Kitsap Mental Health Services is a member of the Washington Community Mental Health Council and works with community mental health stakeholders to address statewide issues to help individuals with mental illness.
Report from the 2008 Washington State Legislative Session
Goal 1. Provide stable and predictable funding for community mental health treatment to protect against service erosion.
Legislative Outcome:
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$6.25 million of state-only funding was added for non-Medicaid services around the state.
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$2.25 million was provided for Spokane RSN to implement new services to reduce the census at Eastern State Hospital
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$215,000 was proivded directly to Pierce provider agencies to help mitigate the start-up costs that occurred when the RSN reverted to the State and became fee for service.
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$2.869 million was provided to increase Medicaid rates to RSNs.
Goal 2. Continue to improve the work environment for community mental health staff.
Legislative Outcome:
- The Mental Health Division has formed a joint workgroup of MHD staff, RSN administrators, and representatives from the council to review and reduce paperwork, starting with the 2006 stakeholders' recommendations
Goal 3. Support legislation to address quality and accountability issues related to the current Registered Counselor credential.
Legislative Outcome:
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House Bill 2674 was passed, and it recognizes Agency Affiliated Counselors as a separate category of counselor.
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The Council was able to get HB 2674 language changed in three areas to reduce paperwork, eliminate duplicative continuing education requirements, and support peer support counselors
To contact your State Legislators please click on the following link: http://www.leg.wa.gov/
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