Washington Gov. Jay Inslee wants to explore building a new 500-bed Western State Hospital to serve people who receive psychiatric evaluation and treatment as part of criminal cases. A site getting attention is a defunct golf course next to the aging facility in Lakewood.
Read more: Washington Gov. Jay Inslee wants explore building new Western State Hospital | The News Tribune
Roe Marcantonio says
Lakewood and the surrounding communities have suffered years from Western State mental hospital and it’s proximity to neighborhoods, schools, and retail stores. It’s time to build a state of the art facility in a more unpopulated, protected area. The Growth Management Act has assured the present location’s surrounding neighborhoods will increase density. Thus, more people will be impacted by the secondary effects of a hospital which houses the forensically insane. Consideration should be given to relocate the facility to another county. Pierce County has suffered enough with the ineffective policies of the State, in it’s poor management of the hospital, the prison, and the following sex offender treatment center at Mc Neil Island.
Fred Block says
They should consider building the new facility on McNeil Island.
Troy Green says
Gov Inslee lives on an island in the Sound. Build the hospital on the numerous green areas on his island. The patients could live with the illegal aliens he wants to allow into the state. What? Not in my neighborhood! Where have I heard that before?
A G Toth says
Washington State has a Western State Mental Hospital and an Eastern State Mental Hospital near Spokane. Why don’t we have a Middle State Mental Hospital near Ellensburg? Seems a shame to make all those folks travel so far to get help.