Transforming Behavioral Health in Pierce County

At its last Council meeting of 2020, the Pierce County Council made a commitment to increase behavioral health services in the county by approving a 1/10th of 1 percent sales tax increase, and set in motion creation of a pilot program aimed at reinvesting more Medicaid dollars into Pierce County.

I sponsored ordinance 2020-138s, which proposed these actions, including the creation of the first-ever Affordable Care Organization in the state. This pilot program allows for local engagement, ownership and governance, along with empowering Pierce County to build a better healthcare system.

Through adoption of my ordinance, we took action to protect Pierce County taxpayers by requiring the development of a strategic plan for behavioral health response, including the requirement for a performance audit review, a date for when the 1/10^th of 1 percent sales tax collection will end and a data platform to show where the money is being spent efficiently and effectively with measurable results.

Earlier in 2020, I sponsored resolution R2020-20, which requested the Regional System of Care Committee deliver a Strategic Plan for Behavioral Health System Improvements to Council to inform future behavioral health tax expenditures and specified Council’s intent to act on an ordinance imposing a Behavioral Health Tax no later than Dec. 31, 2020. It was through this direction that the Regional System of Care Committee came up with the Affordable Care Organization pilot program proposal.

In March 2020 Council discussed Ordinance 2020-24s at the Human Services Committee meeting. Click here to read my thoughts pertaining to this ordinance.