mobile Crisis Outreach Team (MCOT), which provides crisis support to adults across Skagit, Island, San Juan, and Whatcom counties.
For more information about YGo and Compass Health’s crisis services, visit www.compasshealth.org or call or text 988 for immediate support.
About Compass Health:
Compass Health is Northwest Washington’s behavioral healthcare leader. A community-based healthcare agency, Compass Health integrates behavioral health and medical care services to form a key section of the community safety net and serve clients and others in need of care and support. From comprehensive mental health treatment to crisis prevention and intervention, supportive housing, children’s services, community education and much more, the non-profit organization serves people of all ages throughout Snohomish, Skagit, Island, San Juan, and Whatcom counties.
Source: Compass Health
Author: Lynnwood Times Staff
