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Where mission
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Curious about our latest initiatives? Dive into this month's newsletter to learn about the impactful Family Youth System Partner Roundtables, and discover how Mobile Response and Stabilization Services are supporting youth in crisis. Explore Mental Health America's comprehensive BIPOC Mental Health Toolkit, meet innovative early childhood providers in our Spotlight Series, and get the latest updates from the Strategic Plan Advisory Group meetings. Plus, find out how the Washington Fatherhood Council is making a difference.
Don't miss out—get all the details inside!
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The Washington Fatherhood Council, in collaboration with Camber Collective Consulting Group and researchers from the University of Washington, has launched an effort to evaluate the state of fatherhood support across Washington. This initiative aims to gain a clearer understanding of the progress made by individual agencies, programs, and policies, and their contributions toward the Council’s goals and vision.
Founded in 2018, the Washington Fatherhood Council is dedicated to fostering a father-friendly culture throughout the state. Its mission is to amplify the voices of fathers and father figures, strengthen families, and maximize children’s potential.
For a comprehensive summary of the study findings, an overview of Health Care Authority Division of Behavioral Health and Recovery agency activities, and highlights from the 2024 Washington State Fatherhood Council Summit, please follow the links below:
Stay tuned for more updates as we continue to support and celebrate fatherhood across Washington.
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The Strategic Plan Advisory Group is developing long-term, system-wide strategies to envision and strategize toward full access, high-quality, equitable care and support system across the behavioral health continuum of care.
A comprehensive continuum of care covers all stages of support, from education and well-being promotion to prevention, early intervention, outpatient treatment of varying levels, inpatient or residential care, and crisis and recovery support. It acknowledges the complexity of co-occurring conditions and aims to maintain ongoing stability and well-being for individuals, their families, and caregivers. Support is available wherever people seek it—at home, in schools, in communities—not just in clinical settings, and it is easily accessible.
Our monthly group meetings are open to the public and provide opportunities for active participation. We welcome and encourage everyone to get involved.
Upcoming meetings:
- Wednesday, July 17
- 10 to 11:30 a.m. Parents/Caregivers discussion group
- 4 to 5:30 p.m. Youth/Young Adults discussion group
- Thursday, July 18
- 1 to 2:30 p.m. System partners discussion group
- Monday, August 5
- 2:30 to 5:30 Prenatal – 25 Strategic Plan Advisory Group
In recognition of the complexity of implementing new policies and programs, HCA committed to hosting a Provider Spotlight series as a part of our quarterly Infant Early Childhood Mental Health Office Hours. Mental Health Assessment for Young Children (MHAYC) can involve a lot of different pieces across your organizations, this year’s Provider Spotlight series will support providers like you in putting the puzzle together. Each Provider Spotlight will focus on different aspects of implementation, and feature organizations who are putting it into practice.
Dates:
- July 25, 2024
- October 24, 2024
- January 23, 2025
- April 24, 2025
Mental Health America's has published the 2023 BIPOC Mental Health toolkit. This year's theme, Culture, Community, & Connection, highlights the profound impact of our environments on mental health. Learn how BIPOC communities thrive despite historical trauma and discover how culture and connection foster wellness. We would love to hear how you are using the toolkit!
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Family Youth System Partner Round Tables (FYSPRTs) provide an essential platform for families, youth, and system partners (such as juvenile justice, education, foster care, mental health and substance use) to collaborate, listen, and incorporate community voices into behavioral health decision-making at both regional and state levels. As a critical component of the Child, Youth, and Family Behavioral Health Governance Structure, FYSPRTs ensure that policy-making and program planning for behavioral health services are informed by those directly impacted, the children, youth and families who are accessing or trying to access services.
The Governance Structure includes families and youth with lived experience accessing and receiving behavioral health services, Tribal partners, and inter-agency members at community, state, and legislative levels, all working together to oversee and guide the development of behavioral health policies and programs. By engaging family, youth, and system partners in policy development and decision-making, FYSPRTs aim to address recurring gaps, barriers, and needs within the child, youth and family behavioral health system.
FYSPRTs have been instrumental in identifying and addressing key issues. For instance, they have highlighted gaps in children's behavioral health respite services and non-emergency medical transportation, presenting these concerns to legislative groups within the Governance Structure to seek statewide solutions. This collaborative approach not only improves outcomes for youth and families but also enhances the overall effectiveness of behavioral health services in Washington.
Washington boasts one statewide FYSPRT, 10 regional FYSPRTs, and multiple local FYSPRTs, all dedicated to fostering community engagement and improving behavioral health services in partnership with youth, families and system partners across the state.
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What comes to mind when you picture a child or young person having a behavioral health crisis? What tools or resources would you rely on to assist them and their loved ones in addressing the situation? Perhaps you’ve had personal lived and living experience with crisis and remember things that helped you or your loved one, as well as what may not have helped.
In recognition of the ongoing youth behavioral health crisis and as part of the development of the 988 lifeline, Washington State Health Care Authority is investing in building out Mobile Response and Stabilization Services, or MRSS. As a national best practice for developmentally appropriate crisis care, MRSS is a public health approach to ensuring that young people and the adults that care for them have consistent access to 24/7/365 crisis intervention services for up to 72 hours followed by up to 8-weeks of stabilization services provided in a preferred, community based setting, such as home, at school, or other, regardless of insurance status.
Over the course of the past three years, Washington State has significantly expanded youth mobile response teams and is in the midst of implementing MRSS, grounded in system of care values (family and youth-driven, community based, and culturally and linguistically appropriate services). As part of a System of Care expansion grant that supports these efforts, family and youth-led organizations, Washington State Community Connectors, A Common Voice Center of Parent Excellence, and Students Providing and Receiving Knowledge (SPARK) are informing policy development to ensure that these services meet the needs of communities, providing critical support and assistance in a way that is meaningful, respectful, and responsive to youth and caregivers.
Richelle Madigan of WSCC comments: “Our MRSS rollout has not been without its bumpy places. But our state has forged beautiful, authentic partnerships between community organizations and system officials. By coming together as shared humans (before we are everything else), we consistently find the common ground we need to co-navigate all the bumps and challenges with just the right mix of grace and tenacity.”
Something unique about the MRSS model is that the youth or family defines the crisis and determine when and how they would like to receive support. MRSS recognizes that for young people, an in-person response to referrals is the best way to ensure safety and prevent more trauma-inducing interventions, such as emergency department visits, child welfare involvement, or criminal justice involvement.
In a recent presentation at the Children’s Behavioral Health Summit, an audience member asked “how do you de-escalate someone over the phone in crisis?” Sherry Wylie, Washington’s Youth Mobile Crisis Administrator, responded, “We’re on our way. When parents call, we believe them, and we respond.” MRSS saves lives and changes life trajectories for young people.
HCA is currently offering access to MRSS trainings in partnership with the University of Connecticut, Innovations Institute. If you are interested in learning more about MRSS, System of Care, or the trainings, please contact Vashti Langford.
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As July unfolds, embrace the warmth of the season while prioritizing your mental well-being. Take time to nurture your mind and body, explore new wellness strategies, and support those around you in their mental health journeys. A little care goes a long way in fostering resilience and happiness.
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