In 1968, a group of citizens created a non-profit corporation for the purpose of providing residential services to adolescents. William Eickmeyer was hired in 1970 to fulfill this mission. Four small treatment units were established plus a youth employment & training unit. Because the state does not pay the full costs for such services, the Board authorized the executive director (Mr. Eickmeyer) to seek out ways to provide additional income that would be under the agency’s control.

The state had passed a law allowing non-profits, such as service clubs, churches, and service agencies to establish Bingo games to raise revenue and Mr. Eickmeyer researched this possibility and found out that those enterprises, already established, were doing well.

In 1987 the Board gave authorization to pursue this enterprise and great success was achieved. The Sound Institute established four divisions, 1.) Residential Services, 2.) Youth Employment & Training, 3.) Revenues, and 4.) Community Services. With the exception of Community Services, which provided college scholarships, each division was headed by a manager/director and each had an individual budget system and was audited individually by outside auditors. The Bingo Revenue was used to mitigate the effects of under payment and to upgrade the pay and benefits of its employees, pay for college scholarships to underprivileged youth, build a savings account, pay for all facility upgrades, equipment, and management salaries.

The closure of the Bingo operation was not due to internal mismanagement, but the inability to compete with tribal gambling the same effect was experienced by hundreds of other agencies across the state in close proximity to native casinos as well as the effects of the no-smoking law.

After months of discussion, and with the knowledge that we will have to find new sources of funding, the board in January 2006 voted to close the Bingo operation before it consumed all our reserves.

Sound Institute currently supports two residential programs: 1.) Kitsap Crisis Residential Center (KCRC) a regional 72-hour short-term crisis intervention program, and 2.) Kitsap Assessment Center (KAC) a 30-90 day family-based intervention program for acting-out youth. Both programs are serviced by a qualified staff of counselors and facility supervisors and are administered through contracts with the Department of Social and Health Services (DSHS) of Washington State.

There is a growing need in Kitsap County for services for at-risk youth. Continuation of the programs Sound Institute delivers will depend upon our good standing in the community, and we feel it is important that readers of The Kitsap Peninsula Business Journal understand how business is being conducted.

Kathleen Hale
Secretary, Board of Directors
Sound Institute of Family and Children’s Services
Bremerton