The Behavioral Health Administration (BHA) administers programs designed to provide evaluation, treatment and rehabilitation services for children and adults with severe and persistent mental illness and serious emotional disturbance. This includes adults in need of a hospital level of care, residential mental health treatment for children and forensic mental health evaluation and competency services. The administration operates three state psychiatric hospitals in Washington State—Western State Hospital, Eastern State Hospital, and Child Study and Treatment Center. These institutions provide long term acute psychiatric care for people in the civil involuntary treatment system; and evaluation and restoration services for people with mental illness who have been charged with a crime or found not guilty by reason of insanity. State psychiatric hospitals are a critical part of the continuum of mental health services. Their goal is to provide high quality treatment in a safe environment, for both patients and staff. Their performance is monitored through strategic objectives related to clinical services and staff and patient safety. The administration is partnering with the Healthcare Authority and the Department of Social and Health Services’ Aging and Long Term Services Administration to develop community resources to fully support individuals who are transitioning out of long term inpatient stays in state hospitals and reduce recidivism. In order to expand services to meet the demands for forensic in-patient competency restoration services, the administration operates two residential treatment facilities in Yakima and Thurston county with a third opening in the Spring 2019 in Pierce county (on the campus of Western State Hospital).

To transform lives by supporting sustainable recovery, independence and wellness.