SPOKANE, Wash. – On the same day Spokane Mayor Lisa Brown announced a state of emergency in response to the opioid crisis, Spokane County also approved a $1.43 million allocation of funding to create a new mental health crisis response program.
According to County Commissioner Chris Jordan’s office, the Board of Commissioners voted unanimously to launch the Co-Responder Pilot Program, which will group emergency responders with behavioral health professionals to better respond to mental health and substance abuse issues.
Jordan’s office claims that the new funding boost will reduce the strain that mental health and addiction issues have created on emergency rooms and local law enforcement.
From the municipal government launching a new approach to opioid addiction and homelessness to the county government boosting funding for the same issues, Tuesday was a consequential day for public policy in the Lilac City.
