Compass Health to purchase Friday Harbor facility from San Juan County, supporting behavioral health care in the islands long-term

State funding and a decades-long county partnership secure the building's future

FRIDAY HARBOR, Wash., Aug. 10, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Compass Health is purchasing its Friday Harbor facility located at 520 Spring Street in Friday Harbor, Washington from San Juan County, thanks to strong collaboration with county leaders and Washington state lawmakers. This deal will enable the non-profit behavioral health provider to continue to care for island communities with locally based teams.

Compass Health has served San Juan County residents for more than 20 years from the Friday Harbor location, which it leased from the county for more than a decade, as its operational hub. When it became clear the building didn’t fit into the county’s long-term property management plans, leaders came together to explore an ownership transition. This was a critical step, as the facility’s infrastructure and zoning make it the only existing option on San Juan Island to house Compass Health’s local services, including outpatient counseling, crisis outreach and substance use treatment.

Thanks to a $1.8 million investment from Washington state capital budget and Department of Commerce grants, Compass Health will own the facility. It’s a win for everyone involved: The county will reinvest funds from the purchase into other high-priority projects, and the acquisition doesn’t require any additional operating dollars for Compass Health’s ongoing services, while also avoiding disruptions and costly moving expenses.

“For more than 20 years, San Juan County has been our home and our partner, and this building purchase is proof that we’re here to stay,” said Tom Sebastian, Compass Health president and CEO. “We’re deeply grateful to San Juan County and to the Washington state lawmakers who understood what was at stake for our valued rural communities and made sure we could keep caring for our neighbors across the islands for the next 20 years and beyond.”

In 2025, Compass Health’s San Juan County team provided services for 748 islanders, reaching 580 adults and 168 children. This included adult outpatient counseling and child and family outpatient counseling, as well as the WISe wraparound program for youth with complex needs. It also involved the Recovery Navigator Program, substance use treatment for adults and youth, and the Mobile Crisis Outreach Team.

Before Compass Health arrived on the island, residents often had to travel by ferry, personal boat or even plane to access mental health or substance use treatment on the mainland. Now, Compass Health offices in Friday Harbor and Eastsound bring that care home.

“Thanks to the dedication of Compass Health and fellow lawmakers, residents can continue receiving behavioral health support right in our own backyard,” said San Juan County Councilmember Kari McVeigh. “Other rural communities face similar challenges in ensuring the availability of high-quality care that’s accessible and delivered by folks who live and work locally. We’re fortunate that with this purchase, our county residents can continue accessing these life-saving services.”

Over their two-decade relationship, San Juan County has contracted with Compass Health for opioid settlement-funded initiatives, sent referrals through law enforcement and the courts, and supported the organization as it expanded from a group of traveling clinicians to a locally staffed team, meeting the needs of the entire county.

The partnership has also helped fill gaps that insurance doesn’t cover. An Opioid Addiction Recovery Support pilot helps cover housing and other necessary living costs for islanders in active treatment or recovery. Plus, Compass Health matches community donations to a local Therapeutic Treatment Enhancement Fund, assisting clients in overcoming financial obstacles, like housing and transportation, on their road to recovery.

“The acquisition mirrors priorities Washington state has established for its own budget: supporting behavioral health infrastructure that allows patients to receive care closer to home in rural areas instead of being centralized in cities,” said state Senator Liz Lovelett.

Compass Health leaders signaled their appreciation for funding that is increasingly being funneled toward projects like this: long-lasting, community-based care that alleviates pressure on hospitals, police and first responders statewide.

“This building means our clinicians, our outreach teams and our crisis responders have a permanent home in Friday Harbor,” Sebastian said. “San Juan County has trusted us to be here for 20 years, and now, together with the state, we’re able to make that commitment permanent.”

For more information about the services Compass Health provides, visit www.compasshealth.org. To learn more about how San Juan County supports its community, visit www.sanjuancountywa.gov.

About Compass Health:

Compass Health is Northwest Washington’s behavioral healthcare leader. A community-based healthcare agency, Compass Health integrates behavioral health and medical care services to form a key section of the community safety net and serve clients and others in need of care and support. From comprehensive mental health treatment to crisis prevention and intervention, supportive housing, children’s services, community education and much more, the non-profit organization serves people of all ages throughout Snohomish, Skagit, Island, San Juan and Whatcom counties.   

Media Contacts:

Annie Alley
Firmani + Associates Inc.
Compasshealth@firmani.com
(206) 466-2713

Sarah Forster
Compass Health
Sarah.Forster@compassh.org