Gov. Jay Inslee signed four bills into law Thursday that will significantly transform the state’s mental health system and reshape how and where patients receive care. The bills will introduce more community-based facilities, establish a University of Washington behavioral health teaching hospital, make sure patients receive care closer to their support systems, and integrate to a more holistic model of behavioral health care for patients.
“We want the best for our patients,” Inslee said. “That means shorter wait times, the best care possible from leading experts, and appropriate facilities close to home so they can still access their own support system. These bills signal a dramatic and positive change in how we take care of people who suffer from mental illness.”
The bills continue the work that Inslee and the state legislature put into motion over the last two years. The plan also connects to the state’s opioid response.
Read the rest of the story on the governor's Medium page.