Who is the Seattle Indian Health Board (SIHB)?

 

Seattle Indian Health Board is an Urban Indian Organization, Federally Qualified Health Center, and Community Health Center that provides health and human services to its patients, while specializing in the care of Native people. SIHB is recognized as a leader in the promotion of health improvement for urban American Indians and Alaska Natives, locally and nationally. Please click About the Seattle Indian Health Board for more information.

 

 

What is SIHB’s history and achievements with treatment in other communities?

 

SIHB has been providing community-focused, culturally attuned care in the broader King County area for more than 50 years, including more than 30 years operating an inpatient treatment program out of South Seattle without incident. Today, SIHB operates clinics in the International District, Pioneer Square, and Lake City, as well as a mobile clinic. 

 

 

When will the Thunderbird Treatment Center open?

 

2025

 

 

What services will the residential program offer?

 

Thunderbird will provide culturally attuned services and programming for people seeking to heal from substance use disorder. Thunderbird will offer a 45-day intensive inpatient treatment program (American Society of Addiction Medicine 3.1 and 3.5) where residents have access to behavioral health professionals, Traditional Indian Medicine experts, counselors, and support staff. Residents will also have access to high-end amenities, including luxury rooms, a cultural healing space, an outdoor traditional garden, kitchen, and customized community and counseling spaces.

 

Thunderbird will be offering a very unique component to its programming. Fifteen beds will be allocated in a wing of the facility for pregnant or parenting adults, where they will have the opportunity to still be with their children as they complete the program. This is modeled after a program in Oakland, California, which has a decades-long history of success. 

 

 

How will this residential program be different from other kinds of services for people with substance use disorders?

 

SIHB treats all of its patients like family, which is why they refer to them as “relatives.” They care for relatives in the Native way, meaning they provide culturally attuned, holistic services that treat the mind, body, spirit, and environment equally. 

 

 

Will the residential program offer detox to residents? 

 

No. Because children will be present, SIHB will have a higher responsibility to have a safe environment, so the organization will not be admitting individuals who have been convicted of violent felony crimes and will not be providing detox services at this location.

 

 

Why is this residential program needed in our region? And in our community? 

 

The opioid epidemic has reached alarming levels. According to King County, 318 people died from drugs or alcohol in 2013. Last year — a decade later — that number had jumped nearly 300 percent: 1,339 people in King County lost their lives in 2023 due to drug overdoses or alcohol poisoning, fentanyl and other opioids being the lead cause. 

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At the same time, there remains a significant gap in access to comprehensive treatment services for those struggling with addiction, both in King County and on Vashon Island. Countywide, there are currently only 148 inpatient beds. This shortage in addiction treatment is also felt on Vashon Island, where there are no inpatient beds and few substance use disorder providers, according to the 2021 Vashon Youth & Family Services Behavioral Health Needs Assessment. 

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The Thunderbird Treatment Center will address these needs, providing the kind of intensive, inpatient care people need to achieve and sustain recovery. More specifically, here’s what the an inpatient treatment center will offer the community:

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• Comprehensive Care: Inpatient facilities offer a structured environment where residents can receive a variety of services from experienced health professionals. This holistic approach is vital for addressing the multifaceted nature of addiction.

• Reduced Overdose Deaths: By providing more opportunities to access inpatient beds and treatment, the risk of fatal overdoses is significantly lowered.

• Improved Outcomes: Studies show that individuals who go through a residential program are more likely to achieve long-term sobriety compared to those who receive outpatient care alone.

• Community Benefits: Effective treatment can reduce crime rates, decrease the burden on emergency services, and improve overall community health and safety.

• Economic Benefits: The costs of addiction to our healthcare systems and the costs of responding to addiction through arrest, prosecution, and incarceration are astronomical. Inpatient treatment is fiscally responsible.

 

 

Will services be available to non-Indian people?

 

Yes. While SIHB specializes in the care of American Indians and Alaska Natives, the organization serves everyone. 

 

 

How can I help?

 

Please click visit our “HOW TO HELP” page.

 

 

How will the facility impact Vashon’s emergency and healthcare services?

 

Thunderbird will complement and support the current emergency and healthcare services on Vashon by filling a gap in the services available to families on the Island. Beyond Thunderbird, SIHB is a full-service community health center, so it will not create burdens on other services. 

 

 

Does Thunderbird Treatment Center meet the current King County zoning requirements as a community residential facility?

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Yes. They're working with the county to obtain a permit under current zoning.

 

 

Was SIHB required to obtain input from the community?

 

No, but SIHB has attended numerous Vashon community meetings and met directly with residents who have had questions about the facility.

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Do you have additional questions? Please click to Send Us An Email​

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