Welcome to our new members from Sound Behavioral Health! You may be eligible for Training Fund programs and services.

We offer education and career advancement programs so that you can develop your skills, advance your career, and improve your professional opportunities.

Watch our welcome video to learn more about the Training Fund!

Not an SEIU Healthcare 1199NW member? You may be eligible for BEAM.

Benefits after 90 days employment

These programs and services are available to you after you have been employed by Sound Behavioral Health for 90 days:

• Conference Travel Funding: Attend local or national conferences with CEU credit and we’ll reimburse travel and attendance costs up to $3,500 once a year. Pre-approval is required before attending the conference.
• Career and education counseling services: Work with your Regional Education Navigator to explore resources and reach your career and education goals!
• Free access to CE Unlimited courses through HealthStream
• and so much more!

Please fill out our online member application to access available academic and career navigation services.

Benefits after 1 year employment: Tuition Assistance

  Tuition Assistance

Once you have worked at Sound Behavioral Health for one year, you may also qualify for Tuition Assistance, which covers:

• Tuition 
• School fees, standard tests including entrance, placement or learning disability assessments required or recommended by the educational institution
• Required, recommended or optional course textbooks/software/ supplies noted by the course requirements
• Foreign Transcript Evaluations

for a wide variety of approved healthcare education programs at regional colleges and universities.

If you are in school or planning to attend school in the 2025-2026 academic year, apply for Tuition Assistance. We encourage members to contact us early to work with a Training Fund Navigator on your education plan. Our annual Tuition Assistance deadline is October 15th for the following year. 

Preapproval is required for funding. In addition to reimbursement for tuition costs, we provide Tuition Assistance vouchers so you do not have to pay up front!

Click here to learn more about Tuition Assistance.

Submit your Member Application form today to connect with a Regional Education Navigator & get started. We’re here to help you achieve your education & career goals!

Even if you have not yet worked at Sound Behavioral Health for one year, please contact us to explore academic support and resources, career planning, and how we can help you reach your goals.

Meet your Regional Education Navigator

Nathan Ransley

(425) 919-7520

Meet your Partner Liaison

Allison Holmes

425-306-7425
 

We look forward to serving you as you pursue your education and career goals.

If you have questions or need help applying, please don’t hesitate to call the Training Fund office (425-255-0315) or email us.

Training Fund members can apply for Tuition Assistance (TA) to cover school-related costs like tuition, books, and other fees for approved programs at accredited and approved schools.

Note: If you’re currently an active TA user, you do not need to re-apply for this benefit.

The deadline to apply for Tuition Assistance for courses beginning in the next year is October 15, 2025.

Apply early to receive expert guidance and support from our education Navigators! You do not have to be admitted into a program or know the details before applying for Tuition Assistance – our Navigators are available to work with you and create a plan to succeed.   

Note: If you’re currently an active TA user, you do not need to re-apply for this benefit.

The TA benefit is based on your Bargaining Unit and FTE:

• Service members maximum Tuition Assistance has increased for limited time from $3,500 to $5,250/year. Learn More
• Pro/Tech members maximum Tuition Assistance is $5,250/year
• RN members maximum Tuition Assistance is $5,250/year. 

The next quarterly Conference Travel Funding Award application deadline is right around the corner!

NEW in 2025: We provide ALL our eligible members with up to $3,500* once per year (in reimbursements) to attend local and national conferences

*Available on first-come, first-served basis, and until funds are exhausted.

*Previously $1,500 for only Pro/Tech members

Funding is Awarded Quarterly

Benefit awards will be announced each quarter for upcoming conferences. Applications must be submitted prior to conference attendance to qualify.

Apply before September 1st for any upcoming conference.

We encourage you to apply early! Pre-approval is required. You must apply for funding BEFORE you attend the conference.

Members also have professional development money available to them.

These benefits enable you to attend conferences, advance your career, and minimize personal out-of-pocket costs.

Here’s how it works:

• Conference funding can cover the cost of travel (hotel, transportation expenses, etc.) and registration fees.
• Professional Development benefits can cover the cost of attending a conference, e.g., registration fees.
• Both benefits require members to earn Continuing Education Units (CEUs).

The next quarterly deadline to apply for a Conference Travel Funding Award is September 1st*

*Applications must be submitted before the conference. September 01 deadline applies to conferences in the first quarter of the following year (if approved, these are funded from current year benefits).

