MARYSVILLE — Tulalip Tribes is the first Indian Nation in Washington State to designate a Tribal DCR for their community. Tribal DCRs are part of the Washington Indian Behavioral Health Act (2020) and Washington Administrative Code 182-125-0100 (2022). They represent a partnership between Tribes and the Health Care Authority (HCA) to offer culturally attuned care for Tribal communities.

First Tribal DCR

During a special ceremony, Tulalip Tribes named Kelly Waibel, MS, LMHC, CCIS-II, as their Tribal DCR. She is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor (LMHC), Certified Crisis Intervention Specialist 2 (CCIS-II) and holds a Master of Science from Capella University. Kelly was introduced to Tulalip Tribes when doing ride-alongs with Tulalip police who were responding to crisis calls. Kelly quickly became a trusted advocate and supporter within the community.

“I fell in love with Tulalip and have a deep appreciation for the culture. It’s a family here. There’s so much love and support, and there’s much need,” Kelly replied when describing her role. “I approach everything as a learning experience. I want to give people the tools they need to save themselves. People succeed best when they feel empowered.”

In her position, Kelly will:

• Oversee Tulalip’s new Tribal Mobile Crisis Response team.
• Evaluate and assess involuntary treatment for community members, if needed.

“We know our people are suffering,” said Tulalip Chairwoman Teri Gobin. "Depression and anxiety are at an all-time high, and the disease of addiction is just one symptom of how unwell our world is. Tulalip is trying to get upstream of all these challenges.

"One of the ways we do that is by making sure that when someone has a mental health crisis, we have someone who can help them get the support and services they need. For too long, this country has used the law and justice to deal with wounded hearts and minds. Kelly, our designated crisis responder, isn’t just getting affected people off the streets; she is helping them get what they need to become well.”

Why is a Tribal DCR so important?

They:

• Are a familiar face and trusted expert within a Tribal community.
• Have knowledge of a Tribe’s culture and how to provide culturally relevant care for people in crisis.
• Provide a quicker response time for time-sensitive and live-saving care. This means people receive the care and services they need much faster than having to call in someone who isn’t familiar with an individual or community.
• Understand the complexities and challenges of Native peoples and how to navigate the Tribal health care system and available county and state resources.

“Our Tribal crisis system is overburdened and under-resourced. The historical relationship between Tribes and government entities has resulted in programs and practices that are culturally harmful,” said Aren Spark, HCA Tribal Affairs Administrator. “However, through a Tribal DCR, people in crisis receive support within their Tribe and from their own cultural perspectives.”

Our state honors Tribal sovereignty, self-determination, and eliminating inequities for Tribal members. Under the Washington Indian Behavioral Health Act, Tribes are recognized as the rightful entity to provide essential, time-sensitive crisis services for their community. They will receive state dollars, allocated by the Legislature, for their crisis work—something Tribes have provided their people long before this legislation.