• North Star to Host Inaugural Symposium

North Star will host a one-day symposium on Friday, June 6^th, 2025, from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. at the Swinomish Casino & Lodge. North Star Connect is the inaugural symposium to bring together individuals from multiple professional sectors representing behavioral health, housing, social service providers, first responders, the criminal justice system, the business community, and other public and private community leaders to network, collaborate, and advance professional development. Registration is now open through April 30^th, 2025.

The symposium will feature keynote speakers, Tanaya Winder, author, poet, and motivational speaker specializing in youth and women empowerment and mental wellness advocacy, and Gregg Colburn, University of Washington College of Built Environments Professor and published researcher on topics related to housing and homelessness. Attendees will have the option to join breakout sessions focused on four tracks: North Star – Systems Change, Vital Conditions, and Partnership Opportunities, Community-Based System of Care – Recovery, Community-Based System of Care – Treatment, and Housing. 

To learn more about the North Star Connect Symposium, register, and view the full agenda, visit www.northstarskagit.org/connect.

The North Star Connect Symposium aims to continue some of the main goals of North Star: to foster collaboration amongst our community’s leaders, connect fragmented systems, and find effective solutions for providing our most vulnerable neighbors the housing and care they need in Skagit County. At this conference, leaders can expect to increase their collective knowledge and skills through workshops and discussions led by national renowned behavioral health and housing experts and other local leaders. North Star is thankful to our event sponsors, the North Sound Behavioral Health Administrative Services Organization and Recovery Café Skagit, for providing the necessary funding to bring this event to our community. Space is limited; register for the event today!

Questions about the event can be sent to Jenn Rogers, Communications Manager, jrogers@co.skagit.wa.us, (360) 416-1309. 

Background on North Star

North Star is a public-private partnership between Skagit County, our four local cities, housing and healthcare providers, first responders, and many other community leaders. Using a collaborative approach to pool our resources, coordinate action, and streamline essential community services in housing, behavioral health and recovery, and crisis response, North Star is working to address chronic homelessness and create a thriving Skagit for all. Working together across jurisdictions to solve complex issues is unique in our region. It is also more effective, costs less, and gets people the support and services they need, when they need them.

To learn more about North Star, visit www.northstarskagit.org.