WASHINGTON STATE

Washington State House Democrats

HOUSE DEMOCRATS

A legislator’s full plate gets fuller

What would you think about a lawmaker who, when he’s not busy making laws in Olympia, has established a full-time, non-legislative career of almost 30 years back in his home district?

 Kathy StraussThat’s not all. The lawmaker in question has duties as House Speaker Pro Tempore when the Legislature is in session. Further, that same lawmaker also has seats on the House committees on Rules, Health Care & Wellness, Labor & Workforce Development, and Transportation.

You’d probably think the lawmaker already has a very full plate! You would say the lawmaker’s calendar is already too crowded to rev it up still further. But no, not Rep. Jim Moeller. This long-time legislative leader was recently appointed by Speaker Frank Chopp to serve as the House Democratic Caucus leadership member of the Transportation Subcommittee of the Joint Committee on Employment Relations.

The full Joint Committee on Employment Relations deals with issues involving collective bargaining and labor relations. The subcommittee, among other duties, reviews updates on collective-bargaining agreements and interest arbitration from the governor’s office. Subcommittee issues involve Department of Transportation employees, Marine employees, and Washington State Patrol employees.

But wait. We’re not done here, yet.

Moeller has also been appointed by the Speaker to the Adult Behavioral Health Systems Task Force, which was established a year ago. The task force is comprised of 11 members: Two from the House, two from the Senate, one representing Washington tribes, and five appointed by the governor from various agencies. The Task Force actually gets it work started in May, and it must submit findings by Jan. 1, 2015.

The Task Force specifically is charged with reviewing the adult behavioral-health system and making recommendations for reform related to the:

  • Delivery of services to adults who have both a mental illness and chemical-dependency disorders.
  • Availability of effective means promoting recovery, and preventing the harm that often accompanies mental illness.
  • Providing of crisis services.
  • “Best practices” for collaboration among medical, behavioral health, and long-term care providers and law and justice agencies.

On top of everything noted above, the task force must also research and make recommendations regarding the way services for adults with mental-illness and chemical-dependency issues are purchased and delivered by the Department of Social and Health Services and the Health Care Authority.

The ultimate goal for the task force is to increase accountability, thus strengthening mental-health and chemical-dependency services.