Mental Health

Two policy trends converged in 1990 to highlight the need within the Department of Social and Health Services for information on actual and possible clients, grouped by social category (race, ethnicity, gender, age and disability) and by location (county, region and local field office). First, the Minority initiative raised a number of fundamental questions about the way DSHS was serving minority populations. Second, the Strategic Planning effort raised important issues around geographic access and client service relative to need.