About Us

What is CLIP?

CLIP is funded by Federal and State Medicaid dollars. Private insurance and other income sources can be billed if applicable. Learn more about eligibility and paying for CLIP.

CLIP is the most intensive inpatient psychiatric treatment available to WA State residents, ages 5-18 years of age.
There are four programs and a total of 94 beds across Washington State.
The programs are located in a secure and highly structured setting designed to assess, treat and stabilize youth diagnosed with psychiatric and behavioral disorders.
Individualized treatment is provided through the use of evidenced based practices designed to increase the youth's skills and adaptive functioning with a focus on reintegration back into a community setting, as quickly as possible.

3 Step Process

Youth possessing a risk to themselves, others or is gravely disabled which warrants care under the supervision of a psychiatrist

Step 1

Locate your local BHO/MCO representative

Step 2

Your representative gathers application materials and contacts CLIP Administration

Step 3

CLIP will determine whether your child is eligible for admission and notify your rep!

Who is Eligible?

Youth possessing a risk to themselves, others or is gravely disabled which warrants care under the supervision of a psychiatrist

Youth between the ages of 5-18
Legal residents of Washington State
Applicants must be legal residents of Washington State. This criterion is met if one of the following is true: (a) Applicant is in the custody of the state of Washington or (b) Applicant is in the custody of his/her legal guardian who is a Washington State resident.
Youth diagnosed with a severe psychiatric disorder
Youth possessing a risk to themselves, others or is gravely disabled which warrants care under the supervision of a psychiatrist
Community based mental health resources available in the community did not meet the treatment needs of the youth

Get Started By Locating Your Local BH-ASO/MCO

Referral Process How to Apply

There are two principal avenues for accessing CLIP:

How to apply for CLIP?

Access to a CLIP Voluntary application varies from county to county. Each county in the state of Washington has a designated Behavioral Health Organization (BHO) or MCO (Managed Care Organization) assigned to implement and monitor the delivery of medically funded mental health services to adults and youth in their region. At each BHO/MCO there is a Children’s Care Coordinator who are experts in their region regarding services available for youths and families. They are the community advocates with knowledge of addition resources and networks with other systems. They can also provide additional resource information that aid in the stabilization of youths within a home environment and prevent unnecessary out of home care or hospitalizations. In addition to their expertise in intensive mental health resources they are tasked with the coordination of the first step to the CLIP application process.