In a rural region where behavioral health and social services have long been scarce, the new Community Roots Wellness Hub in White Salmon is helping residents access care closer to home. The Hub, which opened on October 29th, brings together multiple community organizations under one roof to make it easier for families and youth in Western Klickitat County to receive mental health, substance use, and social support services.

Before the Hub opened, families throughout the county faced significant barriers when seeking behavioral health support. According to ESD 112 Behavioral Health Specialist Rita Pinchot, those barriers included a lack of transportation, limited provider options for both youth and adults, and few services available outside of school settings. Families in need of mental health services often had no local agency to turn to for help.

Several years ago, the closure of Comprehensive Community Health left Klickitat County without a local crisis response system and further reduced provider availability. In response, area partners began meeting regularly through K-LINK, a collaborative group focused on improving health outcomes and addressing service gaps in the community. Their efforts helped establish the foundation for the new Hub. Support from the Southwest Washington Accountable Community of Health (SWACH) will cover two years of rent for the building, along with insurance and utilities, allowing partner agencies to focus on providing direct services.

The Hub model is already reducing barriers to care that have long challenged families. All providers and community partners share space, increasing the ability to build relationships, coordinate referrals, and connect clients to services more quickly. Pinchot noted that being co-located allows teams to collaborate in real time, identify resources rapidly, and better meet the needs of youth and families.

ESD 112 Wellness and Treatment Services currently provides 20 hours per week of on-site behavioral health services at the Hub. These services include mental health therapy for youth ages 5 to 18 and combined mental health and substance use disorder services for youth ages 13 to 18. ESD 112 staff also support leadership efforts, assist in developing policies and procedures, and collaborate with community partners to strengthen relationships and referral systems.

Some of the earliest referrals came through the county’s Juvenile Department. Pinchot shared an example of a youth who had not accessed in-person services for more than three years due to limited options, transportation barriers, and discomfort with telehealth. Through coordination between ESD 112 staff, the juvenile department, and a parent, the youth was engaged in services and has now been attending consistently for two months.

Community response has been positive. Over 100 people attended the Hub’s recent open house, where families provided feedback and shared ideas for future services. Local partners and community members have expressed excitement about having accessible public transportation, a library, a grocery store, and other amenities near the Hub’s location, making it easier for youth and families to receive support without traveling long distances.

“Collaboration is at the heart of the K-LINK Community Roots Wellness Hub,” said Denise Dishongh, director of ESD 112’s Wellness and Treatment Services. “ESD 112’s Wellness and Treatment Services is honored to participate alongside local service providers dedicated to strengthening behavioral health and social services in the Klickitat community.”

Partners hope to hire additional part-time staff in early 2026 and are working to establish shared systems such as communication tools, calendars, and planning processes. Pinchot said the long-term goal is to create a sustainable, collaborative model of care for Klickitat County. She also hopes to expand drop-in opportunities for youth and families and strengthen referral processes among partner agencies.

As the Hub continues to grow, community leaders view it as the start of a more coordinated and accessible system of care in a rural region where behavioral health services have historically been difficult to reach.

For more information about the Hub, contact Rita Pinchot, Behavioral Health Specialist at ESD 112 Wellness and Treatment Services via rita.pinchot@esd112.org or 509-637-8143.

Learn more about the Regional School Safety Center at ESD 112 or request a referral.