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Politics & Government

The Hidden Gem Of EvergreenHealth's Proposition #1

If this bond passes, the hospital will build a very much needed outpatient mental health clinic for our community...a new feature

NAMI Eastside 5K Walk to "Bust Stigma" and support EvergreenHealth's goal to build a mental health clinic; Candidates Hank Myers and Steve Fields +  Councilmember Tanika Padya are carrying the banner with my wife. the banner
NAMI Eastside 5K Walk to "Bust Stigma" and support EvergreenHealth's goal to build a mental health clinic; Candidates Hank Myers and Steve Fields + Councilmember Tanika Padya are carrying the banner with my wife. the banner (Bob Yoder)

When voting on EvergreenHealth's Prop. 1 measure you may not be aware of the hidden gem in this bond. Our elected officials (commissioners) decided to build an outpatient mental health clinic if we pass the bond!

The need is definitely there. According to the "National Institute of Mental Health":

  • One in 25 have a serious mental health illness like bipolar, eating disorders, major depression and severe anxiety.
  • Only 41% of adults in the U.S. with a mental health condition received mental health services in the past year. Among adults with a serious mental illness, 62.9% received mental health services in the past year.
  • Just over half (50.6%) of children with a mental health condition aged 8-15 received mental health services in the previous year
  • Suicide is now the Number 2 killer of our teens.

So please know Prop. 1 is more than seismically retrofitting Evergreen's oldest buildings and upgrading the 1985 Critical Care Unit. It's also about "the forgotten people" -- our mentally challenged residents and their families crying for care.

Find out what's happening in Redmondfor free with the latest updates from Patch.

Please vote "Yes" on Proposition 1.

-- Bob Yoder

Find out what's happening in Redmondfor free with the latest updates from Patch.

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