Mental health crisis in Seattle requires better training, more funding

Our community faces a mental health crisis. While 26 percent of people nationwide suffer from psychological illness or addiction, studies put the number in the Puget Sound area closer to 30 percent. When these patients are at their most vulnerable, our community’s emergency departments (EDs) are used as dumping grounds and holding areas due to the shortage of appropriate resources. While any treatment is better than none, EDs are often unequipped to treat these specific patients, especially in…