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Where mission
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This month, we’re exploring topics in behavioral health to support youth, young adults, and families:
- Demystifying Youth Substance Use treatment: Learn what effective care looks like, how to navigate treatment options, and why mental health and substance use care is important for sustainable recovery.
- One surprising Psychosis treatment that works: Discover an innovative approach to managing auditory hallucinations by learning to coexist with the voices, improving quality of life for those affected.
- Increasing Evidence-Based Practices in youth mental health: Find out how a simplified coding system is removing barriers to evidence-based care and ensuring better outcomes for young people.
Stay informed with updates on behavioral health programs, events like the upcoming Psychosis CARE Virtual Gathering, and new initiatives like Washington Thriving—a statewide effort to create behavioral health solutions for youth and families/caregivers.
Let’s work together to build a future where every young person can thrive.
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As a parent, caregiver, or a loving-connected adult of a young person who is using substances, it can be a deep sigh of relief when they are willing to seek treatment. Just as the relief sets in, a new wave of confusion hits… What does treatment even look like? How do I know my loved one is getting the help they need?
Here are a few things to consider:
Sustainable Care: When many think of residential treatment or ‘rehab’, it’s assumed to be the gold standard of treatment. Residential treatment is often necessary when addressing significant substance use symptoms but may not always be the first step. Treatment can become costly, as most people need more than a single episode of care to address their symptoms, which can burden families when paying out-of-pocket for residential stays. There are many types of substance use services that have strong outcomes for addressing substance use related symptoms. Outpatient treatment is often covered by insurance and allows your young person to remain in their community while working on skills to address their everyday stressors. It is important you find providers who are in-network to ensure your loved one can continue receiving care as they need it.
Mental Health & Medication: Almost half of those who are diagnosed with substance use are also diagnosed with a mental health condition. It is important that your loved one is appropriately screened and treated for mental health symptoms as they seek services. Ask your substance use provider if they have a licensed mental health clinician on the care team and how often they would meet with your young person. Medications for substance use should also be considered to help support treatment outcomes. Click here to find out more.
Lastly, remember that you can’t pour from an empty cup. It is important to seek your own care. This could be finding your own therapist or peer-support group; One that supports you, while you support another.
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The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), an agency within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), recently awarded $10 million for the Community-Based Maternal Behavioral Health Services Program, a new grant program supporting the behavioral health of pregnant and postpartum women. Behavioral health conditions, such as postpartum depression, anxiety, and substance use conditions, affect about 1 in 5 pregnant and postpartum women in the U.S, and have negative impacts not only on the mother but also entire families.
Washington Thriving is a collaborative statewide effort to develop a strategic plan for equitable behavioral health for children, youth, young adults from before they are born through age 25, and their families and caregivers. This ambitious process prioritizes collaborative engagement between individuals with lived and living experience and decision makers who will act to make the vision a reality.
How to learn more and get involved:
HCA is dedicated to engaging in Community Awareness, Resources, and Education (CARE) on First Episode Psychosis.
This free, two-day virtual conference will take place on April 29 and 30 from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
Those interested may also participate in a survey to inform planning efforts.
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The Wall Street Journal article titled "One Surprising Psychosis Treatment That Works: Learning to Live With the Voices" discusses an alternative approach to managing auditory hallucinations in individuals with psychosis. Instead of focusing solely on eliminating these voices, the treatment encourages patients to accept and coexist with them. This method has shown promise in reducing distress and improving quality of life for those affected. The article highlights personal stories and clinical insights supporting this acceptance-based strategy.
For a more in-depth understanding, you can access the full article here: One Surprising Psychosis Treatment That Works: Learning to Live With the Voices.
For those in Washington State, you can learn more about the early signs of psychosis and available resources through the Washington State Health Care Authority Early Signs of Psychosis webpage.
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In the third quarter of 2024, Health Care Authority (HCA) funded over 116,000 mental health treatment sessions for individuals under 18. These sessions included individual, group, and family therapy. However, less than 10% of these encounters were recorded as using an evidence-based practice (EBP), a trend consistent for several years.
Several barriers limit the use and reporting of EBPs in public mental health. These include the high cost of training providers and frequent turnover in behavioral health agencies. Recently, another significant barrier came to light: the use of different coding systems based on provider type. Behavioral health agencies (BHAs), providers integrated with medical clinics, and sole providers each used different codes to report services, creating inconsistencies.
Recognizing the need for change, HCA partnered with managed care organizations (MCOs) to address the issue. Together, they worked to simplify the coding system, eliminating one set of codes. This alignment ensures that all providers, regardless of their organizational structure, now use the same codes.
This achievement reflects the dedication of those committed to improving systems that support quality care, ensuring more effective tracking while simultaneously reducing administrative burden. By removing a key obstacle to reporting EBPs, this change paves the way for an increase in their documented use, helping ensure that young people receive high-quality, evidence-supported mental health care.
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Stay informed and connected with the latest resources and updates on behavioral health services for prenatal, child, and young adult care. Visit our website for more information on the programs and support available.
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