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, in partnership with seven subcommittees, developed legislative recommendations to support implementation of the national 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline and the statewide improvement of behavioral health crisis response and suicide prevention services.

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Crisis response improvement strategy overview

The Washington State Legislature passed House Bill 1477 which directed 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.

Currently, the CRIS Committee meets quarterly and meetings are open to the public.

Read more about the committee members.

Meeting schedule and materials

Learn about public comments at CRIS meetings.

2025

CRIS Committee
Date How to join Meeting materials

Tuesday, November 4 

1 to 3 p.m.
  • Hybrid: in person meeting option at HCA or virtual
  • Additional meeting details and link will be provided two weeks prior to meeting
  
Steering Committee

Date

How to join

Meeting materials

The October meeting has been cancelled. 

    
Lived Experience Collaborative
Date How to join Meeting materials

Monday, November 10

1 to 3 p.m.

    

Monday, December 8

1 to 3 p.m.

    

Past meetings

2025
Committee Date Meeting materials
Lived Experience Collaborative  Monday, October 13 

Meeting focus: This meeting will include a presentation from Kirkland Connections, a discussion of the future of the Lived Experience Collaborative, and community updates. 
Lived Experience Collaborative  Monday, September 8

Meeting focus: This meeting will focus on Mobile Response and Stabilization Services (MRSS), upcoming topics for Lived Experience meetings, and community updates.
Lived Experience Collaborative Monday, August 11 
CRIS Committee Thursday, August 7 

Lived Experience Collaborative

Monday, July 14 

Meeting focus: This meeting will focus on the Caller Bill of Rights and community updates.
Lived Experience Collaborative Monday, June 9 
CRIS Committee Friday, June 6

Meeting focus: This meeting will focus on DOH and HCA updates, technical updates, tribal updates and Lived Experience updates. There will be time for public comment.
Lived Experience Collaborative Monday, May 12

Meeting focus: This meeting will focus on updates from the CRIS Steering Committee, the future of the Lived Experience Collaborative, and legislative updates.
CRIS Steering Committee Tuesday, May 6 
Lived Experience Collaborative Monday, April 14 

Meeting focus: This meeting will focus on engaging lived experience input on the development of Mental Health Advanced Directive training, as well as discussion of the future of the Lived Experience Collaborative.
Lived Experience Collaborative Monday, March 10

Meeting focus: This meeting will focus on legislative updates and the future of the Lived Experience group.
Lived Experience Collaborative Monday, February 10

Meeting focus: This meeting will 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 2025 legislative session.
Lived Experience Collaborative Tuesday, January 21
2024

Committee

Date

Meeting materials
Steering Committee Monday, December 16
Lived Experience Subcommittee Monday, December 9

Meeting focus: This meeting focused on the future of the Lived Experience Subcommittee and discussion about future meetings in 2025.
CRIS Committee Wednesday, November 13

Meeting focus: This meeting focused on feedback on the draft Committee final report as well as discussing future plans for the CRIS in 2025.
Lived Experience Subcommittee Tuesday, November 12

Tribal listening session

 Monday, November 4
Lived Experience Subcommittee Tuesday, October 15

Meeting focus: This meeting focused on the Lived Experience Stories Project, development of final CRIS Committee recommendations, and discussion of the Subcommittee's ideas for continued Lived Experience engagement in efforts to improve Washington's behavioral health crisis response.
Lived Experience Subcommittee Monday, September 9

Meeting focus: This meeting focused on plans for the CRIS Committee in 2025, 988 Geo-routing implementation plans, and updates on the Lived Experience Stories Project.
CRIS Committee Tuesday, September 24
Lived Experience Subcommittee Monday, August 12
Lived Experience Subcommittee Monday, July 8

Meeting focus: This meeting focused on updates from the June 2024 CRIS Committee meeting and HCA Bed Registry Discovery Session.
CRIS Committee Tuesday, July 16

Meeting focus: This meeting focused on learning about crisis work in Indian Country, as well as discussing cross system collaborations.
CRIS Committee Tuesday, June 18

Meeting focus: This meeting focused on learning about specific needs of and programs for youth and transitional-age youth experiencing a behavioral health crisis, as well as recommendations on which system expansions and improvements will best serve youth.
Lived Experience Subcommittee Monday, June 10

Meeting focus: This meeting continued the discussion of ways to elevate lived experience voices to improve Washington's behavioral health crisis system, as well as focused on updates from HCA, the CRIS Stories Project, and a discussion on Substance use disorder (SUD).
Lived Experience Subcommittee

Monday, May 13

Meeting focus: This meeting continued the discussion of ways to elevate lived experience voices to improve Washington's behavioral health crisis system, as well as focused on opportunities available in the community for our Lived Experience members to become more involved.
CRIS Committee Thursday, April 18

Meeting focus: This meeting focused on identifying remaining gaps in the discussion of system performance metrics, specifically considerations for individuals with substance use disorder and rural and agricultural communities.
Lived Experience Subcommittee Monday, April 8

Meeting focus: Updates on the Washington 988 communications campaign and 988 Contact Hub rulemaking, as well as discussion of Substance Use Disorders and Crisis Response.
CRIS Committee Thursday, March 28
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.

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

Originally, 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)

The CRIS Committee selected subcommittee members for their diverse community perspectives and professional expertise to help develop recommendations for an integrated behavioral health and suicide prevention system in Washington. Subcommittee work has now concluded, with the Lived Experience Collaborative and Tribal 988 Subcommittee continuing to meet monthly. 

Lived Experience Stories Project

The Lived Experience subcommittee of the CRIS Committee engaged the CRIS Lived Experience Stories Project – a project aimed to elevate stories and perspectives of people across Washington state who have accessed behavioral health crisis services for themselves or someone else. These shared stories were brought into the work of the CRIS and informed the development of recommendations for improving the state behavioral health crisis system. For outcomes from this work, please see the CRIS Lived Experience Project Summary and video presentation.

Public comment

All CRIS 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 Committee meeting to share comments, and members of the public who wish to do so can email Bonnie Shelley, 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, 2025: Final Report to the Governor and Legislature fulfilling requirements as set forth by RCW 71.24.892.

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

January 1, 2023: Second legislative progress report

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).

Federal and State legislation
HCA / DOH reports

HCA reports

DOH documents

DOH/Vibrant technical details

DOH presentations

Resources

Contact

Email: HCA Program 1477