What is a crisis center? Why would we need five new centers in King County? And why are local officials asking homeowners to pay for the project?
King County has proposed a new property tax levy that would raise as much as $1.25 billion over nine years to fund construction of five 24/7 walk-in crisis care centers in different regions in King County to serve people with mental health needs, with at least one specializing in serving youth. The levy is set to be decided by voters in an April 25 election.
Because the county does not have a walk-in mental health crisis facility, people experiencing an urgent mental health crisis often go to a hospital emergency room to get help. But sometimes, if a crime has been alleged, they end up in jail.
The closest alternative is the Downtown Emergency Service Center’s Crisis Solutions Center, but it requires a referral from police, mobile crisis team or mental health professional and has limited capacity.
The proposal has drawn questions from the public, including how the centers will operate, how funds will be used, and how the project will attract enough staff — given a shortage in the behavioral health workforce.
The Seattle Times Mental Health Project, partnering with the League of Women Voters Seattle-King County, will hold a live discussion with experts to answer some of these questions about the crisis care centers levy. Join us for an hourlong conversation over Zoom at 7 p.m. Thursday, April 13. To register for the free online event, please visit st.news/levy panel.
You can read more about the levy at st.news/crisislevy. For more information about the event, or if you have questions you would like to see addressed by the speakers, email mentalhealth@seattletimes.com.
The panelists for the April 13 event are:
Girmay Zahilay is a King County Councilmember, representing District 2. He has worked to build affordable homes for communities experiencing displacement, create treatment centers for neighbors in behavioral health crisis, invest more in youth opportunities, expand public transit options, reform the criminal legal system, and make the political process more inclusive across communities and generations.
Leo Flor is the Director of the King County Department of Community and Human Services. He oversees countywide behavioral health investments, crisis system outreach and engagement, affordable housing production, youth development, and developmental disabilities programs.
Michelle Conley is the Director of Integrated Care at REACH. She focuses on providing long-term, intensive care for people who have experiences with the traumas of incarceration, homelessness, and intergenerational poverty.
Maggie Hostnick is the Director of Clinical Services at the Downtown Emergency Services Center (DESC). She has spent her career working in outpatient behavioral health and crisis services settings and is currently overseeing the work being done, serving the most vulnerable community members of King County.
You can submit questions for the panelists in the form below or by clicking this link.