OPINION: Redmond Should Be A Leader In Mental Health Care

Mayor Birney's Vision Statement was just released: "A connected community that enhances livability and sustains the environment, and that places Redmond as a leader locally, regionally, and nationally." She's spot on.

During the city official swearing in ceremony Minerva Butler of the EvergreenHealth Board of Commissioners addressed the council and mayor encouraging the in-coming councilmembers and mayor lauding the out-going city officials. The City is tightly connected with EvergreenHealth and Redmond should have every reason to work with this public hospital toward their goals for improved community health.

One health service seriously lacking at EvergreenHealth is mental health care -- though I commend the hospital for recently taking a small step to hire a part-time psychiatrist for treatment of their Parkinson's patients. EvergreenHealth's service area is over 1 million residents. Their families deserve much better mental health care than a part-time doctor and restricted in-home care.

It's a known fact that one in five Americans have a mental health condition in a given year. This translates into well over 13,000 Redmond residents/year (for our population of 65,000) struggling in some way with their mental health and should have some kind of care. This need deserves action from our public hospital.

Currently, EvergreenHealth's commissioners are considering a "Behavioral Health Urgent Care" clinic to treat suicidal, depressed and anxious residents. Redmond officials should use their connections to make this happen here, and in Evergreen's other cities; Kirkland, Woodinville, Kenmore, and Bothell. Redmond has the opportunity to be a local and regional leader for mental health care and should not pass this by.