SILVER2022

LIFELINE CONNECTIONS

Hope. Help. Healing.

Vancouver, WA   |  www.lifelineconnections.org

Mission

Through the use of superior customer service, high quality programs and a well trained and dedicated staff, our mission is to inspire hope and support life saving changes for people affected by substance use and mental health conditions.

Notes from the nonprofit

Strategic Plan 2020-2025 currently in development

Ruling year info

1971

Chief Executive Officer

Mrs. Andrea Brooks

Main address

PO Box 1678

Vancouver, WA 98668 USA

Show more contact info

Formerly known as

Clark County Council on Alcohol & Drugs

Clark County Citizens Committee on Alcoholism

EIN

91-0787084

NTEE code info

Alcohol, Drug and Substance Abuse, Dependency Prevention and Treatment (F20)

Mental Health Treatment (F30)

Community Mental Health Center (F32)

IRS filing requirement

This organization is required to file an IRS Form 990 or 990-EZ.

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Communication

Programs and results

What we aim to solve

SOURCE: Self-reported by organization

Lifeline Connections addresses the need for quality behavioral health treatment for people without financial resources to purchase private treatment. We also work to ensure lifelong recovery by providing additional services such as supportive housing, supported employment, and recovery centers for building healthy socialization. Lifeline Connections is committed to changing the stigma that surrounds behavioral health disorders. We focus on supporting people without judgment or criticism wherever they are in their recovery processes, and on staying with them for as long as it takes.

Our programs

SOURCE: Self-reported by organization

What are the organization's current programs, how do they measure success, and who do the programs serve?

Withdrawal Management & Sobering Services

Acute, medication-assisted withdrawal management (detoxification) program helps people safely attain physical, mental and emotional stability during a 1-5 day inpatient stay. Sobering services provides a safe place for people currently under the influence. People stay for up to 12 hours and receive food, warmth, safety, and brief counseling.

Population(s) Served
Adults

Up to forty-five days inpatient treatment for people seeking recovery from substance use disorders, in a gender-specific environment. Up to six months for pregnant and parenting women and their children ages 0-6. Individual, group and family counseling, case management and support help people live a substance-free life after treatment.

Population(s) Served
Adults
Families

Comprehensive outpatient treatment options help patients achieve and maintain sobriety. Patients participate in individual and group counseling either at an intensive level or at a schedule that meets their personal needs. Services are supported by case management, peer support specialists, and recovery support services (housing, employment, etc).

Population(s) Served
Adults
Adolescents

Therapy, medication management and case management are provided for people living with mental illness and integrated for people experiencing both mental illness and substance use disorders. Community-based services provide intensive services to help people remain stable in their own communities. Services are supported by case management, peer support specialists, and recovery support services (housing, employment, etc).

Population(s) Served
Adults
Adolescents

Urine drug and alcohol testing is provided on a one time only, or ongoing random basis. Lifeline can also tailor a testing solution for private companies requiring pre-employment screening, rehabilitation monitoring, post accident, safety sensitive, for cause or random. Specimen collection can be either observed or unobserved depending on company policies or individual needs

Population(s) Served
Adults
Adolescents

Medication is considered the gold standard for helping manage the physical effects of opioid use disorders, and to help patients build effective recovery. Suboxone and Vivitrol are prescribed and managed by primary and behavioral healthcare professionals, both in person and via telehealth as appropriate.

Population(s) Served
Adults

Through a variety of programs in partnership with County Superior & District Courts, patients are given options for completing treatment as a sentencing alternative.

Population(s) Served
Adults
Adolescents

Individual outpatient counseling for people who have a gambling addiction and who are experiencing the emotional and financial consequences of gambling

Population(s) Served
Adults

Crisis Stabilization & Triage provides brief respite and intervention for people experiencing a mental health crisis. The program provides an alternative to emergency room or the jail and seeks restoration to the patient's home and community with referral for ongoing treatment. Secure Detoxification and Evaluation & Treatment provide brief involuntary treatment for people who are not able to contract for safety due to substance use or mental health disorders; the goal is restoration to the patient's home and community with referral for ongoing treatment.

Population(s) Served
Adults

Multiple programs designed to support patients following treatment. Includes the Recovery Resource Center, a community-based social club; Supported Employment, helping people with significant barriers to obtaining and maintaining employment; Supportive Housing, helping people with significant barriers to obtaining and maintaining housing; and Business Ventures, an on-the-job employment support program for people new in recovery.

