Do you have a loved one at Western State Hospital? We'd like to hear from you

The News Tribune and The Olympian are looking to speak with people who have experienced stays at Western State Hospital, the state-run psychiatric facility in Lakewood.

The stories of patients and their families are critical to learning more about how state government operates and how our mental health system is functioning. They also shed light on personal struggles with mental health and help fight the stigma attached to psychiatric disorders.

If you or a loved one is currently a patient or has recently been treated at Western State Hospital, we would like to hear from you.

Contact reporter Walker Orenstein at walker.orenstein@thenewstribune.com or 360-786-1826. Please leave your contact information so we can reach you if need be.

The state is currently trying to reshape the hospital and improve our long-struggling mental health system. The issue will likely be at the forefront of the Legislature's 2019 session, which begins in January.

This story was originally published May 17, 2018 at 1:40 PM with the headline "Do you have a loved one at Western State Hospital? We'd like to hear from you."