988 crisis lifeline launch, federal climate action, health care funding, cannabis retailer safety



Trouble viewing this email? View this in your browser. [ [link removed] ]



GOV GovDelivery E-Newsletter Header

"Thank you for subscribing to e-news updates from the Office of Gov. Jay Inslee. We hope you find these updates interesting, useful and worth sharing. If you?d like to update your subscription preferences or unsubscribe, you can do so?here [ [link removed] ]?at any time. If you'd like contact the governor, you can do so through his website's?contact page. [ [link removed] ]"






- - -

988 lifeline already helping Washingtonians ? Inslee and state leaders celebrate launch
PHOTO: state leaders celebrate 988 crisis lifeline launch at Everett call center

Gov. Jay Inslee and other state leaders celebrated the launch of 988 at a crisis center in Everett. (Governor?s Office Photo Illustration)

Gov. Jay Inslee, Secretary of Health Dr. Umair Shah, U.S. Health and Human Services regional director Ingrid Ulrey, and other leaders celebrated the launch of the new 988 lifeline with a press conference at a call center in Everett Thursday. The Volunteers of America Western Washington Behavioral Health Call Center is one of three Washington call centers serving the state?s 988 line. Anticipating the demand, the call center quadrupled its staff of trained counselors before 988 activated.

?We went from 35 to 135 counselors. We?re seeing a big increase in calls and we expect even more in the future,? said Susan Gregory, program manager for the 988 Regional Crisis Line. ?On average, our callers experience no wait times, and we take all the time they need to listen to their situation.?

Call centers in Washington already report a 50% increase in call volume following the July 16 launch of the 988 dialing code. That means that 988 is already helping more Washingtonians access counseling and care.

*Now that 988 has launched, read more here about next steps to improve behavioral health.* [ [link removed] ]

Read more about the 988 lifeline on Governor Jay Inslee's Medium. [ [link removed] ]

- - -

________________________________________________________________________

State officials continue urging Congress to pass SAFE Banking Act
VIDEO: US Cannabis Council video ad for retail safety [ [link removed] ]

Cannabis retailers have been targeted by armed robberies. The US Cannabis Council has produced video advertisements to describe the issue and to endorse the passage of the SAFE Banking Act (Video from US Cannabis Council)

Washington state was a pioneer in legalizing adult-use cannabis in 2012. With eight years of legal retail sales now complete, Washington?s system has matured in all but one critical aspect: access to federally-insured banking services and electronic payment processing.

The lack of banking services threatens public safety. Due to reliance on cash transactions, cannabis retailers have been targeted by armed robbers. Earlier this year, a young man was killed while working at a retail store. Clerks have been shot and beaten while on the job. During early 2022, more than 50 armed robberies of state-licensed cannabis retail stores were reported.

On July 27, the state?s Liquor and Cannabis Board Director of Enforcement and Education Chandra Brady joined federal legislators for a briefing organized by the U.S. Cannabis Council. At the briefing, they unveiled new TV ads [ [link removed] ]highlighting the urgency of congressional action?on the SAFE Banking Act. The act would give cannabis retailers more options to accept credit card and debit transactions with customers.

Earlier this year, Gov. Inslee and Attorney General Bob Ferguson penned a joint op-ed [ [link removed] ] calling on Congress to act. Together with Treasurer Mike Pellicciotti and Lt. Gov. Denny Heck, they followed with a letter to key leaders in Congress.

- - -

________________________________________________________________________

State agencies direct additional resources to help health care system with capacity challenges

The state will provide approximately $22 million to support Washington?s health care system as providers and hospitals struggle with non-COVID related challenges, the governor?s office announced Friday.

Many facilities are operating at capacity and need more support to discharge patients with specialized needs in a shorter amount of time. Some of those funds will be used to support Harborview Medical Center in its efforts to secure community-based care for patients with complex medical and behavioral needs.

These issues predate the COVID-19 pandemic, but the pandemic did exacerbate them. The governor?s office and state?s Department of Health, Health Care Authority and Department of Social and Health Services have been working with facilities and providers to develop more permanent remedies to ensure people who no longer need to be in a hospital or acute-care facility can be discharged as soon as they?re ready.

Read the governor?s office letter to state health system leaders detailing these efforts. [ [link removed] ]

- - -

________________________________________________________________________

Senate Democratic leaders announce Inflation Reduction Act that includes transformative climate change measures

Aggressive federal action to reduce emissions and brace for the effects of climate change could be on the horizon. Democratic leaders in the U.S. Senate announced the Inflation Reduction Act, which appropriates $369 billion in clean energy initiatives and would put the U.S. on a path to reduce greenhouse gas emissions 40% by 2030. The act would also offer tax credits and rebates for residential efficiency measures, tax credits for electric vehicle purchases, and tax credits for clean energy job creation.

Senate leaders are preparing to vote on the legislation as early as next week.