Population(s) Served
Adults

Where we work

Our results

SOURCE: Self-reported by organization

How does this organization measure their results? It's a hard question but an important one.

Number of clients served

This metric is no longer tracked.
Totals By Year
Type of Metric

Output - describing our activities and reach

Direction of Success

Increasing

Our Sustainable Development Goals

SOURCE: Self-reported by organization

Learn more about Sustainable Development Goals.

Goals & Strategy

SOURCE: Self-reported by organization

Learn about the organization's key goals, strategies, capabilities, and progress.

Charting impact

Four powerful questions that require reflection about what really matters - results.

Lifeline Connections is the largest provider of substance abuse and mental health treatment services in Southwest Washington, and one of the largest nonprofit agencies in the state. We aim to ensure that anyone who needs treatment for mental health or substance use conditions is able to access it, and that they receive care that is defined and driven by the individual through an evidence-based setting and treatment protocols.

Lifeline Connections is especially committed to providing Medication Assisted Treatment (MAT) for people who are living with opioid use disorders. MAT is considered the gold-standard for effective response to the epidemic and Lifeline is at the forefront of making treatment available as well as ensuring primary care providers recognize and refer their patients for MAT when needed.

The agency has recently opened a crisis triage and stabilization service that bridges a critical gap for people experiencing mental health crises. Our goals are to ensure that, in the communities where we are located, people have access to compassionate, quality care that addresses the whole person and ensures they can effectively manage their chronic behavioral health disorders.

Lifeline Connections has completed CARF accreditation, a process which both improved the quality and professionalism of our work and also ensures that quality and professionalism remain. We have launched new initiatives that have recently come on line or will come on line in the next two years in response to community assessments; these include:

1) residential treatment center for pregnant and parenting women, the only one in our region
2) crisis triage & stabilization center for people experiencing acute psychiatric episodes
3) individualized treatment and recovery support via housing, employment, and social networks for people with behavioral health disorders
4) care coordination providing individualized care for people with chronic health conditions and who may need help navigating between multiple providers and managing their care
5) new outpatient offices in additional communities across the state
6) secure detox for people adjudicated as not being able to safely maintain sobriety on their own
7) expanded outpatient and school-based services for youth experiencing behavioral health disorders
8) new withdrawal management and residential treatment in a critically under-served community in Washington State

In all cases, programs undergo rigorous and continual assessment and evaluation to ensure fidelity to evidence-based programming, with an ultimate goal of improving treatment outcomes and recovery for our program participants.

The executive team consists of the Chief Executive Officer, Chief Financial Officer, Chief Clinical Officer and Chief Quality Officer. Senior management personnel and all staff maintain the highest level of state certification and licensing for their fields of specialty and expertise.

As the only provider of sobering, withdrawal management, residential treatment and crisis triage and stabilization for public-health clients in our largest region, our role in this community is unique and important. In our extended regions, we have built strong networks and relationships ensuring that we are able to meet the most critical behavioral healthcare needs in those communities. We are also a preferred provider for many private health plans, and these contracts have helped expand the base of clients we serve.

Because we provide the full continuum of care for people with substance use disorders, we build relationships with our patients that significantly improve their chances of success. We recognize that the majority of people living with a substance use disorder also experience a mental health disorder (and vice versa) and we assess and work to treat for both conditions concurrently when present. This approach allows us to help a greater number of people achieve sustained recovery and an improved quality of life.

We are pleased that in the past eight years we have achieved an unprecedented level of financial and organizational stability. This has allowed us to seek new growth opportunities resulting in expansions into new communities and regions, as well as remain flexible and nimble during times such as COVID-19, when we pivoted to telehealth for all outpatient clients within a few days while remaining financial stable, and even opening our largest-ever new program less than six months after the pandemic was recognized in this country. Maintaining our three-year CARF accreditation (the highest available) assures us that our efforts are in line with known standards in our industry.

We are increasingly aware of the damaging effects of stigma surrounding substance abuse and mental health disorders. Our long-term goal of changing the community culture around viewing these disorders as medical conditions, and not as behavioral or moral choices, continues to require us to be diligent about meeting our short-term and long-term goals and sharing our voice in the community on behalf of our clients.

How we listen

SOURCE: Self-reported by organization

Seeking feedback from people served makes programs more responsive and effective. Here’s how this organization is listening.

done We shared information about our current feedback practices.
  • Who are the people you serve with your mission?

