Improving access to appropriate mental health and substance use disorder services.

 S-0689.1

SENATE BILL 5477

State of Washington

69th Legislature

2025 Regular Session

By Senators Bateman, Alvarado, Chapman, Dhingra, Hasegawa, Nobles, Trudeau, Valdez, and C. Wilson

Read first time 01/24/25. Referred to Committee on Health & Long-Term Care.

AN ACT Relating to improving access to appropriate mental health and substance use disorder services by updating Washington's mental health parity law and ensuring coverage of medically necessary care; amending RCW 48.43.016 , 48.43.091 , 48.43.410 , 48.43.520 , 48.43.535 , 48.43.761 , and 48.43.830 ; adding a new section to chapter 48.43 RCW; creating new sections; repealing RCW 48.20.580 , 48.21.241 , 48.41.220 , 48.44.341 , and 48.46.291 ; and providing effective dates.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:

NEW SECTION. Sec. 1. (1) The legislature finds that:

(a) Access to mental health and substance use disorder treatment is critical to the health and well-being of individuals with these conditions and that access to appropriate care is important to reducing preventable emergency department visits, hospitalizations, and physical health care costs associated with significant comorbidities;