Comments

1
It’s unfortunate, but our first responsibility is always to the wealthy. They wouldn’t be able to live the life we’ve allowed them to without our generous subsidies.
2
Maybe the local NRA chapter can get its members to donate to help fund it? Aren't they always saying mass shootings are because people with mental illness aren't treated adequately?
3
Fun story: a few years ago, a friend called 911 on me after I disclosed my intent to literally drink until I died or just stopped caring enough to commit suicide. The ambulance came and I was whisked off to Harborview, where I was put in restraints and left in the hall for hours. That finally gave way to me being placed in the psych ward, where the psychiatric nurse practitioner repeatedly told me I wasn't suicidal until I repeated it for him, then hyper dosed me with Ativan and Librium, and sent me home. I was so drugged at that point I could barely walk, but was left alone in the lobby until the cab they called showed up. My being suicidal was overwhelmed by my lack of health insurance and the fact that a substance- alcohol- was involved. Obviously, I am posting and not at all dead, so I guess this story has a happy ending. I also had at least one friend who tried to help, which is one more friend than most people in a crisis can count.
4
Jesus--first the cheapskate UW lays off laundry workers to avoid paying sustainable union wages. Now this?? Thank you, Catalina Vel-DuRay @1, for answering my question. Record profits to the top 1% must the UW's only goal anymore, over education and community.
5
Great facility. I met the poet Jesse Bernstein there back in the early 90s while visiting a friend. Both eventually took their own lives, but also bounded back after their stays. Shame that this is at risk partly due to unfunded mandates from the Feds.
8
The UWMC is a state funded entity that’s mission is supposed to be to support the community. Choosing to eliminate much needed psychiatric beds in almost the worst bed availability in the nation should not be an option. There should be a discussion on how to keep 7-North open, not deciding to close it behind closed doors. Where is the increased funds for mental health going?
10
In a state with so much wealth and prestige, this is disgraceful. It will not get fixed until one day when there's no place for anyone with mental illness to go, including the wealthy. That day is rapidly approaching.

@9 - They closed all of the mental health facilities in states with income taxes too so this is the new normal.
13
It was about 15 years ago that a budgeting shortfall closed a bunch of wards or centers or whatever it was.

Since then, people standing pat and staring into space while screaming shit have been seeing the light of day.
14
Low tax, high regressivity. At a point when our state has never been richer, we can't fund badly needed services. But our tax system is purposely set up to make it painful on working people when taxes are raised, so even liberal groups fight tax hikes to protect the working poor. If we were just at the nationwide average in terms of regressivity and percentage of state GDP collected as taxes the funding shortfall for education, mental health, and infrastructure would disappear; and taxes on the working class would not increase. The state Democratic party is too timid to run with this message in every county, even though a complete tax overhaul is the only thing that will get us out of this never-ending mess.
15
Our state and country can't get their priorities straight and UW is already squeezing every penny out of the RNs as it is. I work there. Tax Amazon and the wealthy please!

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