SEATTLE–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Molina Healthcare of Washington (“Molina”), in collaboration with The MolinaCares Accord (“MolinaCares”), presented a $75,000 grant to the Seattle Indian Health Board (“SIHB”) to support the launch of the Thunderbird Treatment Center—a 92-bed residential treatment facility opening on Vashon Island. The funding will benefit the completion of the center’s new location.
Substance use disorder disproportionately impacts tribal and urban Indian communities in Washington State. Native people are three times more likely to suffer a drug-induced death and five times more likely to die from synthetic opioids compared to the general population, showing a need for added support.
“We are grateful to Molina Healthcare of Washington for supporting the Thunderbird Treatment Center and our efforts to address a crisis that impacts so many families in the region,” said Esther Lucero (Diné), president and CEO of Seattle Indian Health Board. “We are thrilled to expand access to key health services and programming, including a new center that will keep families with young children together while parents undergo treatment.”
The expansion of the facility will nearly double the amount of beds available from the prior center, making it the largest of its kind in Washington State and expanding the number of inpatient treatment beds in King County by 51%. The 45-day intensive inpatient program will include personalized and culturally relevant treatment plans. Additionally, the new center will include special programming for pregnant or parenting adults that allows them to stay with their young children, ages zero to five, during treatment.
“Molina Healthcare of Washington is committed to breaking down barriers to health care and meeting our members where they are,” said Dr. Jay Fathi, plan president for Molina Healthcare of Washington. “This grant will bring cultural healing to our underserved communities to improve behavioral health outcomes, help individuals on their path to sobriety, and build stronger families.”
The Thunderbird Treatment Center is set to open in 2026. More information on the facility can be found here.
About Molina Healthcare of Washington
Molina Healthcare of Washington, Inc. provides government-funded, quality health care, serving members through Medicaid, Medicare, and Marketplace programs in Washington. Through its locally operated health plans, Molina Healthcare, Inc., a Fortune 500 company, provides managed health care services under the Medicaid and Medicare programs, and through state insurance marketplaces. For more information about Molina Healthcare of Washington, visit MolinaHealthcare.com.
About The MolinaCares Accord
Established by Molina Healthcare, Inc., The MolinaCares Accord oversees a community investment platform created to improve the health and well-being of disadvantaged populations by funding meaningful, measurable, and innovative programs and solutions that improve health, life, and living in local communities. The MolinaCares Accord funds such measures through The Molina Healthcare Charitable Foundation, a 501(c)(3) established in 2020 by Molina Healthcare, Inc.
About the Seattle Indian Health Board
Seattle Indian Health Board is a community health center that provides health and human services to its patients, while specializing in the care of Native people. It is recognized as a leader in the promotion of health improvement for urban American Indians and Alaska Natives, locally and nationally. The organization operates three clinic sites throughout King County, Washington and is opening a 92-bed residential treatment center in 2026.
Contacts
Media Contact: Rhonda Frazier, Rhonda.Frazier@molinahealthcare.com
