Democrat lawmakers are complaining about President Donald J Trump’s new ‘housing first’ and ‘harm reduction’ EO, claiming there aren’t enough involuntary treatment beds for drug addicted homeless people. Yet, this is the system they created.
In fact, they passed an involuntary treatment law years ago that was never fully implemented. They never funded the beds needed to actually get these people the recovery help they need. Enter HB 1787 sponsored by Rep. Griffey. This bill would’ve built out more involuntary treatment beds and fully implemented that previous law. Democrats wouldn’t give it a hearing. It would’ve cost $20 million, a mere fraction of what the state spends on its current failed homeless industrial complex model.
I was listening to KIRO radio when they interviewed a man who claimed these facilities were ‘internment camps’, which is ridiculous as we clearly see absolute human death, destruction, and misery play out before our eyes on our streets. It’s insane to me that life-saving treatment, shelter, food, and healthcare would be deemed an ‘internment camp’ even though that involuntary treatment law already exists and so do some of these facilities. So, Republicans seek to do something Democrats have already approved and not implemented, but it threatens the grift machine and might actually produce results—combined with that with ‘Trump wants it’ and they go full blown TDS mode.
WA has an extreme amount of overdoses and drug related deaths. One of the highest homeless populations in the country. We’ve watched broken people die alone as they use drugs in subsidized housing. Obviously handing them the clean tools of their own demise hasn’t curbed the death.
The Governor says we should continue to follow “evidence-based approaches”, but the evidence is right in front of us. Who are we to believe? Them or the data and our lying eyes?
If the legislature acted on this bill it would save lives and begin the long hard road to recovery for many of those afflicted, it would create safer streets and mend families, and it would undercut the rich non-profits who take hordes of money with little results.
It’s about recovery first, it’s about public safety, but more it’s about results.
When someone gets drunk we take their keys away—many mentally ill, addicted homeless people no longer have the capacity to think or care for themselves. It harms our local economy, makes us less safe, and the compassionate human thing to do is to temporarily take away the keys and provide life-saving help.
Pass this bill, and real progress would be made for the first time in years.
Representative Travis Couture (R-Allyn)
Rep. Travis Couture, a U.S. Navy veteran and Washington State Representative for the 35th Legislative District, brings a wealth of experience in service and leadership.
As a submariner aboard USS Alabama and USS Nebraska, he completed multiple strategic deterrence patrols, earning numerous honors before his honorable discharge in 2011. Post-military, Couture managed billions in assets as a Program Manager for a Fortune 500 company, supporting Naval Base Kitsap, and later led over 100 employees as Director of Operations for a Kitsap County non-profit serving people with disabilities.
He holds a master’s in business administration and a bachelor’s in organizational leadership from Brandman University. A decade-long community leader, Couture is driven by his role as a father of four to address challenges like rising costs and quality education.
He resides in Allyn with his wife, Julie, and their children.
COMMENTARY DISCLAIMER: The views and comments expressed are those of the writer and not necessarily those of the Lynnwood Times nor any of its affiliate.
Author: Lynnwood Times Contributor
One Response
What a load of money laundering and dehumanization and lies …..
You already had every one of these laws in place, **COMPUTERS WITH MEDICAL SOFTWARE** and still turned multiple blind eyes and shrugged your shoulders TO THE OLD CRITERIA OF 5250 ****danger to self and/or others****
Here’s something so gigantically enormous
MEDICATION DOES NOT PERMANENTLY CURE ANY SERIOUS MENTAL ILLNESS (SMI)
THEIR CONDITION WAS FOUND TO BE LIFE-THREATENING OR **HAZARDOUS**
AND NO 911 NO POLICE HELP NO MEDICAL NUMBERS NO TRANSPORTATION …. JUST DENIAL
But everyone could easily figure out 2 YEARS IN PRISON OVER NOTHING (maybe 2 weeks normal charge) WITH EXTREME PREJUDICE AND DISCRIMINATION AND WAY OVER MEDICATION …. NOT BECAUSE THEY NEEDED IT BUT MORE FOR THE CRUELTY
You call that a good job making a person with a mental illness look violent…..
And it wasn’t just 2 years in prison
Try more like 35 years in prison with segments BECAUSE MEDICATION DOES NOT PERMANENTLY CURE ANY SERIOUS MENTAL ILLNESS
last I checked drugs were already illegal and YOU COULD OF ALL MADE THE PARKS —- SAFE THAT WAY
All these current and new homeless laws are dehumanizing and discriminatory
And you keep saying the cruelty is the point like their 8th amendment is non-existent
Or there freedom of movement
Or there right to bare arms WHEN ITS COMPLETELY MALPRACTICE
THEN AS YOU PEOPLE CLAIM THAT YOUR REACHING THAT SMALL % THAT ARE GOING TO HARM SOMEONE —- YOU HAVE YOUR FACILITIES CLOGGED WITH PEOPLE WHO DON’T NEED TO BE THERE —–
This is money laundering and greed at the expense of human lives – and not even really improving anything for people who really are sick enough – waiting for death to occur by accident/on purpose