‘Every day is filled with hope’: Spokane’s Behavioral Health Unit turns lives around

SPOKANE, Wash. — With drug use and overdoses on the rise in Spokane, one special unit is working to reach those who are most in need.

The Spokane Behavioral Health Unit (BHU) is made up of officials from Spokane Police Department, Spokane Valley Police Department, Spokane County Sheriff’s Office and various mental health professionals.

The team responds to people experiencing behavioral and mental health crises, with the goal of alleviating demand on law enforcement and emergency rooms.

Many of the calls BHU responds to relieve patrol officers, allowing them to respond to other calls for service. In 2023, the BHU relieved 5,567 calls from patrols.

One of those calls they responded to was for Shaun Housam.

“I had already died and was going to die again or end up in prison,” said Housam.

Housam had been addicted to opioids since he was 11-years-old and overdosed twice in February.

“I just knew I couldn’t keep living the life I was living at all,” he said.

Housam reached out to Compassionate Addiction Treatment and was connected with the BHU.

“They just had the officer arrive and talk to me. He was so welcoming about it, and positive about it and that just eased my mind,” said Housam.

The responding officer, SPD Officer Plunkett, drove Housam to get the help he needed.

“I don’t know how he reached me, because I didn’t think it was possible,” said Housam.

Today, Housam is sober and working at Compassionate Addiction Treatment to help others have the same success.

“Life was not worth living at that point for me. There was no hope at all. So, every day, my every day is filled with hope now, like all day long, from the moment I wake up, I’m smiling because of that,” said Housam.

The BHU has been working to help people like Shaun since 2020 and is funded through the Washington Association of Sheriffs and Police Chiefs.

In 2023, BHU contacted over 4,000 people and 74% of them were diverted from going to jail or the hospital.