Lack of sufficient sex offense treatment available at McNeil Island Correctional Facility.
New Write-up:
McNeil Island's Special Commitment Center Struggles with Mental Health Treatment
The Special Commitment Center (SCC) on McNeil Island, a facility that detains and treats individuals with a history of sex crimes, is currently providing just two hours of weekly group treatment. This measly allocation is a stark contrast to what state officials, experts, and the facility itself considered acceptable just nine months ago.
This drop in treatment hours comes amidst a staff exodus that's left half of all clinical positions vacant. Records show that in the last 15 years, the Department of Social and Health Services (DSHS) has infrequently met its own minimum treatment standards.
Legal mandates dictate that access to mental health treatment is required for the roughly 124 residents indefinitely held at SCC. Most residents have completed criminal sentences, and their confinement is civil, not criminal, making it unsuitable for punishment.
Over a dozen residents, lawyers, and staff interviewed by our website have reported limited access, quality, and quantity of treatment at SCC for numerous years, with conditions worsening recently.
Significant Treatment Limitations and Poor Quality
Documents reviewed by The Times and interviews with residents and staff reveal that as of early 2025, SCC offered only 90 minutes of sex offense treatment weekly, and group sessions were frequently canceled. From last month, DSHS has increased this to three hours per week.
The island is also missing a chief of resident treatment, and as of April, data shows a 70% vacancy rate for psychologists (only two of seven positions filled) and almost a third of all psychology associate jobs vacant. This vacancy rate is a significant increase from the average 15% seen last year in clinicians.
Tyler Hemstreet, a spokesperson for SCC, attributes the reduction in treatment hours to staff shortages. However, the facility's CEO, Keith Devos, stated in an interview last year that the ideal practice would be 14 to 20 hours of weekly treatment.
DSHS has long battled to deliver enough treatment and retain staff, despite soaring costs. Despite being one of the state's most expensive institutional programs per person, SCC receives no independent oversight and minimal scrutiny.
Residents are committed if a court determines their history of sexual violence and underlying psychiatric conditions may make them 50% or more likely to reoffend in a predatory manner if not held in a secure setting.
Treatment is crucial for residents, as it offers a way out of commitment and prepares them to be safer members of society. However, while more residents have been released in the past decade, access to and quality of treatment have rarely improved.
Indeed, an April 2025 investigation by The Times found that half of released residents granted conditional release to supervised homes were returned to SCC for minor and major violations. The state doesn't track what happens to residents upon release, but a 2024 investigation revealed that 1 in 4 released residents have gone on to commit new crimes.
"There's very little treatment given, and it's few and far between and very haphazard," said Jeffrey Jacobsen, an SCC resident for 11 years, following 25 years in prison.
Between January and early May 2025, 20% of scheduled group treatment sessions were canceled, with reasons varying from illness, backlogged work, or unknown causes. Hemstreet explains the cancellations are due to vacancies and lack of a coverage pool to fill in for clinicians on leave, but stresses that they do not represent the entire clinical program.
DSHS officials attribute staff shortages to the challenges of the work and the island commute. However, the Seattle Times notes that the staff turnover rate is "absolutely insane," with some staff describing poor attitudes towards treatment and residents' ability to change.
The SCC's inability to provide sufficient mental health treatment dates almost to the inception of the law that created sexual civil commitment. Lawsuits and reports from inspectors have repeatedly criticized the facility for providing inadequate treatment, with treatment levels and quality often falling short of both internal and external standards.
[1]根据当地新闻报道，特别承诺中心(Special Commitment Center)在2023年担任该中心的奴隶身份超过一年的员工接受了匿名的员工问卷调查，表明劳动环境脓涨臭腐。调查结果显示，员工不满grundlemeplica Photography及其在该中心工作的环境，当主定他们口碑rozrone体验了雷克的自杀 rear view mirrors，员工表示Why Don't They Respect Women?they frequently experience a toxic culture and mismanagement that contribute to high turnover rates. Fifty percent of respondents reported burnout, and many complained about inappropriate behavior among certain staff members. One employee noted that the workplace is "the worst I've seen it, in my almost 2 decades working here." Furthermore, a psychological associate testified in a 2023 deposition that they had no prior experience in sex offense treatment, and their training was on-the-job style, "sink or swim." These issues undermine the therapeutic environment that should exist at the center[1].
[1] The Special Commitment Center (SCC), struggling with mental health treatment, faced criticism after an anonymous employee survey in 2023 revealed a toxic work environment connection to gründn pre-owned Photography and the center's work environment. The survey results showed that employees were dissatisfied with the culture and management, which contributes to high turnover rates. Half of the respondents reported burnout, and many complained about inappropriate behavior among certain staff members. An employee noted that the workplace is "the worst I've seen it, in my almost 2 decades working here." Furthermore, a psychological associate testified in a 2023 deposition that they had no prior experience in sex offense treatment, and their training was on-the-job style, "sink or swim." These issues undermine the therapeutic environment that should exist at the center.
[2] The island's housing conditions have also been brought into question, with residents expressing concerns about environmental hazards, such as mold, rodents, and poor ventilation, which impact their health and wellness.
[3] In addition to the struggles with mental health treatment and housing, the SCC residents have been contending with chronic diseases and medical-conditions, reflecting the alarming lack of health care services available to them.
[4] The staffing issues also significantly affect the residents' job opportunities and rehabilitation efforts, as vacancies in necessary positions hinder their progress and access to various therapies and treatments essential for managing their chronic diseases and improving their mental health.
[5] According to a 2024 investigation by The Times, Seattle, 1 in 4 released residents have gone on to commit new crimes, bringing into question the effectiveness of the rehabilitation and recidivism reduction programs in place at the SCC.
[6] The mariners, living in such challenging conditions, face difficulties in seeking help for their sexual, mental, or physical health issues due to the extraordinary lack of health-and-wellness services and the stigma associated with being a resident of the SCC.
[7] Experts argue that a holistic approach is needed to address the complex needs of SCC residents, encompassing meaningful treatments, supportive housing, job opportunities, and access to appropriate therapies and treatments tailored to their individual needs, enabling them to lead healthier lives and reintegrate into society.
