I'd now like to turn to Seattle and to Mayor
Harrell and Executive Dow Constantine,
Thank you very much for your participation
and thank you also for your focn
increasing access to mental and behavioral
health and physical health serv,
which you know are so important to this work.
Can you tell us a bit about how
this looks in Seattle and and wt
you're what you're focused on t,
to tackle the challenge here?
Well, thank you very much Susan,
if I may call you by your, I hed
someone else call you by your first name.
Please. We're we're master
replicators here in Seattle.
I'm hearing some of the great is
advanced by other elected leaders and
we're not afraid to use best practices
that we see from other great elected leaders.
This new initiative from the
administration we're we share te
excitement that I've heard on this poll.
This gives us an opportunity I think to.
As we typically do, instead of talking
past one another to unite our systems,
to look at our local government,
our county government,
our federal government and really define
the common values and strategies on this
shared mission to get people sheltered.
This particular initiative,
we think it could not be more,
it could not have come at a bet,
better time right now.
I think recent census data
was released in Seattle's.
The fastest growing a big city n
America at about a 2.4% growth .
And while we embrace and are
welcoming and are a welcoming c,
it certainly comes with the cost
and the cost to our people still
falling through the cracks.
The safeguards are not in place.
This particular initiative,
which is aligned with I think
the Housing First approach that
we certainly embrace will will
critically bring people indoors.
Give them a pathway to recovery
and look at the institutional
challenges that we've had throuh
historical practices to make sue
we can prevent it in the 1st pl.
For for those experiencing homelessness,
you know, quite frankly, we know what works.
I recently read a a case study in Rockford,
IL under Mayor Larry Morrissey's were
many years ago. We know what wo.
It's harm reduction services.
Certainly specific drug treatme,
strategies, St.
Outreach, critical incident responses,
mobile crisis teams, embedded in police,
fire and community organizations and what
I call the best practices and 1st responders.
And so this all inside initiati,
like I said,
could not come at a better time.
For us to help coordinate what's
working in one city will work he
because we're dealing with the e
American issues that we have to
recognize that we are in this together.
That's why I like.
As someone said,
I think Mayor Charles said,
I love the the all inside theme
because that's what we need.
And we recently passed a crisis
care center levy that talks
about this kinds of treatment.
And I would certainly turn to
Executive Dow Constant who's ben
a leader in this space to may
perhaps say a few words about te
behavioral health investments tt
the voters recently embraced,
which we think fits in beautifuy
to this all inside strategy.
Well, thank you Mayor and
thank you Ambassador.
Thanks to the Biden administratn
for bringing us together today.
Last month, as the mayor said,
our voters countywide approved
a groundbreaking, we hope,
game changing one and a quarter billion
dollar measure to do three thin,
build crisis care centers across
the county to preserve and expad
community based treatment facilities.
And to invest in the workforce d
we think that's critical because
it takes people to treat people.
All that work depends on collaboration,
depends on teamwork,
it depends on partnerships acros
our region to meet the needs
of the people we serve,
including the large percentage
of those who are unhoused.
And Secretary McDonough.
Shortly I'm going to launch the
campaign for the renewal of our
veterans levy to better serve t.
Who have served our nation.
All of these are opportunities r
us to expand partnerships and I
look forward to an even stronger
partnership with the federal government
through the All Inside initiati.
Thanks so much.