(1) The steering committee of the crisis response improvement strategy committee established under RCW 71.24.892 must monitor and make recommendations related to the funding of crisis response services out of the account created in RCW 82.86.050. The crisis response improvement strategy steering committee must analyze:
(a) The projected expenditures from the account created under RCW 82.86.050, taking into account call volume, utilization projections, and other operational impacts;
(b) The costs of providing statewide coverage of mobile rapid response crisis teams or other behavioral health first responder services recommended by the crisis response improvement strategy committee, based on 988 crisis hotline utilization and taking into account existing state and local funding;
(c) Potential options to reduce the tax imposed in RCW 82.86.020, given the expected level of costs related to infrastructure development and operational support of the 988 crisis hotline and crisis call center hubs; and
(d) The viability of providing funding for in-person mobile rapid response crisis services or other behavioral health first responder services recommended by the crisis response improvement strategy committee funded from the account created in RCW 82.86.050, given the expected revenues to the account and the level of expenditures required under (a) of this subsection.
(2) If the steering committee finds that funding in-person mobile rapid response crisis services or other behavioral health first responder services recommended by the crisis response improvement strategy committee is viable from the account given the level of expenditures necessary to support the infrastructure development and operational support of the 988 crisis hotline and crisis call center hubs, the steering committee must analyze options for the location and composition of such services given need and available resources with the requirement that funds from the account supplement, not supplant, existing behavioral health crisis funding.
(3) The work of the steering committee under this section must be facilitated by the behavioral health institute at Harborview medical center through its contract with the office of financial management under RCW 71.24.892 with assistance provided by staff from senate committee services, the office of program research, and the office of financial management.
(4) The steering committee shall submit preliminary recommendations to the governor and the appropriate policy and fiscal committees of the legislature by January 1, 2022, and final recommendations to the governor and the appropriate policy and fiscal committees of the legislature by January 1, 2023.
(5) This section expires on July 1, 2023.
[ 2021 c 302 § 104.]
NOTES:
Findings—Intent—2021 c 302: See note following RCW 71.24.890.