    We serve people in Washington and Oregon who have been diagnosed with a substance use, mental health, or co-occurring behavioral health disorders, and their families, with a goal to restoring all to recovery, wellness and stability. Our mission is to inspire hope and support life-saving changes for people affected by substance use and mental health conditions.

  • How is your organization using feedback from the people you serve?

    To identify and remedy poor client service experiences, To identify bright spots and enhance positive service experiences, To make fundamental changes to our programs and/or operations, To inform the development of new programs/projects, To identify where we are less inclusive or equitable across demographic groups, To strengthen relationships with the people we serve, To understand people's needs and how we can help them achieve their goals

  • What significant change resulted from feedback?

    We adopted a practice that allows for text and email communications with patients while ensuring the rigid confidentiality requirements of HIPAA and federal 42 CFR Part 2 are maintained. We implemented telehealth treatment while maintaining the same confidentiality requirements to increase patient access.

  • Which of the following feedback practices does your organization routinely carry out?

    We collect feedback from the people we serve at least annually, We take steps to get feedback from marginalized or under-represented people, We aim to collect feedback from as many people we serve as possible, We take steps to ensure people feel comfortable being honest with us, We act on the feedback we receive

  • What challenges does the organization face when collecting feedback?

    It is difficult to get the people we serve to respond to requests for feedback, It is difficult to find the ongoing funding to support feedback collection

Financials

LIFELINE CONNECTIONS
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Operations

The people, governance practices, and partners that make the organization tick.

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lock

Connect with nonprofit leaders

Subscribe

Build relationships with key people who manage and lead nonprofit organizations with GuideStar Pro. Try a low commitment monthly plan today.

  • Analyze a variety of pre-calculated financial metrics
  • Access beautifully interactive analysis and comparison tools
  • Compare nonprofit financials to similar organizations

Want to see how you can enhance your nonprofit research and unlock more insights? Learn More about GuideStar Pro.

LIFELINE CONNECTIONS

Board of directors
as of 09/23/2022
SOURCE: Self-reported by organization
Board chair

Brian MacKenzie

Gunn Law Firm

Term: 2022 - 2023

Rusty Williams

IGI Resources

Matt Lee

Opsahl Dawson

Brian E MacKenzie

Sam B. Gunn Law Firm

Kasandra Early

Consultant

Harry O White

Financial Advisor

Robert A Poole

Retired

Brian MacKenzie

Retired

Brian Barry

Consultant

Anita Johnson

Performance Contracting , Inc

Jan Klepinger

Premier Property Group

Board leadership practices

SOURCE: Self-reported by organization

GuideStar worked with BoardSource, the national leader in nonprofit board leadership and governance, to create this section.

  • Board orientation and education
    Does the board conduct a formal orientation for new board members and require all board members to sign a written agreement regarding their roles, responsibilities, and expectations? Yes
  • CEO oversight
    Has the board conducted a formal, written assessment of the chief executive within the past year ? Yes
  • Ethics and transparency
    Have the board and senior staff reviewed the conflict-of-interest policy and completed and signed disclosure statements in the past year? Yes
  • Board composition
    Does the board ensure an inclusive board member recruitment process that results in diversity of thought and leadership? Yes
  • Board performance
    Has the board conducted a formal, written self-assessment of its performance within the past three years? Yes

Organizational demographics

SOURCE: Self-reported; last updated 9/23/2022

Who works and leads organizations that serve our diverse communities? Candid partnered with CHANGE Philanthropy on this demographic section.

Leadership

No data

Race & ethnicity

Gender identity

 

Sexual orientation

Disability

No data

Equity strategies

Last updated: 06/08/2021

GuideStar partnered with Equity in the Center - an organization that works to shift mindsets, practices, and systems to increase racial equity - to create this section. Learn more

Data
  • We ask team members to identify racial disparities in their programs and / or portfolios.
  • We analyze disaggregated data and root causes of race disparities that impact the organization's programs, portfolios, and the populations served.
  • We disaggregate data to adjust programming goals to keep pace with changing needs of the communities we support.
  • We disaggregate data by demographics, including race, in every policy and program measured.
  • We have long-term strategic plans and measurable goals for creating a culture such that one’s race identity has no influence on how they fare within the organization.
Policies and processes
  • We seek individuals from various race backgrounds for board and executive director/CEO positions within our organization.
  • We help senior leadership understand how to be inclusive leaders with learning approaches that emphasize reflection, iteration, and adaptability.