BHT Testifies at Senate Health and Long Term Care Committee

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BHT Testifies at Senate Health and Long Term Care Committee

Watch the recent Senate Health & Long Term Care Committee work session on health equity work in the public and private sectors. Event speakers include Dr. Tim Garnett, Chief Medical Officer and Senior Vice President of Eli Lilly, Dekker Dirksen, Director of Public Policy for Community Health Plan of Washington, Ken Jaslow, Vice President of Quality and Healthcare Performance with Premera Blue Cross, Paul Hollie, Social Impact Lead for Premera Blue Cross, and Alison Poulsen, the Executive Director of Better Health Together.

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CRF Anti-Racism RFP Decisions

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CRF Anti-Racism RFP Decisions

Community Resiliency Fund (CRF) Anti-racism – Decisions on Request for Proposal (RFP) - BHT is excited to announce the projects awarded funds to address and prevent systemic impacts of racism. These projects will strengthen organizations led by and serving communities impacted by systems of oppression, specifically prioritizing opportunities to fund organizations led by Black, Indigenous, and people of color (BIPOC).

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Community Voices Council in 2021: What to Expect

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In 2021, we as a group will begin having important conversations about race and equity in our region. Kurtis Robinson, our new Board Representative Co-Chair, is the current Vice-President of the NAACP and is an activist in anti-racist and destigmatizing work in Spokane. He is a highly respected and sought-after equity and anti-racist trainer. We are privileged to have his wisdom and life experience on our council as we start this journey together. We will have difficult and often challenging conversations, but as BHT likes to say, "There isn't any growth in the comfort zone." Learn more about what the CVC will be working on in 2021!

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Planning for Our Future: A Sustainability Framework

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Planning for Our Future: A Sustainability Framework

As we entered 2020, the Board agreed to a deliberate effort to plan for BHT beyond the Waiver. From May through September 2020, the Board engaged in a planning process focused on our future and financial sustainability. The process included reviewing our history, assessing our capabilities and initiatives, surveying the external environment, and gathering staff input. Board members discussed gaps in the region and identified opportunities to build on and expand current work. Finally, the Board identified areas for us to focus on going forward.

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Open Enrollment 8 is a wrap!

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Open Enrollment 8 is a wrap!

January 15 marked the last day of Open Enrollment 8. We are sure you can hear the collective sigh of relief as our hardworking Navigator Network eased back into a more normal pace of work. Our Access to Care team along with the entire Navigator Network assisted over 4,000 of these individuals in gaining or continuing their health coverage.

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Smile Spokane Receives Oral Health Hero Award from Arcora

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We are so pleased Smile Spokane and its Healthy Smiles Subcommittee are the recipients of Arcora’s Oral Health Hero Awards for their work toward implementing Community Water Fluoridation. This couldn’t have happened without the amazing leadership of Alison Poulsen, Jerrie Allard, and Ben Stuckart along with the groundswell of support from countless community members, health care members, housing organizations, church pastors, activists, and parents who came out to support this public health initiative. This is a critical first step to radically improving the oral health of our city.

Arcora Oral Health Hero Award 2020.jpg

Criminal Justice RFP Decisions

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Criminal Justice RFP Decisions

BHT is excited to announce the final funding recommendation for community projects applying for our Criminal Justice RFP. Revive Center for Returning Citizens, Pioneer Human Services, The Way to Justice, and The Freedom Project, were chosen for our adult-focused projects. Pend Oreille County Counseling Services will receive funding for our rural projects. We have selected Northeast Youth and Family Services and Spokane Public Schools behavioral health Agency for youth funding.

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Spokane Collaborative Meeting Materials - Nov 19, 2020

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  • Affordable Housing Policy Letters

    • See the letters here

    • Sign-on link - open to orgs & individuals (please sign & share!)

  • CVC 2021 Recruitment

  • Equity workgroups

  • Partner shares

    • The ZoNE Project – new organizer introduction

    • Spokane City Council Housing Forum - Nov 24, 6-8pm

      • Information here

      • Can also contact Alex Gibilisco (agibilisco@spokanecity.org)

    • Spokane City Council 1590 vote - Nov 30, 6-8pm

      • Looking for testifiers, especially those with lived experience - contact Katie Ashmore Zinler (katie@spokanealliance.org)

      • Information here

    • Rental assistance available at SNAP - info here

    • Peer Coach training (Recovery Coach CCAR)

      • Peer Spokane offering training in December on Zoom

      • For information, email info@peerspokane.org

  • BHT Trainings

    • Why Race Matters – last offering in 2020!

      • 3 part series – Nov 30, Dec 2 & 4 (Mon-Weds-Fri). Open to all BHT partners.

      • Register here

    • Evidence-Based Strategies for Treatment of Anxiety and Depression training

      • Tues, Dec 15, 9-12

      • Focus on treatment of children & adolescents

      • CEUs available – Register here

Rural Collaborative Equity Project Updates

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All Counties had to revise their focus or activities due to COVID-19.

Adams County has chosen its measures and will begin work on increasing access to preventative care for women living in Adams County. Quarterly story reports will be available for partners to track progress.

Lincoln County will be posting a job for the Equity Focused Prevention Specialist in the coming weeks. This position will lead the equity work in Lincoln County and outreach low-income adults in Lincoln County, with a goal to increase access to behavioral health services.

Stevens County is waiting until Commissioners are in place to move forward with a revised equity project plan.

Ferry County has chosen to focus on suicide prevention, as suicide rates have increased in rural areas during the COVID pandemic. They will be working to saturate the Ferry County population with suicide prevention training and de-stigmatization of behavioral health issues. This project is set to start in January 2021 and will include an online resource site and free to the public online trainings.

Pend Oreille has begun its work to improve the mental health of youth in their region, with a commitment from multiple partners, in multiple sectors working to outreach the Pend Oreille County youth.

Virtual Spaces on Racial Justice

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Virtual Spaces on Racial Justice

Better Health Together is committed to supporting and providing these spaces to grieve, heal, and organize for change in our community. Spaces will be held December 18th, 16th, and 30th. Please share within your organization.

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