Washington’s system for responding to mental health and behavioral health crises is more like a network of fragmented parts.

Several agencies, organizations and institutions — including 911 operators and crisis phone lines, outpatient clinics, hospital emergency rooms, jails and law enforcement officers — respond to situations where an individual is experiencing a crisis. Those institutions communicate with each other, but also often operate in silos.

This month, The Seattle Times Mental Health Project is exploring different facets of Washington’s mental health crisis response system, how it works and doesn’t, and examining solutions people are bringing to improve it. The discordant network of emergency rooms, psychiatric institutions, jails, courtrooms and law enforcement, which has long faced challenges, has become even more strained since the pandemic began.

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What questions do you have about crisis response?

In some cases, a person with a mental health disorder is jailed instead of getting treatment to address the crisis and services to decrease severity in the future. Sometimes a person may get medical attention, but there may not be a long-term bed available for intensive care.

The Seattle Times Mental Health Project is investigating this system of crisis response care. Throughout August, reporters are exploring the operators within the system as it stands today.

Stay tuned for a live panel conversation, when experts in mental health will discuss the system and present ideas for how individuals can help those in crisis.

As we roll out these stories, we invite you to share any questions you may have. Please submit your questions in the form below or by clicking this link. You may also email our team at mentalhealth@seattletimes.com.