Inslee's Budget Proposal Seeks $300M for Mental Health

Governor Inslee's budget proposal calls for $300 million in the next two years to improve mental health capacity and add staffing. The plan also seeks to move people hospitalized on civil commitments out of the state's two psychiatric hospitals and into beds at facilities in the community. Western State Hospital — an 800-bed facility in Lakewood — has been plagued with problems, including staffing and bed shortages and is currently under scrutiny by the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services over concerns involving patient safety.

The budget also moves to implement recommendations from outside consultants, including adding three mobile crisis teams and two new community crisis walk-in centers where people suffering a mental health crisis can stay for up to 23 hours.

Write or call your State representatives and Committee Chairs and ask them to support Inslee's proposal!  Be personal.  Thank you!

***Timm Ormsby, Chair, House Appropriations Committee

http://leg.wa.gov/House/Committees/APP/Pages/MembersStaff.aspx 
Eileen Cody, Chair, House Healthcare and Wellness Committee
http://leg.wa.gov/House/Committees/HCW/Pages/MembersStaff.aspx 
Frank Chop, Chair, House Rules Committee
http://leg.wa.gov/House/Committees/RUL/Pages/MembersStaff.aspx
Randi Becker (R) Chair, Senate Health Care Committee
http://leg.wa.gov/Senate/Committees/HLTH/Pages/MembersStaff.aspx  

***John Braun (R) Vice-Chair, Senate Ways and Means Committee
***Bruce Pameir (R) Vice-Chair, Senate Ways and Means Committee
http://leg.wa.gov/Senate/Committees/WM/Pages/MembersStaff.aspx

Dino Rossi (R) Senate, 45th District
Roger Goodman, 45th
Larry Springer, 45th 
Patty Kuderer, House 48th District
Joan McBride House 48th District
Thank you Rep. Patty Kuderer and Rep. Joan McBride for your help in identifying the key legislators 
Bob Yoder