Sen. Manka Dhingra (D-Redmond) represents Washington State’s 45th Legislative District. She’s a member of the Senate Behavioral Health Subcommittee and has helped pass legislation to transform the state’s behavioral health system—reorienting it around prevention rather than crisis response—during her time in the Senate.
Dhingra traveled to Arizona this month to learn about RI International—a global organization that offers mental health and substance use crisis services—and how it addresses crisis care needs. The trip served as an educational opportunity as Washington behavioral health officials make plans to implement the national 988 suicide prevention call line. Residents suffering from a mental health crisis will be able to receive assistance through the universal call line, which will be activated in Washington on July 16th.
In this Q&A, Dhingra discusses what she learned during her trip, and whether any of Arizona’s behavioral health practices might be useful in Washington.
