The report includes a regional overview: behavioral health needs, treatment, and financing, as well as focused subsections of the report provide more in-depth data on: 1) racial/ethnic disparities in behavioral health care access; 2) community behavioral health; and 3) transportation and geographic access to care.
Read MoreAt the September meeting, the BHT Board of Directors approved an allocation of up to $207,000 in funding from Integrated Managed Care (IMC) dollars to support the Washington State Broadband Office's Feasibility and Grant Maximization Initiative.
Read MoreBHT is inviting proposals with the intent to support innovative approaches that work to reduce recidivism, embed an equitable approach, and improve access to behavioral health services for criminal justice involved individuals, as well as, early intervention and prevention with youth.
Read MoreIn observance of Suicide Prevention Month, BHT encourages Washingtonians to #BeThere — to help prevent suicide. Being there by being present, supportive, and strong for those who may be going through a difficult time.
Read MoreThe Whole Child Health Collaborative (WCHC) is a workgroup within the Tribal Partners Leadership Council (TPLC) that is focused on engaging youth and families in prevention initiatives that include cultural, learning, and physical activities to nurture mind, body, and spirit.
Read MoreBetter Health Together is offering an Equity 101 Series of workshops with the goal of growing a shared understanding of equity concepts and language across BHT partner organizations.
Read MoreThis month the BHT Board approved for BHT staff to advocate for community water fluoridation via councilmanic action and approved an allocation of $250,000 from our Regional Infrastructure dollars to support the implementation once approved.
Read MoreWe are releasing $1 million of our Community Resiliency Fund in a Request For Proposal process to address racism. We will prioritize awarding dollars to organizations led by and serving Black, Indigenous, and people of color.
Read MoreBHT is addressing racism as a public health crisis by distributing $1 million from our Community Resiliency Fund to model a funding opportunity that prioritizes awarding dollars to organizations led by and serving Black, Indigenous, and people of color. BHT is seeking broad community input on this concept so we can ensure it is an accessible, trusted, and transparent process. Please click here to view the document and provide us with any comments, questions, concerns, or suggestions you may have through the survey linked below.
HCA’s annual Paying for Value survey due Monday, August 31
Read MoreOver the next three years, a Partner’s Pay-for-Reporting earnings from each of the three categories of work and will be based on a combination of selecting measures, then reporting on and meeting those measures.
March 2020: The sections “Pay-for-Reporting Payments At Risk” and “Contract Payment Schedules” have been updated to reflect new Board decisions.
Read MoreThis week, BHT's Board of Directors unanimously approved several motions regarding racism and the action we will take to combat systems of oppression and steward change.
Read MoreWashington Listens is a new program to support anyone in Washington experiencing stress due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Read MoreBHT wrote the Spokane Public Schools Board in support of the adoption of the Board resolution on racial equity. The letter is copied below:
To:
School Board President, Jerrall Haynes
School Board Vice President, Michael Wiser
School Board Member, Nicki Lockwood
School Board Member, Jenny Slagle
School Board Member, Kevin Morrison
From: Alison Poulsen, Executive Director
Date: June 9, 2020
RE: Support for School Board Resolution on Racial Equity
On behalf of the Board and staff of Better Health Together (BHT), we strongly support the proposed Resolution on Racial Equity. BHT is committed to ensuring every person in our community has the institutional support to achieve their full health potential and that no person experiences negative health outcomes as a result of identity, environment, or experiences.
Over the past two years, BHT has committed our work to increase health equity through our Medicaid Transformation efforts. These efforts include:
Financially supporting our Community Voices Council members with stipends. It’s often an unfair financial burden to community members to participate, while organizations pay for their leaders to participate.
Organizationally supporting our county-based Collaboratives to select a community Equity project. The Spokane Collaborative has prioritized activities related to:
outreach to policymakers and landlords regarding rental assistance needs emerging during COVID;
parent & caregiver support trainings in the 99207 zip code, and connecting those trainings to resources & incentives such as food and financial assistance; and
creating messaging about available mental health resources while mental health stigma may be lessened during COVID.
Structuring our contracts with Primary Care and Behavioral Health providers to include Pay-for-Equity activities.
Deepening our BHT staff and Board’s commitment to equity via monthly equity trainings and workgroups focused on expanding knowledge and dismantling white supremacy culture.
We stand with Spokane Schools to build anti-racism into the bones of our society to increase empowerment, belonging, value, and hope for the future (adapted from Ijeoma Olou). We applaud your adoption of this Racial Equity resolution and action steps.
BHT is currently requesting proposals from individuals or organizations experienced in web design. The project is the creation of a website that will act as a centralized “check-point” for regional behavioral health and social determinants of health (SDoH) providers regarding key services, current availability, and org contact info.
Read MoreBHT’s equity journey, resources that are teaching and inspiring us, and an important call to action.
Read MoreContent warning: this letter addresses the topic of missing and murdered indigenous women including domestic and sexual violence.
Read MoreThe Better Health Together Board of Directors approved the first allocation of dollars from our Community Resiliency Fund to go to the COVID-19 Response and Recovery Fund.
The COVID-19 Community Response and Recovery Funds will provide funding to organizations that have deep roots in community and strong experience serving the elderly, homeless, residents without health insurance and/or access to sick days, communities of color, people with limited English language proficiency, healthcare, hospitality and gig economy workers, and low-wage employees, among others.
To view the full story click here.
For help with health insurance call (509) 340-9008. Individuals can also contact the Health Benefit Exchange Customer Support Center at 1-855-923-4633; TTY: 1-855-627-9604.
Read MoreOn its tenth anniversary, the Affordable Care Act (ACA) is helping our state provide health care during a pandemic.
Being at the center of the COVID-19 pandemic shows how critical it is for Washington State to have a strong health system. A virus does not discriminate, and we need everyone, regardless of their income, to be able to access health care to keep us all safe.
Passed by Congress 10 years ago this week, the ACA has helped 600,000 uninsured Washingtonians get health coverage and care. While there’s not a lot for health care providers to celebrate right now, we do want to honor this anniversary and stand strong to protect the ACA.
The Affordable Care Act enabled Washington State to significantly expand Medicaid coverage, greatly increasing health care access and resources. This has been particularly important for access to dental care as the number of Medicaid-insured adults accessing dental care each year has more than doubled since the state expanded Medicaid. In total, our state’s expanded health care safety net now provides health care to more than 1.7 million patients.
The ACA has also increased access to health services that are critical in addressing our state’s homelessness and opioid crises. The ACA created more funding for mental health and substance use treatment, and rural hospitals have been able to remain open thanks to Medicaid expansion.
Better Health Together launched the Navigator network in 2013 with the audacious goal of enrolling 10,000 participants in qualified healthcare plans. Within the first two years, the Network dramatically exceeded this number, enrolling more than 100,000 participants. Because of this work, more than 96% of our Eastern Washington region now has insurance coverage.
Our network’s tremendous success comes from the web of diverse partners connected across our region. This vast network of partners, which represents many sectors has reached population segments including un/underinsured people, older adults, people with disabilities, low-income individuals and families, people experiencing homelessness, foster youth, prison and re-entry populations, people with limited English proficiency, migrant workers, small businesses, rural populations, and the region’s diverse racial/ethnic populations.
Unfortunately, the ACA has been under attack for the past several years. Federal threats to weaken it put millions of people at risk of losing access to health care. But the fact is that people depend on coverage provided by the ACA. Global health care emergencies such as the coronavirus show how much our health is connected to everyone around us. Washington State policymakers must protect the advances gained through the ACA to ensure that everyone in our state can access health care, keeping us all safer.