"Time for every one of our U.S. senators to get on the climate bus (electric, of course) and pass the bill. Our nation?s fate is in the balance," said Inslee on Twitter [ [link removed] ].

The bill also includes provisions to reduce the cost of prescription drugs, reduce the federal deficit, combat inflation, and help the Internal Revenue Service prosecute fraud and evasion.

Read more about the legislation from The Washington Post. [ [link removed] ]

- - -

________________________________________________________________________

Inslee, agency leaders meet to review digital equity, behavioral health, juvenile justice programs
Results Washington public performance review screenshot

Gov. Jay Inslee and state agency leaders hosted a public performance review of projects related to digital equity, behavioral health, and juvenile justice on Wednesday.

The governor?s Results Washington office formed a project team to create agency standards for digital equity. This ensures state agencies prioritize website ease-of-use, language access and translation, and accessibility. The team will develop guidelines by 2022 for state websites and forms to be compatible with mobile devices. The state Department of Corrections shared several advanced digital equity efforts, including the distribution of communications devices and interpretation technology for people with disabilities.

Another project team has been working to update peer programs for justice-involved youth. Community partners Students Providing and Receiving Knowledge (SPARK) offer re-entry programs for justice-involved youth, and help reduce the risk school dropouts, drug use, and recidivism. Other programs are helping justice-involved youth find job training and secure employment.

The meeting was streamed and recorded by TVW. <[link removed]>

- - -

________________________________________________________________________

State agencies recognize excellence in serving people with disabilities

The Disability Inclusion Network [ [link removed] ] (DIN) Business Resource Group hosted its first annual Respect, Acceptance, and Dignity of persons with Disabilities (RADD) awards ceremony Thursday. The virtual event was attended by Gov. Jay Inslee and leaders of state agencies. The awards recognized the outstanding actions of individual employees to serve people with disabilities.

Among the award recipients was Department of Social and Health Services employee Joslyn Nelson, named Advocate of the Year. The award recognizes outstanding commitment to disability awareness and a willingness to perform beyond expected duties to advance disability inclusion.

?Joslyn works tirelessly to ensure the voice of people with disabilities is included in all conversations and decisions that impact people with disabilities,? said Dr. Karen Johnson, Director of the Office of Equity. ?She truly exemplifies the concept of ?nothing about us, without us.??

Inclusive hiring in state government has been a priority for the governor since he took office. The second executive order he signed [ [link removed] ] was to improve employment opportunities and outcomes for people with disabilities. The first was to promote hiring of and workplace support for veterans.

- - -

________________________________________________________________________




Additional news you might have missed:

Inslee recognizes state agency managers for leadership [ [link removed] ]

On Thursday, Gov. Jay Inslee recognized 24 managers exceptional leadership in public service. Recognition ranged from how managers handled unpredictable and unprecedented circumstances during the pandemic to pursuing innovation and collaboration.

Commerce awards $2.1 million to help 27 communities plan for climate change [ [link removed] ]

The state Department of Commerce awarded $2.1 million in grants to King, Kitsap, Pierce and Snohomish counties, and cities within, to help them plan for climate change. The grants will support projects like Bainbridge Island?s sea level assessment, Renton?s vehicle electrification action plan, and other similar programs.

President Biden set to sign legislation promoting semiconductor manufacturing and research in U.S. [ [link removed] ]

The U.S. Senate and House have both approved the Chips and Science Act [ [link removed] ], which will bolster semiconductor manufacturing in America. The historic investment will yield technological advancement and job creation, and may enhance the country?s technological competitive advantage in the long term.

WSDOT and Ecology roadside cleanups collect 191 tons of litter in June [ [link removed] ]

Washington State Department of Transportation maintenance teams, Department of Ecology Youth Corps members, and Department of Corrections and Adopt-a-Highway volunteers collected 191 tons of roadside litter in June. A total of 459 tons has been collected this year. WSDOT and Ecology encourage drivers to dispose of trash responsibly and properly secure vehicle loads.

Young artists invited to participate in statewide art contest [ [link removed] ]

The DSHS DDA Division of Child Support invites artistic submissions from children ages 17 and younger for their 2022 Children?s Art Contest. Submissions should address the question, ?How will you change the world?? Submissions are accepted through Aug. 15. Participants are not required to be dependents of DCS customers. Submissions should be sent in .JPG format to [email protected].

- - -

________________________________________________________________________






Stay Connected with the Office of the Governor:
Facebook [ [link removed] ] ? Twitter [ [link removed] ] ? Instagram [ [link removed] ] ? Flickr [ [link removed] ] ??Medium [ [link removed] ] SUBSCRIBER SERVICES:
Manage Subscriptions [ [link removed] ] ?|? Unsubscribe All [ [link removed] ] ?|? Help [ [link removed] ]

________________________________________________________________________

This email was sent to [email protected] using GovDelivery Communications Cloud on behalf of: Office of the Governor / Office of Financial Management ??PO Box 40002 ? Olympia, WA ??98504-0002 GovDelivery logo [ [link removed] ]