In December, the Snohomish County Council approved a one-tenth of one percent (0.1%) sales tax increase to support mental health and chemical dependency services. This sales tax option is available to each county, as enabled by the state legislature in 2005. I think this makes Snohomish at least the tenth county to implement the local option (after Clallam, Clark, Island, Jefferson, King, Okanogan, Skagit, Spokane, and Whatcom Counties). You can see more information on the background and implementation of the local sales tax option for mental health and chemical dependency services here.

How does this connect to housing and homelessness? Sadly, in a great many ways. Study after study have shown that the people living on the streets disproportionately suffer from untreated mental illness and substance use issues. Without access to these critical services, it can be extremely challenging for people with special needs to retain and thrive in their housing. At the same time, without access to safe, secure, and affordable housing, it can be just as difficult for a person to consistently receive the medical and psychiatric care they need. Last year, we worked with Common Ground to produce a statewide Mental Health Housing Action Plan for the Department of Mental Health, which advocates greatly expanding the housing resources available for people with mental health issues.

The local option sales tax can provide new resources for the services that support homeless households with special needs, as well as directly fund the housing that helps keep them stable and in care. It is up to each county to decide whether to enact the sales tax, and to tailor the programs funded through this option to meet the local needs of each community.