The Community Linkages RFP is live now, a $3.6 million funding opportunity. BHT is inviting proposals from organizations providing care coordination and services for social determinants of health. Learn how to apply here.
Read MoreTo further support our commitment to anti-racism work, BHT is releasing an additional $2,000,000 of our Community Resiliency Fund in a Request for Proposal process to address Racism as a Public Health crisis and prioritize awarding dollars to organizations led by and serving impacted populations.*
Read MoreSmile Spokane is a Local Impact Network (LIN) of organizations working together to transform oral health in the region. Smile Spokane serves as an organizing entity with strategies in place to improve oral health in Spokane.
Read MoreThe Washington Integrated Care Assessment (WA-ICA) was developed as a state-wide tool to measure integrated care. The new assessment tool will replace various other tools used by the state and MCOs. Resources within.
Read MoreReports of fake texts and phone calls to Medicaid clients have been reported over the past couple weeks in other states. We’re asking Apple Health (Medicaid) clients to be aware of suspicious contact seeking money to maintain their health coverage.
Read MoreTopics: Updates and continued design planning on small bucket initiatives.
Read MoreTelehealth virtual appointments allow students to see a physician on-site at school with their school nurse there to assist in taking measurements and administering medication. These appointments help make accessing care more equitable, especially for parents who struggle finding the time or transportation to take their children to receive care.
Read MoreThe 2022 Regional Report is now available!
Better Health Together offered the Equity Assessment to partner organizations throughout Eastern Washington as a way to continue our shared work of advancing equity in our region.
Read MoreFebruary 2023 Update: The Behavioral Health Forum has allocated an additional $150,000 to support behavioral health supervision. Click for full information, including eligibility details and the application link.
We've released a funding application to support partner organizations with SUD and master’s level behavioral health supervision so that staff can gain critical licensure & build capacity for supervision in our region. Funding awards of up to $10,000 per partner are available until the $150,000 available is expended.
Better Health Together is hiring! Visit our Careers page to learn more about current position openings and apply to join our team of tenacious problem-solvers.
Read MoreTopics: Review small bucket proposals for discussion and approval
Read MoreSpokane Collaborative meeting materials for February 2023.
Read MoreIn the spring of 2022, Better Health Together commissioned research firms Mathematica and Comagine Health to conduct a landscape analysis of Eastern Washington’s community-based care coordination system.
Read MoreHere’s a look back at 2022, and a glimpse into some of the exciting things to come in 2023!
Read MoreThe Behavioral Health Forum is a convening body for organizations that provide behavioral health services to Medicaid populations, enhance the behavioral health workforce, or interact with other ways with behavioral health systems in Eastern Washington. In 2022, the Forum engaged in a participatory budgeting process to allocate $1.2 million of integrated managed care funds to 12 initiatives that support the behavioral health workforce. This funding is available to eligible organizations and individuals as determined by Forum members. Descriptions and details for these initiatives can be viewed by clicking the plus sign (+) beside the orange headings below. Note that some are currently open and some have not yet launched.
For additional information, see our 2024 Behavioral Health Workforce Investments Update. If you have questions or would like additional details about the initiatives listed here, contact Hannah Klaassen, Program Manager (Hannah@BetterHealthTogether.org).
September 2023 update: all funds have been allocated to support provider organizations with supervision for master’s level behavioral health (including SUD) staff so they can gain critical licensure and the region can build supervision capacity.
Read results of the round one behavioral health supervision funding at this link. Stay tuned for reporting results from this second round of funding, coming in 2024.
Funding covers the cost for behavioral health providers serving Medicaid populations in the Better Health Together region to complete the SUDP Alternative Certification program through the Community Colleges of Spokane. Total available Forum funds: $66,000. Cost of the alternative certification program: $5499/person.
Please note that supervised SUD counseling hours are also required for certification and vary based on the applicant’s level of formal education. Visit the Department of Health Certification Requirements page for additional details about the SUDP credential.
For information about the program, see this flyer or visit this CCS web page.
Email Hannah Klaassen, Program Manager at Hannah@BetterHealthTogether.org to request funding.
The Forum has allocated a total of $207,864 in scholarships to support the first cohort (fall 2023 start date) in this new program at Spokane Falls Community College. The Bachelor’s of Applied Science in Integrated Behavioral Health (BAS-IBH) program builds on SFCC’s programs in addiction studies and integrated community services.
To learn more about the degree, visit the SFCC website. The scholarship program will be managed by the SFCC team, including the decision process and award distribution.
Funds provide flexible financial support to organizations in the BHT region (six counties and three reservations in Eastern Washington) that are training the behavioral health workforce through formal practicum and internship programs. By offering this funding, the Forum aims to support supervisors, administrators, clinicians, and clinicians-in-training to better train and retain members of the Medicaid-serving behavioral health workforce.
This initiative funds one week-long Certified Peer Counselor (CPC) training specifically for Eastern Washington candidates and several WRAP trainings for Peers.
Twenty people completed CPC training November 13-17, 2023.
WRAP training dates will be posted when confirmed.
To learn more about the Certified Peer Counselor role, complete the online prerequisite course, and apply for a Health Care Authority CPC training, visit this Health Care Authority web page.
Between April 2024 and March 2025, the Forum is funding three Wellness Recover Action Plan (WRAP) trainings for the peer workforce. The first training is scheduled for April 23-24 and registration is closed.
Information about the next WRAP training, scheduled for Q1 2025, will be sent to the Forum contact list when registration open.
Arranged by the Eastern Washington Community Health Worker Network, these dollars fund training opportunities for Peers, Community Health Workers, and other members of the community-based workforce.
Connect with the Network and find out about upcoming training opportunities by emailing EWCHWNetwork@BetterHealthTogether.org or visiting this web page: https://waportal.org/partners/eastern-washington-community-health-worker-chw-network
Register for training opportunities at this link: https://www.betterhealthtogether.org/bold-solutions-content/bh-training
Topics include motivational interviewing, intergenerational trauma, and mental health first aid.
At the June 2024 meeting, members of the Better Health Together Behavioral Health Forum approved a motion to allocate $45,000 of training funds to offset lost billable hours. These dollars provide direct payments to member organizations to replace income lost when staff members are engaged in training that prevents them from billing for their time. Funds can cover any trainings attended by billable staff during the 2024 and 2025 calendar years.
Eleven organizations applied for funds and were awarded $4090 each to offset lost billable hours and support training for the behavioral health workforce.
Spokane Collaborative meeting materials for December, 2022.
Read MoreTopics: Design brainstorming for small bucket categories, planning for 2023
Read MoreIn 2017 a 100-day challenge to house 100 youth and young adults in Spokane. This effort grew into a collaborative effort to end youth and young adult (YYA) homelessness. In 2021 the HUD selected the Spokane community to participate in the Youth Homelessness Demonstration Program (YHDP). Learn more about the background leading up to Spokane’s YHDP.
Read MoreOverview of the Behavioral Health Forum’s 2022 body of work, which focused on identifying and developing workforce investments and initiatives to be implemented in 2023.
Read MoreThe Coordinated Community Plan for Spokane was developed through regular meetings with Core Team partners, including youth and young adults (YYA) with lived homelessness experience, service providers, and stakeholders. It represents the work of stakeholders from across the community — from YYA with lived experience, government, child welfare, education, workforce development, business, justice, affordable housing, advocacy, and community organizations.
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