WA wise to make mental health care a priority

Published 1:30 am Monday, November 17, 2025

The unacceptable state of mental health care in Washington is demonstrated by a single fact — Western State Hospital has not received funding from the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid since 2018 because of safety violations.

Gov. Bob Ferguson is paying much-needed attention to the situation, providing hope that changes will better serve patients, staff and taxpayers who rely on the facility to provide needed care.

Western State Hospital — located in Lakewood, near Tacoma — is Washington’s primary psychiatric facility, serving forensic patients sent from jails or criminal courts and civil patients from communities throughout Western Washington. It is administered by the state Department of Social and Health Services and has approximately 800 beds.

While the hospital is a linchpin in the state’s mental health system, it has been beset by problems for several years. Safety issues affecting staff and patients have been frequent; there have been staffing shortages; and many of the facilities are outdated.

The first step toward addressing those issues is underway. A $947 million, 350-bed facility for forensic patients is under construction on the campus and expected to open by August 2028. Ideally, that will allow Washington to come into compliance and regain federal funding. “We’re absolutely on scope, on schedule, on budget with the new hospital,” Sean Murphy, deputy assistant secretary at DSHS, said last week.

Meanwhile, Ferguson recently spent four days working at the current facility, fulfilling a campaign promise. The governor pointed to safety and modernization of record-keeping as frequent topics of conversation with staff members. The hospital still relies on paper records, a situation that demonstrates the antiquated approach to mental health care throughout the United States.

“Talking to workers, that came through loud and clear that they are looking for a change,” Ferguson said. “That also takes resources, but that’s going to be important when the new facility comes online.”

Previously, Gov. Jay Inslee unveiled a plan to establish regional psychiatric facilities. The idea is to allow patients to remain closer to home and their support network, but progress has been slowed by a state budget crunch; the opening of a 48-bed facility in the Mount Vista area north of Vancouver was delayed this year because of a lack of funds.

According to advocacy group Mental Health America, Washington ranks 35th among the states in mental health and well-being; other rankings have come up with similar assessments. A lack of services contributes to substance abuse and homelessness that affect our communities; and a lack of beds at the state level leads to patients being detained in hospitals or jails that are unable to meet their needs.

But adequate care is expensive. State projections suggest that the number of patients referred to the state hospital will increase 8 percent per year, and Ferguson said his staff is “looking very closely” at the cost of adding more beds. That also would add to the cost of hiring and training staff.

Meanwhile, earlier this year the Trump administration announced the abrupt cancellation of $11.4 billion in COVID-era funding for grants linked to addressing mental health, addiction and related issues. The decision further increases the burden upon states and local jurisdictions.

It also reflects the United States’ tendency to look the other way when it comes to mental health, despite the toll that comes with ignoring the issue. Washington leaders are wise to pay rapt attention.