Partial federal government shutdown
HCA does not anticipate any immediate impacts to our services or disruption to provider payments at this time. We will continue to monitor the situation and share updates if anything changes.
HCA does not anticipate any immediate impacts to our services or disruption to provider payments at this time. We will continue to monitor the situation and share updates if anything changes.
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.
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:
“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.”
They:
“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.
Kennedy Soileau, chief communications officer
For more information about:
Functioning as both the state's largest health care purchaser and its behavioral health authority, the Washington State Health Care Authority (HCA) is a leader in ensuring Washington residents have the opportunity to be as healthy as possible.
There are three pillars of our work: Apple Health (Medicaid); the Public Employees Benefits Board (PEBB) and School Employees Benefits Board (SEBB) programs; and behavioral health and recovery. Under these pillars, HCA purchases health care, including behavioral health treatment for more than 2.7 million Washington residents and provides behavioral health prevention, crisis, and recovery supports to all Washington residents.