WHATCOM COUNTY, WA (MyBellinghamNow.com) – Whatcom County’s new behavioral care center will likely be located off-site from the new jail.

The county council voted 6-1 on Tuesday, Jan. 27 to recommend that the center be built as an out-of-custody facility on Division Street in Bellingham.

Although the decision isn’t final, it would make the 32-bed center available to the broader community, not just those who are in jail custody.

Ben Elenbaas was the lone council member to vote against the decision, albeit reluctantly.

“I think I’m going to vote no, only because I want more of the entire plan in front of me before I’m just like ‘Yes, this is a great idea,'” Elenbaas said at the meeting. “Maybe it’s there and I’m not hearing it correctly, but I don’t feel awesome about voting no… you’re getting me there, I’m just not all the way there yet.”

Building the center on Division Street would locate it near more of the county’s behavioral health treatment options, like crisis stabilization, detox and inpatient services.

Proponents of the out-of-custody model say it will also make for a more affordable option, since it will make patients eligible for Medicaid, Medicare and private insurance reimbursement.

The center is part of the county’s Justice Project, which was approved by voters alongside the new jail in November 2023.

It will serve as an alternative to jail for eligible people, with the goal of prioritizing treatment over incarceration while preserving public safety.

Construction of the facility is expected to begin in May 2027 and last roughly a year.