Senate passes mental health reform bill, with major price tag

OLYMPIA, Wash. -- The state Senate on Thursday passed an ambitious and expensive bill to reform the mental health care system in Washington state.

The bill does many different things. First and foremost, it integrates screening and treatment for mental illness and drug and alcohol addiction, because the problems often occur together.

The bill would also allow county governments to levy a one-tenth of 1 percent sales tax to pay for new and expanded mental health and chemical dependency services.

The bill goes to the state House now. The mental health bill is Senate Bill 5763.