A Community of Change

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A Community of Change

I love Spokane. My family and I feel blessed to live in a place that is filled with beautiful landscape, amazing people and an independent spirit that makes things possible. There is a secret sauce in Eastern Washington that makes our Accountable Community of Health work. We are not waiting to be told what to do; we are making it happen.

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Guest Blog: Better care through integrated Behavioral Health Organizations

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Guest Blog: Better care through integrated Behavioral Health Organizations

Behavioral health conditions, including mental illness and substance use disorders, are widespread among Medicaid’s high-need, high-cost recipients, many of whom also have chronic physical conditions. 

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Accountable Community of Health

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Accountable Communities of Health (ACHs) are a key component of of Healthier Washington, our state’s coordinated effort to help ensure better health, better care and lower costs for Washington residents.

Better Health Together serves as lead for the Spokane region ACH, a community-based partnership working across all sectors and all seven of our counties, to develop shared priority, strategies and action plans to improve health.

Visit the Regional Impact Map to see our network of ACH partners.

Featured
Medicaid Transformation Project (MTP) Public Comment Period
Medicaid Transformation Project (MTP) Public Comment Period

The HCA is asking for feedback on their draft application for our state’s Section 1115 Medicaid demonstration waiver renewal. They will use feedback to refine the application that the HCA will submit to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) this summer. Read the letters from BHT’s Board of Directors and Community Voices Council.

2022-23 Behavioral Health Initiatives
2022-23 Behavioral Health Initiatives

As 2021 closes, BHT still has approximately $1.5 million of IMC funds to allocate. At the September BH Forum, partners discussed how they would like to see us use the IMC funds over the next two years. At the November Board meeting, the Board approved allocation for the remaining IMC funds toward behavioral health initiatives in 2022-23.

Our Region Wide Vision
Medicaid Demonstration Toolkit Overview
Healthier Washington
Medicaid Transformation Waiver
Medicaid Transformation Waiver
Regional Health Improvement Project
Regional Health Improvement Project
Strategy Map – Integrated Care
Strategy Map – Integrated Care
Strategy Map – Community Determinants of Health
Strategy Map – Community Determinants of Health
Strategy Map – Population Health

The Navigator Network of Eastern Washington

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The Navigator Network of Eastern Washington has 150 assisters and 48 partners in 7 counties.

The Navigator Network launched with a target enrollment goal of 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 95% of our region has insurance coverage.

Our network’s tremendous success comes from the web of diverse partners connected across our region. Visit the Regional Impact Map to see the collaboration and reach of The Navigator Network.

These partners represent many sectors including: Community health clinics, hospitals, public health, nonprofit organizations, faith based community organizations, behavioral health providers, the criminal justice system, aging and long-term care, affordable housing agencies, libraries, early learning, K-12 education, and higher education.

This vast network 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.

Throughout the year, BHT coordinates numerous outreach activities leading up to the annual open enrollment period for health insurance. We also strategically reach out to people who qualify for special enrollment, such as people losing other coverage due to a change in employment or income. This work happens at community-based events, through community based partnerships, higher education, with the business sector, and in faith-based settings. Overall, we have engaged more than 60,000 individuals through direct, in-person outreach and awareness activities.

We Love Data

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We Love Data

As we dive deeper and deeper into the Accountable Community of Health work, we all keep
wondering—how are we going to measure this stuff? How are we going to demonstrate change? What is the benchmark on this data? We are fortunate in our region to have a solid Data Center at Spokane Regional Health District, but we cannot do this alone.

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DENT (Dental Emergencies Needing Treatment)

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BHT-our-opportunity-infographic-03.png

The DENT program connects patients to dental care and expands the network of dental providers accepting Apple Health. It was designed to reduce unnecessary Emergency Room utilization for dental emergencies and to coordinate a network of oral health care providers to improve access, health, and reduce costs for this population.

Our Community Health Worker team receives referrals from the Emergency Room and connects patients with Medicaid accepting dentists, provides behavioral coaching and ensuring that patients have the support to follow their dental care plan. We are also working to to recruit new dentists to accept Apple Health patients.

Go to the Regional Impact Map to see funders and partners for this and other BHT programs.

A Plan for a Healthier Washington

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  • Build healthier communities and people through prevention and early attention to disease
  • Integrate care and social supports for individuals who have both physical and behavioral health needs
  • Reward quality heath care over quantity, with state government leading by example as Washington's largest purchaser of health care