Voters approve King County’s crisis center levy
King County voters have approved a measure that will institute a new tax on property owners to fund mental and behavioral health services.
Support widened to 56.63% Thursday for the Crisis Care Centers levy, which will provide money for the construction and operation of five, 24/7 walk-in crisis centers for people experiencing a mental or behavioral health crisis. About 43.37% of people voted against the levy.
With more than 412,000 ballots counted, representing 29.89% of registered voters, The Seattle Times has called the race. County officials projected that about 33% of eligible voters would cast a ballot — a typical number for odd-year special elections.
The levy is expected to raise $1.25 billion over nine years, increasing property taxes by a rate of 14.5 cents per $1,000 of a home’s assessed value. Across King County, a homeowner with a property valued at the median would pay about $121 more annually in taxes.
“King County voters agree — we must build a stronger behavioral health system to meet the urgent and growing need for care,” King County Executive Dow Constantine said in a statement. “With this strong approval, we will chart a path forward to provide the help people need and deserve.”
Each crisis center would contain a behavioral health urgent care clinic that could screen people and triage them to appropriate services, an observation unit where people could stay for up to 23 hours, and a short-term stabilization unit where people could stay for up to 14 days before being discharged or referred elsewhere. People would be admitted to the crisis centers voluntarily.
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Anyone could come to the centers, regardless of where or whether they live in King County. They could be dropped off by police, first responders, mobile crisis teams, family or friends or walk themselves in. People under the influence of substances could be connected to a detox program, and one of the five centers would be dedicated for youth.
Several unions, city and county officials, service providers and large businesses, such as Amazon and Microsoft, have endorsed the levy. The campaign raised more than $552,000. The Ballmer Group, which funds The Seattle Times Mental Health Project, also supported the levy. (Times editors and reporters operate independently of our funders and maintain full editorial control over our journalism.)
At least one crisis center is slated to open in 2026, but immediate investments in supportive housing programs and existing mental health facilities could begin next year.
Details about where the centers will be sited, how programs will be funded in the long run, and where people could be referred upon discharge could be decided in an implementation plan the county will create.
City and county officials will work together to craft proposals for each center.
Source: The Seattle Times
