DC Mental Health Transformation Act
A Responsible, Partnership-Driven Approach to Care in Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C. is facing a mental health crisis that touches families, hospitals, first responders, and neighborhoods across the city. Emergency rooms are overwhelmed, too many residents struggle to access timely care, and law enforcement is often asked to respond to situations that require clinical expertise.
Regan’s Mental Health Transformation Framework outlines a practical, phased approach to strengthening mental health care across the District; focused on capacity, coordination, and accountability. The goal is simple: a system that delivers care with dignity, reliability, and long-term stability.
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Expanding Psychiatric Care Through Partnership
Regan supports working collaboratively with hospital systems and providers to expand access to inpatient and crisis psychiatric care. This includes strengthening acute stabilization services, improving care coordination, and reducing unnecessary emergency room congestion, using incentives, standards, and targeted investment rather than one-size-fits-all mandates.
Crisis Response That Centers Care
Mental health emergencies should be met with treatment, not default criminalization. This framework prioritizes hospital-based crisis stabilization, mobile psychiatric response teams, and expanded alternatives to police-led responses — ensuring residents receive appropriate care quickly and safely.
Building Toward Dedicated Mental Health Facilities
Long-term psychiatric care remains a gap in the District. Regan supports a phased plan to expand long-term treatment capacity and develop specialized services for youth and veterans; grounded in community engagement, workforce readiness, and sustainable funding.
Strengthening the Mental Health Workforce
A strong system depends on skilled professionals. This framework emphasizes expanding training pipelines, supporting workforce retention, strengthening crisis intervention training for first responders, and investing in peer support and community-based recovery programs.
Sustainable, Responsible Funding
Mental health reform requires stable investment and fiscal discipline. Regan’s approach focuses on aligning local resources with federal funding, optimizing Medicaid support, and exploring legally sound public-private partnerships — ensuring reforms are sustainable and transparent.
Accountability & Transparency
Residents deserve to see results. This framework commits to public reporting, outcome tracking, and ongoing community input — building trust through transparency, measurement, and continuous improvement.
Get Involved
This framework will continue to be shaped through engagement with healthcare professionals, first responders, community organizations, and residents.
Mental health care is not optional; it is foundational to public safety, economic stability, and human dignity. Regan’s approach is serious, collaborative, and responsible; focused on building a mental health system that works for patients, providers, and communities across all eight wards.