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Whatcom County · Fund #1853 · Special Revenue

Whatcom Behavioral Health Program Fund

Fund 1853 (formerly Fund 124) accounts for the 0.10% behavioral-health sales tax adopted councilmanically by Whatcom County Council under RCW 82.14.460 (formerly known as the Mental Health and Chemical Dependency tax). ...

Active Special Revenue Whatcom County
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About this fund

Fund 1853 (formerly Fund 124) accounts for the 0.10% behavioral-health sales tax adopted councilmanically by Whatcom County Council under RCW 82.14.460 (formerly known as the Mental Health and Chemical Dependency tax).

Revenue funds Adult and Family Treatment Recovery Courts, the Behavioral Health Unit in District Court Probation, Mental Health Court, school prevention services, housing, community mental and behavioral health services, and psychiatric services in the Whatcom County Jail. It also provides funding for the Response Systems Division — including Ground-Level Response and Coordinated Engagement (GRACE), Law Enforcement Assisted Diversion (LEAD), and the Alternative Response Team (ART).

Authorization

The legal basis for the fund.

RCW citation: RCW 82.14.460

Multi-year balance ledger

Year-by-year revenue, spending, and ending balance from the city's budget and CAFRs.
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Where the money goes

Top spending categories from documented budget line items.
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Revenue mix

Every documented inflow into this fund. By default the mix uses each source's most recent year (which means percentages mix years). Pick a single year to see strictly comparable percentages.
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Discussed in meetings

Real Briefings that mention this fund.
Apr 28, 2026
The Whatcom County Council's April 28, 2026 meeting became a focal point for community tensions surrounding two major policy debates: the proposed jail expansion versus behavioral health services, and controversial ...
Apr 14, 2026
The Whatcom County Council's Criminal Justice and Public Safety Committee held a packed session focused primarily on two major items: amendments to the EMS Oversight Board structure and a comprehensive presentation on ...
Mar 24, 2026
The Whatcom County Criminal Justice and Public Safety Committee received a comprehensive update on the Justice Project, which includes both a new jail facility and Behavioral Care Center (BCC). Deputy Executive Shot ...
Mar 24, 2026
The Whatcom County Criminal Justice and Public Safety Committee received a comprehensive update on the Justice Project, focusing on process developments, financial parameters, and upcoming deliverables for the combined ...
Mar 24, 2026
The Whatcom County Council Finance and Administrative Services Committee advanced 19 items worth approximately $7.8 million in new spending and contract amendments, while engaging in significant debate over a proposed ...
Mar 23, 2026
The Bellingham City Council's Public Health, Safety, Justice, and Equity Committee unanimously approved an experimental ordinance granting the Public Works Director authority to temporarily close downtown alleys on ...
Mar 23, 2026
The Bellingham City Council addressed a wide range of governance and public safety issues at their March 23rd meeting, with significant policy discussions centered on downtown public safety interventions and long-term ...
Mar 23, 2026
The Public Health, Safety, Justice and Equity Committee unanimously approved an experimental ordinance authorizing temporary alley closures in downtown Bellingham to combat entrenched drug dealing and criminal activity. ...
Mar 17, 2026
The Whatcom County Council held an intensive special Committee of the Whole session on March 17, 2026, to review five chapters of the comprehensive plan update, marking a critical juncture in the county's 20-year ...
Mar 10, 2026
The Whatcom County Council's Criminal Justice and Public Safety Committee met to receive updates on two critical justice system components: district court probation services and Justice Project finances. The meeting ...

Methodology note

Real Record tracks Fund 1853 as the Whatcom Behavioral Health Program Fund. Revenue and spending figures come from the Adopted Budget Book.

Sources: Whatcom County adopted budgets and Comprehensive Annual Financial Reports (CAFRs); Chart of Accounts; Real Briefings meeting coverage. Real Record renders the published fund data in plain language; we don't change the numbers. Where the source publishes a different classification than ours, both are shown.