On Wednesday, June 25, I toured the Pediatric Interim Care Center (PICC) in Kent. There was no media, no speeches — just a bipartisan group walking through a place that has dedicated 35 years to quietly saving lives.
It may have been a final visit. Unless something changes by Monday, June 30, PICC will close its doors for good. Not because it failed. Not because the need disappeared. But because our state government chose to let it die — through ideology, indifference and a single veto.
PICC specializes in caring for newborns suffering from drug withdrawal. These are infants born into agony — their bodies trembling, their cries raw and guttural. PICC gently nurses them through the most painful days of their lives. The average stay is 30 to 40 days. The outcomes are remarkable.
For decades, PICC received about $700,000 per year in state support — a fraction of the state’s $70 billion-plus budget. The rest came from private donors, community support and nonprofit partners. This year, Democratic budget writers stripped that funding. Republicans pushed to restore it. After bipartisan negotiation, $100,000 was included in the final budget — just enough to buy one more year and create a long-term plan…