Healthcare workers in Washington state’s under-resourced system are bearing the brunt, including a rise in violence on the job in recent years. Assaulting a healthcare worker is an automatic felony in our state.  Seattle Times Investigative Reporter Sydney Brownstone is here to tell us how a law meant to protect workers is disproportionately affecting people with severe mental illness. Read the investigation here: https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/mental-health/a-law-to-protect-wa-health-care-workers-keeps-patients-in-crisis/ We can only make Seattle Now because listeners support us. You have the power! Make the show happen by making a gift to KUOW: https://www.kuow.org/donate/seattlenow And we want to hear from you! Follow us on Instagram at SeattleNowPod, or leave us feedback online: https://www.kuow.org/feedback See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.