State Mental Health Agency
For more information about admission, care, treatment, release, and patient follow-up in public or private psychiatric residential facilities, contact your State mental health agency:
Mental Health Division
Department of Social and Health Services
P.O. Box 45320
Olympia, WA 98504-5320
Phone: 360-902-0790
Fax: 360-902-0809
Toll-free: 800-446-0259 (Statewide)
Internet: www.wa.gov/dshs/
State Protection and Advocacy Agency[/link]
Each State has a protection and advocacy agency that receives funding from the Federal Center for Mental Health Services. Agencies are mandated to protect and advocate for the rights of people with mental illnesses and to investigate reports of abuse and neglect in facilities that care for or treat individuals with mental illnesses. These facilities, which may be public or private, include hospitals, nursing homes, community facilities, board and care homes, homeless shelters, jails, and prisons. Agencies provide advocacy services or conduct investigations to address issues that arise during transportation or admission to such facilities, during residency in them, or within 90 days after discharge from them. Contact:
The Washington Protection and Advocacy System
180 West Dayton, Suite 102
Edmonds, WA 98020
Phone: 425-776-1199
Fax: 425-776-0601
Toll-free: 800-562-2702 (Statewide)
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, which is part of the Department of Health and Human Services, investigates some complaints about treatment facilities that receive Medicare and Medicaid funding. For further information at the national level, contact:
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services
7500 Security Boulevard
Baltimore, MD 21244-1850
Phone: 410-786-3000
Internet: cms.hhs.gov/medicare
You may also share your concerns with staff at the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services office in your area, which is Region 10. The regional office address and telephone number are:
Seattle Regional Office
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services
2201 Sixth Avenue
Mail Stop RX 40
Seattle, WA 98121-2500
Phone: 206-615-2306
Fax: 206-615-2363
Internet: cms.hhs.gov/medicare
