In 2015, a federal court found that the Department of Social and Health Services was taking too long to provide the evaluation to determine a defendant’s competency. Parties in the case are discussing comprehensive changes in order to bring the state into compliance. On May 1, AWC and several cities participated in a webinar with attorneys from the State and Disability Rights Washington (the plaintiffs in the case) to hear about their work to develop a comprehensive settlement agreement. This agreement could potentially drive a very significant set of reforms to the state’s behavioral health delivery systems. Cities are interested in ensuring that these reforms address elements of the system that are causing challenges on city streets. We are hopeful that this opportunity will improve our communities for the people who live there.
This agreement could potentially drive a very significant set of reforms to the state’s behavioral health delivery systems.
Our high level feedback on the webinar included:
- The primary focus must be on people with untreated severe mental illness, that is the element of the problem causing the most challenge for cities.
- We support investment in intensive case management models like assertive outpatient teams (PACT/FACT models).
- We support investment in efforts to deflect from criminal justice including co-response programs and Law Enforcement Assisted Diversion (LEAD).
- We would like to see enhancement in inpatient capacity (to include secure detox facilities for substance use, Local Evaluation and Treatment facilities, forensic and non-forensic). This must be informed by an assessment of need/capacity across the spectrum of need (long-term, short-term, forensic, non-forensic, etc.) with a recognition that there must be appropriate capacity in each “bucket.” Part of the goal of this is to avoid inappropriate placement in resources like adult family homes and to ensure that there is equitable distribution of facilities around the state.
- It is critical to see additional investments in supportive housing facilities that can provide appropriate long-term services for people with severe mental illness.
AWC is encouraged that the ideas we promoted were positively received by both sides of these discussions.
It appears that there will be an effort to include many of them in a proposal that we expect to see in the coming weeks. Ultimately this will require approval by the federal judge overseeing the case and then ultimately the Legislature. We will continue to stay involved in this to drive for solutions that improve conditions in our communities. Please contact Carl Schroeder if you are interested in participating in our work on these issues.