‘Inaction is not an option:’ King County leaders unveil $1.25 billion behavioral health crisis plan

SEATTLE — A coalition of elected officials, mental health counselors and first responders came together at a news conference Monday morning to unveil a proposed plan for tackling King County’s behavioral health crisis.

King County Executive Dow Constantine says the plan would treat the immediate crisis and support long-term recovery in the county by creating a regional network of five crisis care centers, investing in recruiting and retaining behavioral health workers and increasing the number of residential treatment beds in the region.

“Inaction is not an option. We’re losing facilities and workforce at the exact moment that mental health and substance use crises are growing,” said Constantine. “We can see that conditions will keep getting worse if we do not act.”

According to Constantine’s office, there is currently no walk-in behavioral health urgent care facility in King County. Only one behavioral crisis facility with 46 beds is in operation for the county’s approximately 2.3 million residents.

Officials did not say where the five crisis care facilities would be located within the county.

The proposal also calls for higher wages for mental health workers, a paid apprenticeship program to recruit people with diverse backgrounds to become counselors and creating mobile or site-based crisis behavioral health services that can operate until the five proposed crisis care centers open.

The King County Council is expected to vote on whether to put the proposal on the April 2023 ballot by next February.

If the plan is approved by the Council, voters will be asked next April to approve a cost of $1.25 billion in new property taxes over nine years to pay for it.

The proposal would add about $121 in new taxes to the average median homeowner’s tax bill in 2024 and the levy would continue through 2032, according to Constantine’s office.

“This is a bold proposal to meet an urgent moment,” said Constantine. “We can overcome past failings and we can create a future every person in King County deserves. Together, we can ensure help is on the way.”

Details on additional behavioral health investments, including an already underway plan to develop a crisis stabilization facility in north King County, are expected to be announced on Tuesday when Constantine unveils his 2023 - 2024 biennial budget to the King County Council.

©2022 Cox Media Group