2017 DSHS News Releases

Welcome to DSHS' news releases for 2017. You may search by keyword and release number.

CMS survey complete at Western State Hospital

Wednesday, May 24, 2017 - 17:00

DSHS Office of Communications, Kelly Stowe, 360-902-7739

OLYMPIA--The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) completed its resurvey of Western State Hospital (WSH) today. The re-survey will determine if the hospital can retain its certification and remain eligible for nearly $65 million in yearly federal funding.

The re-certification survey is the part of the Systems Improvement Agreement (SIA) between the state Department of Social and Health Services (DSHS), which oversees state-operated psychiatric hospitals, and CMS to ensure ...read more

Healthy Youth Survey results show a rise in Washington teens who consider suicide

Sunday, May 14, 2017 - 17:00

DSHS Office of Communications, Kelly Stowe, (360) 902-7739

OLYMPIA—Results from latest Healthy Youth Survey - HYS, taken in the fall of 2016 by tweens and teens in Washington, shows that one in five high school students seriously considered suicide in the past 12 months.

During the past decade, there has been a 6 percentage point rise in 8th and 10th graders in our state who have contemplated suicide and an 8 percentage point increase in 12th graders.

“This is an alarming trend,” said Gov. Jay Inslee. “Suicide can be prevented if we ...read more

CMS survey underway at Western State Hospital

Sunday, May 7, 2017 - 17:00

DSHS Office of Communications, Kelly Stowe, (360) 902-7739

OLYMPIA- The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) began its re-survey at Western State Hospital (WSH) today to determine if the hospital can retain its certification and remain eligible for nearly $65 million in yearly federal funding.

The re-certification survey is the result of a Systems Improvement Agreement between the state Department of Social and Health Services (DSHS), which oversees state-operated psychiatric hospitals, and CMS to ensure WSH meets Conditions of ...read more

Most Washington teens reject alcohol and other drugs

Tuesday, March 14, 2017 - 17:00

DSHS Office of Communications, Kelly Stowe, 360-888-0730

OLYMPIA-Results for the 2016 Washington Healthy Youth Survey - HYS show that teen rates of substance use in our state have remained mostly unchanged since the last survey was taken in 2014, and that most teens avoid alcohol, marijuana, tobacco and other drugs.

“The health, safety and economic impacts of substance use disorders affect many individuals, families and communities in our state, and a wide range of organizations at all levels are partnering to prevent them,” said Governor ...read more

Western State Hospital Brings Dr. Brian Gilfeather to its team

Monday, March 13, 2017 - 17:00

DSHS Office of Communications, Kathy Spears, (253) 756-2667

LAKEWOOD --Dr. Brian Gilfeather, a new member of Western State Hospital’s psychiatric team, brings years of health care experience to Washington’s largest state-operated psychiatric hospital.

Dr. Gilfeather is a graduate of Harvard College and earned his medical degree at Boston University School of Medicine, and comes to Western State Hospital well prepared to address the challenges of mental illness.

He was hired to lead the hospital’s East Campus and Habilitative Mental ...read more