Executive Constantine announces coalition to tackle behavioral health crisis in King County

King County Executive Dow Constantine

King County Executive Dow Constantine, joined by local politicians, the KC Sheriff and leaders in behavioral health and crisis response, announced a coalition to develop a response to the degrading state of behavioral health care in King County.

The coalition will develop a broad policy proposal alongside Executive Constantine’s budget this fall that will prioritize behavioral health, increase resources, strengthen the workforce, and call on local agencies, jurisdictions, and service providers to develop solutions in partnership.

“The health of our families and communities - and the well being of valued service providers - depends on creating solutions to meet the rising need for behavioral health care and provide timely support for people in crisis,” said Executive Constantine. 

“An ongoing pandemic, long-standing racial injustice, increasing levels of fatal drug use, and underfunding of human services have left people to fend for themselves, in homes and on the street, or consigned them to jails and emergency rooms. This newly formed coalition will work with all sectors, in all corners of the county, to confront this crisis with the urgency and scale required.”

More information here