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Kicking Off the Design Phase
October 2025
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Design of Justice Project Facilities Begins
With the team that will design and build the Justice Project facilities, the County and stakeholders are hard at work hammering out the options for the future Behavioral Care Center and Jail.
Read on to learn about opportunities to weigh in on the design process, learn about upcoming decision points, and get the latest news on the Justice Project.
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Behavioral Care Center
A New Approach to Prosecutorial Diversion
Health professionals, law enforcement officers, and representatives from our court system have been meeting regularly to explore options relating to the Behavioral Care Center.
The Justice Project envisions a behavioral care center as a key element of how Whatcom County responds to people in crisis. The purpose is to provide an effective alternative to incarceration, support public safety and facilitate health through clinically appropriate treatment.
With the right support, this will decrease recidivism, reduce the strain our jail system and first responders, and lead to healthier outcomes for all involved.
The Behavioral Care Center will employ community-based treatment and proven best-practices to address mental health and substance use disorder needs earlier than incarceration-based methods. This intervention, if paired with companion services, can address needs before legal cases even develop or an arrest occurs.
The facility would include beds and programming to facilitate structured treatment programs with clinically recommended time frames that creates enduring change.
With the legal framework of diversion, this creates incentive for participants to stay throughout the course of treatment.
To learn more about different models and features of our future behavioral care center, check out this presentation from Special Projects Manager Hannah Fisk to the County Council last month.
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Incarceration Prevention and Reduction Task Force
Join the community discussion as the IPRTF reviews progress on the Justice Project and makes recommendations on next steps. Meetings are held in a hybrid format. Members of the public may attend via Zoom or in person at the County Council office located at 311 Grand Avenue. Schedule and Zoom links available here.
Another opportunity to get involved is the Justice Project Oversight and Planning Committee which helps facilitate public engagement with the IPRTF's work and recommends updates to the implementation plan. Their meetings are generally held on the third Thursday of each month with more details here.
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Jail booking restrictions are guidelines established by the Sheriff’s Office to ensure the safety and operational efficiency of our jail facilities, while maintaining public safety and consistent booking practices.
Capacity continues to be a challenge at the current jail facilities, with the average daily population in 2024 being 295 inmates.
In February 2025, Sheriff Tanksley incorporated booking restrictions that link booking criteria to clearly defined inmate population thresholds. The population thresholds are designated by three easily relatable color codes (red, yellow, and green).
In addition to overall population, several other factors are considered, including: inmate gender, security classification, or other facility operational concerns (e.g. staffing issues, elevator malfunctions, etc).
These booking restrictions allow law enforcement to adapt to changing facilities’ capacities in real time. This approach helps preserve critical resources, upholds judicial responsibilities, and protects the well-being of staff, inmates, and the community.
Please see this document for more information on Whatcom County Jail booking restrictions.
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 Whatcom County Awarded $3.6 million from the Trueblood Diversion Program to Support Permanent Supportive Housing
Whatcom County has been awarded $3.6 million in grant funding through the Trueblood Diversion Workgroup to expand permanent supportive housing for residents with behavioral health needs.
This funding, in partnership with investments the City of Bellingham, will add 37 new supporting housing units. Other funders include the Washington State Department of Commerce and a direct appropriation from the state legislature.
Housing will be provided at Lake Whatcom Center’s new Lincoln Street redevelopment.
This investment makes progress on one of the key components of the Justice Project Implementation Plan, which identified a severe shortage of affordable and supportive housing for both the general population and justice-involved individuals with mental health needs.
By partnering with the Lake Whatcom Center to provide stable housing combined with behavioral health and case management services—the County works to reduce jail bookings, emergency room visits, and psychiatric holds, while improving treatment engagement, employment, and recovery outcomes.
The grant continues Whatcom County’s commitment to supporting housing and behavioral health services through programs like GRACE, LEAD, and Mental Health Court. By expanding access to permanent supportive housing, Whatcom County is taking a step toward building a more effective, compassionate, and sustainable local justice and behavioral health system.
Other Justice Project Updates
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Preparation of the LaBounty site continues including surveying to verify boundaries and wetlands, and geotechnical studies being conducted in advance of construction.
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The Design-Build team is finalizing draft timeline and construction schedule
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Facilities Project dashboard is finalized with the goal of getting online in the next month
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September quarterly financial report is now available online
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Questions?
Have a specific question about the Justice Project? Check out the FAQ on the website or email Riley Sweeney by clicking the button below and he will track down an answer.
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