{"id":3663,"date":"2024-02-27T10:19:46","date_gmt":"2024-02-27T17:19:46","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/senatedemocrats.wa.gov\/orwall\/?p=3663"},"modified":"2026-05-01T19:42:26","modified_gmt":"2026-05-02T02:42:26","slug":"legislative-news-senate-passes-bill-to-empower-crisis-responders","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/senatedemocrats.wa.gov\/orwall\/2024\/02\/27\/legislative-news-senate-passes-bill-to-empower-crisis-responders\/","title":{"rendered":"LEGISLATIVE NEWS: Senate passes bill to empower crisis responders"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>OLYMPIA \u2013<span data-contrast=\"auto\">\u00a0As the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline gains traction, crisis responders have expressed concern regarding a lack of liability protections similar to those afforded to emergency medical personnel and 988 hotline staff. Today, the Senate unanimously passed\u00a0<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/app.leg.wa.gov\/billsummary?BillNumber=2088&amp;Year=2024&amp;Initiative=\"><span data-contrast=\"none\">House Bill 2088<\/span><\/a><span data-contrast=\"auto\">\u00a0to help provide these protections.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Sponsored by Rep<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/housedemocrats.wa.gov\/orwall\/home\/\"><span data-contrast=\"none\">. Tina Orwall<\/span><\/a><span data-contrast=\"auto\">\u00a0(D-Des Moines), who previously established the 988 lifeline in the state, this bill strengthens its effectiveness. It safeguards crisis response teams, community-based team, and other responders from civil liability during good-faith performance of their duties. This crucial legal protection allows responders to confidently perform their jobs amidst potentially volatile situations.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">By empowering trained crisis responders to provide on-site de-escalation, stabilization, and resource connection directly to individuals in need, Washington creates a viable alternative to police intervention and connects individuals with behavioral health services.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">\u201cWhen we afford crisis responders these protections, we will see more communities embark and invest in mobile crisis response programs. Responders need to focus on doing their job to the best of their ability. Helping them do that helps more Washingtonians receive effective interventions when they need it.&#8221;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">House Bill 2088 advances to the governor\u2019s desk to be signed into law.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>OLYMPIA \u2013\u00a0As the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline gains traction, crisis responders have expressed concern regarding a lack of liability protections similar to those afforded to emergency medical personnel and 988 hotline staff. Today, the Senate unanimously passed\u00a0House Bill 2088\u00a0to help provide these protections.\u00a0 Sponsored by Rep. Tina Orwall\u00a0(D-Des Moines), who previously established the 988 lifeline in the state, this bill strengthens its effectiveness. It safeguards crisis response teams, community-based team, and other responders from civil liability during good-faith performance of their duties. This crucial legal protection allows responders to confidently perform their jobs amidst potentially volatile situations.\u00a0 By empowering&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":61,"featured_media":3897,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"disable_featured_image":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[30],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-3663","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news-release"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v25.4 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>LEGISLATIVE NEWS: Senate passes bill to empower crisis responders - Sen. 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