Benefit awards will be announced each quarter. It is recommended that applications be submitted throughout the year for an upcoming conference. 

Featured graduation speaker and Substance Use Disorder Professional (SUDP) apprentice Melissa Burns spoke about finding her career pathway with the Training Fund during her own recovery journey.  

“It was the first time I started to imagine a real path forward—not just surviving but building something new,” said Burns who graduated from the Introduction to Healthcare Employment and Apprenticeship Programs (IHAP) and Nursing Assistant-Certified (NA-C) Training program. “It’s giving me the chance to give back—to create the same kind of safe, understanding, and compassionate space for teens and families that helped me in my own journey.” 

Graduate speaker Cecilia Mora-Pitts, IHAP and Medical Assistant Apprenticeship graduate, said she was ready to give up on the medical field before she connected with IHAP.  Now she is a medical assistant with Kaiser Permanente, and she’s pursuing further education to become an RN with the support of the Training Fund.  

“Completing not just one – but both of the programs – has been a life-changing journey,” Mora-Pitts said. “There were late nights, early mornings, and moments of self-doubt. But the instructors, mentors, and peers created an environment where I felt seen, supported, and pushed to be my best.” 

The graduation event also highlighted the importance of labor management partnerships and workforce development programs. Jane Hopkins, President of SEIU Healthcare 1199NW, spoke to the breadth of possibility when barriers are removed.  

“We wanted to make sure that it didn’t matter which hospital you worked in, that you could be anything you wanted to be. You could have a lot of money, you could have a little, but you have an opportunity to be what you want to be,” Hopkins said. “You just need to be given the opportunity to do that. I am so proud of what we’re doing here today.” 

Leslie Hampton, Assistant Administrator, Professional Practice & Patient/Family Centered Care at UW Medical Center, shared her perspective as an employer who has watched her team grow with the Training Fund, and seen the positive impact on patients and coworkers. 

“I have seen how people can blossom. You have all experienced it. You see someone who doesn’t think they want to go back to school, and you say ‘Hey, have you thought about this?’ and ‘Use the Training Fund to help you.’ You see that person come to life and realize ‘Oh I can do this.’ and then they turn into someone that encourages someone else,” Hampton said. “What could be more inspirational?” 

Learn more about career pathways to enter critical roles in healthcare by visiting  https://healthcareapprenticeship.org/  

Visit https://healthcareerfund.org/ to learn more about advancing your career with the Training Fund. 

The next quarterly Conference Travel Funding Award application deadline is right around the corner!

NEW in 2025: We provide ALL our eligible members with up to $3,500* once per year (in reimbursements) to attend local and national conferences

*Available on first-come, first-served basis, and until funds are exhausted.

*Previously $1,500 for only Pro/Tech members

Funding is Awarded Quarterly

Benefit awards will be announced each quarter for upcoming conferences. Applications must be submitted prior to conference attendance to qualify.

Apply before June 1st for any upcoming conference.

We encourage you to apply early! Pre-approval is required. You must apply for funding BEFORE you attend the conference.

Members also have professional development money available to them.

These benefits enable you to attend conferences, advance your career, and minimize personal out-of-pocket costs.

Here’s how it works:

• Conference funding can cover the cost of travel (hotel, transportation expenses, etc.) and registration fees.
• Professional Development benefits can cover the cost of attending a conference, e.g., registration fees.
• Both benefits require members to earn Continuing Education Units (CEUs).

The next quarterly deadline to apply for a Conference Travel Funding Award is June 1st*

*Applications must be submitted before the conference.

Benefit awards will be announced each quarter. It is recommended that applications be submitted throughout the year for an upcoming conference. 

Happy National Nurses Week!

National Nurses Week honors nurses and celebrates their incredible contributions to the healthcare industry and patient care. We are thankful to have supported so many nurses in their healthcare journey. Your dedication inspires us, and we are proud of you. Thank you, nurses! 

Join us at Nurses Week events – at your employer site or online – to learn more about our services and programs for RN members. 

Benefits for Training Fund RN Members

The Training Fund offers many supportive services, education opportunities, and benefits for Training Fund RN members.

Interested in becoming an RN? Learn more about our Hospital Employee Education Training worker friendly programs for becoming an RN.

• Part-time RN program at Bellingham Technical College
• Part-time RN program at Highline College