People released after being involuntarily committed for mental health or substance use treatment in Washington often leave with little support, King County Prosecutor Leesa Manion said. That’s why she’s asking lawmakers to fund better care once those patients are back in the community.
“Typically, when someone’s in the system, they’ve been stabilized, and they’re released,” Manion said on “The Gee and Ursula Show” on KIRO Newsradio. “They are released with a phone number to call and maybe three days of medication and not much else.”
She compared it to how hospitals handle other medical conditions…