Saturday, March 12, 2005

Senate passes mental health reform bill, with major price tag (Washington) Seattle Post Intelligencer story - "The state Senate on Thursday passed an ambitious and expensive bill to reform the mental health care system in Washington state. While the $90 million to $140 million cost put off some senators, bill sponsor Sen. Jim Hargrove said the cost of inaction will be much higher. 'What this bill does is make our drug-and-alcohol and mental health system work better and be adequately funded so we can save piles and piles of money,' said Hargrove, D-Hoquiam. He said the state could save $80 billion over the next 20 years in jail costs, hospital expenses, education, law enforcement and social services by improving the mental health system so people get the treatment they need. Most of the bill's provisions will take effect only if the Legislature provides money in the budget for them. The state faces a $2.2 billion budget shortfall over the next two years, plus cuts in federal mental health funding." See also Governor signs mental health parity into law at the same source.