Mental Health & Substance Use Disorder

Public health is more than physical health. Mental health is important to overall wellbeing. We aim to better support those in need of mental health services throughout Kittitas County.

Every 3 years we create a report called the Community Health Assessment (CHA). This report talks about the current health of our community. The 2022 report noted more interest in supporting mental health and substance use treatment.

Kittitas County 1/10th of 1% Mental Health and Chemical Dependency Tax

In 2021, The Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) held a Public Meeting and passed the 1/10th of 1% Increase in Sales and Use Tax. This means part of our local sales tax goes to programs for mental health and substance use. For every one dollar you spend at the store, one penny goes towards these programs.

Advisory Board

The BOCC created the Kittitas County 1/10th of 1% Mental Health and Chemical Dependency Tax Advisory Board. This board gives recommendations to the BOCC about how to use the money.

Sunset Clause

The Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) had a public hearing in December 2025. The public was given this opportunity to share their thoughts on the Mental Health and Chemical Dependency Tax. BOCC voted to remove the original sunset clause. This means the tax will become permanent.
See the agenda, minutes, and video here: Kittitas County Board of County Commissioners | Meeting Details
Read the Press Release here: Kittitas County Press Releases

Check out our Mental Health & Substance Use Disorder Projects page to see how these funds are helping the community!