OLYMPIA – A bill to help people access mental health and substance abuse services at crisis clinics passed out of the Senate yesterday. House Bill 1721 will allow ambulances to take patients in need of mental health or chemical dependency treatment to treatment centers instead of emergency rooms.
“By allowing ambulances to take patients to triage centers, we can get people connected with appropriate treatment and community supports,” said Rep. June Robinson, the bill’s prime sponsor. “This bill will free up much-needed space in our local hospital emergency rooms and provide better services – getting people the treatment they need to break the cycle of revolving mental health or substance abuse crisis.”
Crisis triage centers, such as the Snohomish County Triage Center in Everett were created to divert people in behavioral crisis away from emergency rooms and jails and instead steer them towards appropriate treatment and support.
Currently, only law enforcement can take people directly to triage centers. If an ambulance picks up someone who is clearly in need of mental health or chemical dependency services, the ambulance must take the person to the emergency room. Emergency rooms are expensive and do not offer the most effective treatment options for people experiencing behavioral issues.
The bill now goes to the Governor’s desk where he is expected to sign it in to law.