Crisis Response Improvement Strategy (CRIS) committees

In 2021, the Washington State Legislature passed HB 1477, establishing the Crisis Response Improvement Strategy (CRIS) Committee and Steering Committee. These committees will develop recommendations to support implementation of the national 988 suicide prevention hotline and the statewide improvement of behavioral health crisis response and suicide prevention services.

Learn more about this work. Register to receive CRIS committee announcements.

Crisis response improvement strategy overview

The Washington State Legislature passed House Bill 1477 which directs the Health Care Authority (HCA), the Department of Health (DOH), and the Behavioral Health Institute (BHI) at Harborview Medical Center to create the Crisis Response Improvement Strategy (CRIS) Committee and Steering Committee. Both committees include legislatures, providers, consumers, and partner agencies.

Read more about the committee members.

Meeting schedule and materials

Learn about public comments at CRIS meetings.

2024

CRIS Committee

Date

How to join

Meeting materials

Thursday, March 28

11 a.m. to 2 p.m.

   

Thursday, April 18

1 to 4 p.m.

   

Tuesday, June 18

1 to 4 p.m.

   

Tuesday, July 16

1 to 4 p.m.

   

Tuesday, September 24

1 to 4 p.m.

   

Wednesday, November 13

1 to 4 p.m.

   
Steering Committee

Date

How to join

Meeting materials

Tuesday, May 14

2 to 4 p.m.

   

Tuesday, December 10

1 to 3 p.m.

   
Lived Experience Subcommittee
Date How to join Meeting materials

Monday, April 8 

1 to 3 p.m. 

   

Monday, May 13 

1 to 3 p.m. 

   

Monday, June 10 

1 to 3 p.m. 

   

Monday, July 8

1 to 3 p.m. 

   

Monday, August 12 

1 to 3 p.m. 

   

Monday, September 9 

1 to 3 p.m. 

   

Tuesday, October 15 

1 to 3 p.m. 

 

   

Tuesday, November 12 

1 to 3 p.m. 

   

Monday, December 9

1 to 3 p.m. 

   

Past meetings

2024

Committee

Date

Meeting materials

Lived Experience Subcommittee  Monday, March 11

Meeting focus: Continuing discussion of ways to elevate lived experience voices to improve Washington’s behavioral health crisis system, as well as highlighting behavioral health crisis bills in the 2024 legislative session and providing an update on the CRIS February 2024 meeting.

CRIS Committee Tuesday, February 27

Meeting focus: Articulating a future state of performance metrics for the crisis response system.

Lived Experience Subcommittee Monday, February 12

Meeting focus: Continue the discussion of ways to elevate lived experience voices to improve Washington’s behavioral health crisis system, as well as highlight behavioral health crisis bills in the 2024 legislative session and provide an update on the CRIS January 2024 meeting. 

 

CRIS Committee

Wednesday, January 31
Lived Experience Subcommittee Monday, January 22

Meeting focus: Key behavioral health crisis bills for the 2024 legislative session, state agency crisis system improvement focus areas, and discussion of ways to elevate lived experience voices to improve Washington’s behavioral health crisis system.

2023

Committee

Date

Meeting materials

Steering Committee Monday, December 18
Lived Experience Subcommittee Monday, December 11
Lived Experience Subcommittee Monday, November 13
CRIS Committee

Tuesday, November 7

 

 

Lived Experience Subcommittee Monday, October 16
CRIS Committee Tuesday, September 19
Lived Experience Subcommittee Monday, August 14
CRIS Committee Monday, July 17
Lived Experience Subcommittee Monday, July 10
CRIS Committee Tuesday, June 20
Lived Experience Subcommittee Monday, June 12
Steering Committee Tuesday, June 6
CRIS Committee Tuesday, May 16
Lived Experience Subcommittee Monday, May 8
CRIS Committee Wednesday, April 26
Lived Experience Subcommittee Monday, April 10
CRIS Committee Wednesday, March 22
Lived Experience Subcommittee Monday, March 13
CRIS Committee Wednesday, February 15
Lived Experience Subcommittee Monday, February 13
Lived Experience Subcommittee Tuesday, January 3 Meeting focus: Opportunity for individuals and families with lived experience to share behavioral health crisis system perspectives and priorities directly with Washington Legislators. In addition to Sen. Dhingra, Sen. Warnick, Rep. Orwall, and Rep. Dent who are on the 988 CRIS committee, many other legislators on both sides of the aisle were at this meeting to listen to feedback.
2022

