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Foundational Community Supports (FCS) is an initiative of Medicaid Transformation. It allows qualified providers to receive Medicaid reimbursement for delivering supportive housing and supported employment services for people with the greatest and most immediate social and health needs.
Kaylin Martin with Pioneer Human Services in Spokane is this month's celebrated FCS in the field feature.
From her nominating supporter (anonymous):
I'm nominating Kaylin Martin, with Pioneer at Emerson clinic in Spokane, as the BEST foundational community supportive housing specialists.
The reason that I'm highlighting them is because I completed Spokane county's two-year felony mental health court program. While in the program I was able to obtain a housing voucher, I was able to obtain safe, stable, permanent, housing. They provided a brand-new bed, blankets, sheets, pillows, (all of it).
Then after I graduated from the program, I had a major mental health breakdown, and these housing coordinators went out of their way to come pick me up at the social security office where I was crying hysterically completely unable to have a conversation with anyone. They helped get me into Spokane stabilization center for a short period of time. However, the amazing thing is that they're still working with me and helping me. Kaylin doesn't mess around; she gets the job done and she clearly cares about her clients. As a matter of fact, everyone at Pioneer Emerson clinic is amazing!!!
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Nominate an FCS agency or Supportive Housing/Supported Employment specialist
Your work matters. Your stories inspire others. Think of the FCS Supportive housing and Supported employment specialists or organizations who you think deserve a little extra gratitude. We would love to highlight them in these newsletters.
Send your nominations at any time, including as much information about their impact as possible, like:
- Name of person/organization
- Their location
- Why are you highlighting them?
- Their picture (optional)
To nominate a person or agency, please email FCS by the last Monday of each month.
Share your fidelity story
Fidelity is more than a review process it’s a cornerstone of continuous quality improvement, helping programs learn, grow, and deliver the highest quality services. When we strengthen fidelity, we strengthen outcomes and that directly impacts the people we serve through more consistent support, stronger partnerships, and better paths to recovery and stability.
We would like to spotlight providers who bring fidelity to life in their work and share their stories across our network.
We’re inviting providers to submit short video clips (60-90 seconds) highlighting:
- Why you participate in fidelity, and/or
- How fidelity has supported continuous quality improvement and improved outcomes for the people you serve.
Simple, authentic videos recorded on your phone or computer are perfect; no editing required. Your story helps demonstrate how fidelity drives learning, collaboration, and lasting impact in supportive housing and supported employment.
To share your story, please email FCS by the last Monday of each month.
In our last newsletter, we introduced the Permanent Supportive Housing (PSH) Fidelity Model as a shared framework for aligning practice with housing-first, person-centered, and recovery-oriented care. In this issue, we want to move from understanding fidelity to actively strengthening it.
When PSH programs drift from fidelity, often unintentionally, it can have an impact. Small shifts in practice can gradually erode housing-first principles, create confusion around roles, increase staff stress, and unintentionally create barriers for tenants. Over time, this drift can affect housing stability, engagement, and outcomes.
Re-centering fidelity helps ensure that:
- Housing remains the foundation, not something people must earn.
- Services are voluntary, flexible, and responsive.
- Tenant choice and autonomy are consistently honored.
- Harm reduction practices are applied with clarity and confidence.
- Teams operate with shared expectations and coordinated roles.
When fidelity is strong, programs feel grounded. Staff feel clearer in their decision-making. Leadership can identify where systems support practice, and where they may unintentionally create barriers.
What does fidelity look like day-to-day?
For leadership, fidelity means asking:
- Do our policies reflect housing-first principles?
- Are we investing in staffing structures that support community-based engagement?
- Do supervision and performance conversations reinforce person-centered practice?
- Are we using fidelity data to guide improvement rather than react to crisis?
For front-line staff, fidelity shows up as:
- Prioritizing housing stability even during challenging behaviors.
- Engaging tenants in goal setting that reflects their priorities, not just program mandates.
- Using harm reduction strategies confidently and consistently.
- Collaborating across systems without losing focus on housing as the primary intervention.
Fidelity as a protective factor
Fidelity can be a protective factor. It protects tenants from unnecessary barriers. It protects staff from role confusion and moral distress. It protects programs from drifting toward compliance-only approaches. It protects the integrity of Permanent Supportive Housing statewide.
Engaging with fidelity: What’s next?
We invite you to actively engage with the PSH Fidelity Model in the coming months:
- Reflect on one area of strength within your program.
- Identify one area where drift may be occurring.
- Bring fidelity questions into team meetings and supervision.
- Use fidelity conversations as opportunities for shared learning.
- Connect with peers across Washington State to share strategies and challenges.
Fidelity is not a checklist. It is a commitment to delivering PSH as it was designed, equitable, evidence-based, and focused on long-term housing stability.
Together, we can ensure that Permanent Supportive Housing across Washington State remains grounded in its core principles while adapting thoughtfully to the evolving needs of the communities we serve.
Washington Health Care Authority (HCA) Foundational Community Supports (FCS) team invites you to join us for our monthly office hours, the last Friday of each month.
Virtual office hours: the last Friday of each month, from 9 to 10 a.m.
Drop in to join the HCA trainers to learn about Medicaid documentation requirements to support FCS service activities. Our goal is to support staff in weaving in the 'Golden Thread' process to develop a seamless record that connects goals, life events, staff support, interventions and next steps that support Medicaid billing.
