BH Forum materials - February 2023
/Overview
In 2022, the Behavioral Health Forum allocated $1.2 million dollars of integrated managed care funds to initiatives that support the regional behavioral health workforce. During meetings in February, March, and June 2023, the Forum will discuss progress on active initiatives and continue planning to launch initiatives that are still in the design phase.
February Meeting Information
Helpful Handouts:
BHT Youth/Young Adult Program Presentation Slides
If you have additional comments or to register vote(s) on any of the discussion topics, please send an email to hannah@betterhealthtogether.org. Thank you!
Announcements
The UW Psychiatry Consultation Line (PCL) is a free, state-funded service that provides consultation regarding diagnosing and treating patients experiencing mental health and/or substance use conditions. As of a January 23 expansion, any mental health or substance use care provider in Washington may call the PCL with questions about medications or diagnosis. This includes prescribing providers and non-prescribing providers. Read more about the expansion here.
The Office of Behavioral Health Advocacy (OBHA) will be hosting a Behavioral Health Monthly Forum on the second Wednesday of each month from 3 to 4:30 pm. Hosted by Gail Kogle, Program Director East, OBHA, this Zoom gathering is for community members to talk about the region’s behavioral health system: what’s going well? Where can we improve? What are the biggest barriers to providing care? Click this link to view the flyer with full details. For an email invitation or additional information contact SpokaneRegion@obhadvocacy.org or call 509-655-2839.
The results of Better Health Together’s Community-based Care Coordination Landscape Analysis are available on this web page. The project’s goal was to identify the current state of care coordination and opportunities to create an improved whole-person model that will better meet the needs of residents and communities. Behavioral Health Forum members contributed to a focus group and participated by taking the survey. Follow the link to see full information including the report, appendices, a roadmap, and next steps.
Better Health Together is in the process of forming a Community Health Worker (CHW) Apprenticeship Program in Washington State that will need to be reviewed and approved by Washington State Labor & Industries (L&I) in July 2023. BHT is seeking people in Eastern Washington with experience in the CHW field to participate on the Apprenticeship Committee. They will be responsible for helping develop the Program Standards and making sure that the Program follows WA L&I guidelines as long as the Program remains active. The Committee needs to be comprised of an equal number of CHW employers and CHWs and can have 4-12 total members. We are offering an optional stipend for CHW representatives and/or those who work in smaller community-based organizations to help offset costs associated with their participation. More information about the committee and the application to join are available here: https://forms.office.com/r/m0gb7d2NG5. Please apply by Friday, February 10.
Contact Hannah@BetterHealthTogether.org to submit additional announcements for this page