Committee

Date

Meeting materials

Lived Experience Subcommittee

Wednesday, December 21

Meeting focus: Reflecting on 988 in Washington in 2022
Steering Committee

Thursday, December 15

CRIS Committee

Tuesday, December 13

CRIS Committee

Tuesday, November 15

Steering Committee

Tuesday, October 25

Lived Experience Subcommittee

Monday, September 26

CRIS Committee

Tuesday, September 20

Lived Experience Subcommittee

Monday, August 15

Steering Committee

Wednesday, July 20

Lived Experience Subcommittee

Wednesday, July 13

CRIS Committee

Tuesday, July 12

Lived Experience Subcommittee

Tuesday, June 7

Steering Committee

Thursday, May 19

CRIS Committee

Tuesday, May 10

Lived Experience Subcommittee

Monday, April 18

Steering Committee

March 24

Lived Experience Subcommittee

March 21

CRIS Committee

March 15

Steering Committee

February 10

CRIS Committee

February 1

2021

CRIS Committee

Steering Committee

Subcommittees

Name of meeting

Date

Meeting materials

All-subcommittee kickoff

December 2

Committee members

CRIS Committee and Steering Committee

Members represent a diverse range of perspectives and serve in committee seats outlined by HB 1477. View the CRIS Committee and Steering Committee roster.

CRIS subcommittees

The Steering Committee formed seven CRIS subcommittees:

  • Credentialing and Training Subcommittee
  • Technology Subcommittee
  • Cross-System Crisis Response Subcommittee
  • Confidential Information Compliance and Coordination
  • Rural and Agricultural Communities
  • Lived Experience (open to all individuals and families with lived experience; subcommittee will not be limited in size)
  • Tribal 988 Subcommittee (facilitated through the Tribal Centric Behavioral Health Advisory Board)

Subcommittees will help support implementation of the new 9-8-8 National Suicide Prevention Lifeline and help develop recommendations for an integrated behavioral health crisis response and suicide prevention system in Washington. The CRIS Steering Committee selected subcommittee members for their diverse community perspectives and professional expertise.

For information about subcommittee work, please see the HB 1477 2023 Subcommittee report. 

View the 2022 HB 1477 Subcommittee report. 

Public comment

All CRIS Committee and Steering Committee meetings are public meetings. Members of the public are welcome and encouraged to share input. All public comments, whether submitted during or outside of committee meetings, will be considered by CRIS Committee and Steering Committee members.

How do I make a public comment?

There is an opportunity at each CRIS and Steering Committee meeting to share comments, and members of the public who wish to do so can email Nicola Pinson, by noon one business day before the meeting. In addition, if you would like to submit a written comment, please email HCA Program 1477.

Reports and documentation

Legislative reports

January 1, 2022: First legislative progress report, including result of a comprehensive assessment of the current behavioral health crisis response and suicide prevention services system, and preliminary recommendations related to funding of crisis response services from the Statewide 988 Behavioral Health Crisis Response and Suicide Prevention Line Account (Account).

January 1, 2023: Second legislative progress report

January 1, 2024: Third legislative progress report, including recommendations in 13+ areas outlined by the legislation.

Federal and State legislation
HCA / DOH reports

HCA reports

DOH documents

DOH/Vibrant technical details

DOH presentations

Resources

Committee charters

Review the CRIS Committee charter and CRIS Steering Committee charter to learn more about their charge, roles and responsibilities, meeting guidelines, and more.

Contact