Amid mental health crisis, local senator forges path for mushroom therapy
When state Sen. Jesse Salomon proposed his first bill on “magic” mushrooms in 2022, he was mostly curious about the response it would get. In 2022, Salomon sponsored Senate Bill 5660 to create a framework for mental health practitioners to have “guides” or “trip-sitters,” who lead clients through psychedelic experiences after ingesting psilocybin. The trial will be the first in the country to study the impact of psychedelic therapy in patients with post-traumatic stress and alcohol use disorders. Continue reading at Everett Herald. (Annie Barker)
WA Prisons Delayed Nearly A Third Of All Inmate Release Dates Last Year
An InvestigateWest data analysis found that nearly a third of the approximately 5,000 people released from Washington prisons in fiscal year 2023 were held beyond their earned release date, which takes into account good behavior and credit for time served in county jails before their conviction. The median delay was roughly a month, but some delays stretched well over a year — making it difficult for inmates trying to plan their new lives and costing taxpayers millions. Continue reading at KNKX. (Elaine Thompson)
Seattle Pursues Looser Police Hiring Standards After High-Profile Screening Failure
The Seattle Police Department (SPD) has been having a rough year, prompting a leadership change. SPD Chief Adrian Diaz was ousted from his position in May in the wake of an onslaught of lawsuits and scandals. Diaz was replaced with interim Chief Sue Rahr, who had previously served as the King County Sheriff among other law enforcement-related positions…The officer entrance exam, overseen by the Public Safety Civil Service Commission (PSCSC), [is used] as a scapegoat for SPD hiring issues. The most recent instance was at last week’s public safety committee meeting, when Rahr said she wished the PSCSC would reconsider the way they do candidate testing, instituting a testing process that is “much more low barrier and faster.” Continue reading at The Urbanist. (Seattle Channel)
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Amid mental health crisis, local senator forges path for mushroom therapy (Salomon)
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