We are pleased to announce that Jim Vollendroff, MA, will become Director of the UW Medicine Behavioral Health Institute (BHI) at Harborview Medical Center beginning January 1, 2018. Started with generous donations from our local philanthropic community about a year ago, the goal of the BHI is to be a comprehensive regional resource dedicated to developing programs for the entire spectrum of behavioral health needs and increasing access for patients and families in our region who need effective mental health care. Initial goals for the BHI are to strengthen our programs for patients and family members of patients who are experiencing a first episode of psychosis, to improve crisis intervention services, and to develop a state-of-the art telepsychiatry consultation program for King County and our region. Mr. Vollendroff is stepping in to provide direction and management for this important portfolio of work. He will be responsible for the day-to-day management of the BHI and work to ensure its growth, impact, and sustainability, to recruit and retain outstanding faculty and staff working in the program, and to develop plans for new space for the BHI.

Mr. Vollendroff has worked in mental health and substance use services for over thirty years and he is a highly respected and valued member of the behavioral health community in our county and state. He has a Master in Public Administration and he is nationally and state certified as an addiction counselor. He has managed both inpatient and outpatient hospital based programs treating adults and adolescents. He worked for Providence Health system for 13 years before his transition to King County in 2002 where he currently serves as the Division Director for King County Behavioral Health and Recovery Division. The division has a staff of 150 individuals, an annual budget of $350M and serves approximately 80,000 individuals each year. Jim considers himself to be an individual with lived experience, having received services as an adolescent in the public behavioral health system that saved his life. We are thrilled to welcome Jim on board!