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Where mission
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February invites us to focus on relationships, kindness, and resilience and this issue highlights the many ways connection, representation, and community partnership shape behavioral health across Washington. From learning how active listening can support young people navigating addiction to uplifting youth voice, culturally responsive care, and equity-driven innovations, this month’s stories center on compassion in action and the power of belonging.
Inside, you’ll find practical tools for families and caregivers, opportunities to connect through upcoming trainings and conferences, and stories that honor Black History Month by exploring representation, equitable crisis response, and efforts to improve outcomes for communities disproportionately affected by behavioral health disparities. You’ll also learn about resources supporting pregnant and parenting families and the role of community-based supports like doulas in advancing healthier futures.
Thank you for being part of a statewide network that shows up with curiosity, care, and courage — one conversation, one connection, and one act of kindness at a time.
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There is no shortage of information for parents, caregivers, or other supportive adults on how to best support a young person who is impacted by addiction. Many feel overwhelmed about what is the ‘right’ thing to do, and research leaves them with more questions than answers. But there is good news. Intentional connection is an act of kindness that supports anyone, but especially young people, in their recovery journey.
A simple way to extend kindness to your young person is by being an active listener. Learning to focus on what they are thinking shows your willingness to connect. This may create opportunities for them to be honest about their experiences and how best to support them in the future. OARS is a helpful approach to use while listening:
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Open-ended questions: Avoid yes-no questions. Try “What was the hardest part?” instead of “Was it hard for you?”
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Affirmations: Highlight the things they are doing well. Even if they are still struggling with certain behaviors, affirming something you appreciate about a specific action doesn’t condone the other things they are still doing. It isn’t all-or-nothing when it comes to change.
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Reflections: Say what you hear. If your young person says “I hate that class. I know the teacher doesn’t like me.” you can reflect, “You don’t feel comfortable in that class, and it is hard for you.”
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Summaries: Reiterate the important points of your conversation. Let them know you want to understand what they are saying, “I want to make sure I got this right. You said….”
Maybe you can recall a time in which you felt really heard. Even if it didn’t solve your problem, just knowing you weren’t alone made things a bit lighter. February 17 is National Random Acts of Kindness Day. Remember that active listening is an act of kindness and one that can be shared, over and over.
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Psychosis CARE registration open
Join providers, educators, families, and people with lived experience for the free Psychosis CARE 2026 Virtual Conference, April 28–29, 2026. Learn about early identification, resources, and best practices for psychosis care in Washington State.
FIT provider resource
Check out our Family Initiated Treatment guide for families, participants, and providers, designed to help youth, families, caregivers, and providers navigate support for youth in crisis.
Youth Network Wellness Summit
Join the Youth Network Wellness Summit, Thursday, April 16, 2026, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., in Auburn. This in-person gathering brings youth, families, caregivers, providers, and partners together for interactive workshops, peer-led conversations, practical wellness tools, and relationship-building across behavioral health and recovery systems.
Say It Out Loud (SIOL) conference
Support the Say It Out Loud (SIOL) Conference, a gathering uniting community members, professionals, peers, and advocates to advance affirming behavioral health care for 2SLGBTQIA+ individuals. Join us May 18 at Tulalip Resort & Casino for connection, learning, and practical tools. Register and help amplify bold, inclusive voices!
Support for pregnant and parenting families on the path to recovery
Pregnancy and parenting can be powerful motivators for recovery, and they can also make navigating care feel more complicated. Safe, effective, and family-centered treatment options are available, and many more programs are designed specifically to support pregnant and parenting people and their children.
Join the Professional Learning Community (PLC)
Educators and administrators are invited to the 2026 School-Based Medicaid Professional Learning Community, hosted by Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI) and Health Care Authority. Join four interactive sessions to deepen understanding of Medicaid reimbursement, Multi-Tiered System of Support (MTSS) alignment, fiscal reinvestment, and shared leadership.
View the flyer, register, and strengthen sustainable student supports this spring.
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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 has 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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Supporting healthier births: How the Apple Health Doula benefit advances equity
The new birth doula benefit from Health Care Authority is helping expand culturally responsive care for families across Washington especially Black and Indigenous communities who continue to experience disproportionate maternal health challenges. Evidence shows doula support is associated with improved birth outcomes and stronger patient satisfaction, and the new Apple Health benefit helps make these services more accessible for Medicaid families statewide.
State data shows American Indian and Alaska Native birthing people face the highest pregnancy-related mortality risk, while behavioral health factors, including suicide and overdose, account for nearly half of pregnancy-related deaths in Washington. Nationally, maternal mortality rates remain significantly higher for Black women than for white women.
You can also read how Black and Brown doulas in Seattle are helping families navigate birth and postpartum care in this recent The Seattle Times story.
Closing gaps in early psychosis care for black families
February is an opportunity to honor Black History while also examining how inequities continue to shape pathways to care and experiences receiving care for many Black families. Research highlights that Black/African American individuals are up to five times more likely to be diagnosed with schizophrenia-spectrum disorders perpetuated by systemic inequities rooted within the health care system. Black/African American individuals experiencing a first episode of psychosis and their families are significantly less likely to use outpatient services and more likely to have contact with emergency systems prior to treatment. Experiences of racism and discrimination can further contribute to mistrust and treatment delays often leading to disparities in symptom severity.
New Journeys Coordinated Specialty Care (CSC) in Washington is working to address these inequities and disparities through multilevel strategies—expanding outreach, improving navigation and linkage, integrating cultural formulation, partnering with schools and communities, and thoughtfully considering program location to reduce geographical barriers. Advancing equity in early psychosis care requires community engaged efforts and awareness and structural competency.
Content informed by Black History Month presentation materials; credit to Dunni (Oladunni) Oluwoye, PhD, LMHCA, CHES.
Why lived experience matters in behavioral health
Representation matters in behavioral health. When youth and families see providers, peer supporters, and leaders who share or understand their lived experiences, it can strengthen trust and improve engagement in care. Black History Month invites us to reflect on how representation contributes to belonging and healing.
Workforce development efforts across Washington aim to grow a diverse behavioral health workforce, including peer roles that bring valuable lived experience into services. These roles help bridge gaps between systems and communities, supporting youth and families in navigating care with confidence and dignity.
Through ongoing collaboration, Health Care Authority continues to support equitable, culturally responsive approaches that center voices often underrepresented in behavioral health spaces. When people see themselves reflected in care, connection and healing become more possible.
How MRSS supports youth and families
Black History month invites us to reflect on the legacy of leaders, families and communities who’ve taken action to reduce disparities in behavioral health care services and challenged our state to create a child, youth, and family-serving crisis response system that is safe and supportive. Mobile Response and Stabilization Services (MRSS) rolling out across Washington are designed to meet this challenge. In alignment with Washington’s System of Care framework, MRSS is a timely crisis response that is family-centered, community-based, and culturally responsive. MRSS emphasizes equity, addressing systemic barriers to care, and ensuring that youth and families experience care that is respectful, responsive, rooted in the community, and grounded in partnership.
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“Being kind means responding to the needs of others-and people can be kind, no matter how old or how young they are.”
– Fred Rogers
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