Let's create quality service plans and progress notes that support necessary services and activities that move program participants to achieve their goal of housing and employment.
Office hours will be held on Teams, the last Friday of each month from 9 to 10 a.m. The next scheduled office hours will occur Friday, March 27.
Washington Health Care Authority (HCA) Foundational Community Supports (FCS) team are excited to invite you to an eight-part learning community hosted by Advocates for Human Potential (AHP)
Webinar: Friday, March 6, from 10 to 11 a.m.
FCS is convening a Learning Collaborative on Permanent Supportive Housing (PSH) to strengthen the capacity of providers, community partners, and stakeholders in delivering high-quality housing and supportive services.
This collaborative will offer a structured forum for sharing best practices, addressing implementation challenges, and fostering innovation in PSH models. Through facilitated discussions, peer learning, and expert-led sessions, participants will gain practical tools to improve housing stability, health outcomes, and service coordination for individuals experiencing chronic homelessness and behavioral health challenges across Washington State.
Topics
- Long-term solutions, not quick fixes: Supportive housing focuses on permanent stability, moving beyond temporary shelter to lasting change for individuals and communities
- Partnerships are essential: Successful supportive housing depends on collaboration between housing providers, health care systems, behavioral health services, and community organizations
- Community strengthening: Beyond ending individual homelessness, supportive housing builds healthier, safer, and more inclusive communities
- Housing is healthcare: Stable housing is foundational to improving health, recovery, and overall well-being
This is an eight-part series, occurring from 10 to 11 a.m. the first Friday of each month. Upcoming sessions: March 6, 2026; April 3, 2026; May 1, 2026; June 5, 2026
Washington Health Care Authority (HCA) and Foundational Community Supports (FCS) team in partnership with Individual Placement and Support (IPS) present this virtual training series
Webinar: Tuesday, March 10, 2026, from 9:30 to 11 a.m.
These virtual trainings cover the eight practice principles of IPS Supported Employment. New staff in IPS programs, case managers, and clinicians are welcome to join.
The trainings are available at no cost. Each training covers the same material.
IPS is a multidisciplinary team of researchers and trainers who conduct research studies, disseminate findings, prepare training and educational materials, and provide training and consultation services. The center’s activities focus on employment for people with serious mental illnesses. Learn more about IPS.
Upcoming 2026 IPS webinars: (March 10), March 24, April 14, May 12, May 26, June 9, June 23.
Washington Health Care Authority (HCA) Foundational Community Supports (FCS) team are excited to share an in-person program overview training for the Snohomish County and surrounding areas!
Meeting: Tuesday, March 10, 2026, from noon to 2 p.m., 3020 Rucker Ave., Everett, Washington 98201
This interactive, in-person training will cover:
- Overview of Foundational Community Supports (FCS)
- How FCS fits within Washington’s Medicaid transformation
- Supportive Housing and Supported Employment services
- Eligibility and referral pathways
- Real-world implementation tips
- Q&A and regional discussion
This session is ideal for anyone involved in Medicaid-funded supportive housing, employment, behavioral health or whole-person centered initiatives in Snohomish County.
Street parking is available.
Washington State Health Care Authority (HCA) Foundational Community Supports (FCS) team in partnership with Rutgers School of Psychiatric Rehabilitation and Counseling Professions are hosting this March supportive housing training webinar
Webinar: Wednesday, March 11, at 11 a.m.
This 90-minute interactive webinar equips supportive housing staff with practical, evidence-based strategies to deliver whole-person care for aging adults with serious mental health conditions.
Participants will examine demographic trends, social determinants of health, and systemic barriers, including stigma and ageism, that affect access to care. The webinar introduces holistic frameworks such as the 8 Dimensions of Wellness and highlights actionable tools for frontline practice, including the Teach-Back method, psychosocial skills training, and integrated care coordination.
Through virtual case scenarios and facilitated discussion, attendees will gain skills to apply integrated care principles, support recovery, and promote dignity and wellness in supportive housing environments.
Objectives
- Examine the demographic shifts and unique challenges faced by older adults with serious mental health conditions
- Distinguish the attitudinal barriers from systemic challenges that impede access to integrated care
- Identify effective, evidence-based models, such as the Multidimensional Model of Wellness, designed to promote holistic recovery and health maintenance
- Apply targeted frontline strategies, including the Teach-Back method and daily care coordination, to foster engagement and ensure health literacy in supportive housing settings
Washington State Health Care Authority (HCA) Foundational Community Supports (FCS) team in partnership with Rutgers School of Psychiatric Rehabilitation and Counseling Professions are hosting this March career services webinar
Webinar: Thursday, March 12, at 9 a.m.
Overcoming a potential employer’s objections or responding to tough questions can be difficult for job developers. It’s never easy to hear negative responses or a series of unwanted and uncomfortable questions from hiring managers or others in the business community.
This call provides support and resources on responding to these negative objections or questions from employers in a positive way. We’ll spend time practicing responses as well as reviewing this past month’s challenges and successes to job development
Objectives
- Describe the types of negative objections or tough questions employers may ask job developers
- Identify specific ways to respond to employer objections and tough questions
- Discuss the past month's job development successes and challenges for support from others on the call
Washington Health Care Authority (HCA) Foundational Community Supports (FCS) invite you to join us for the monthly Supported Employment Coordinating Committee (SECC)
Webinar: Wednesday, March 18, from 9 to 10 a.m.
The SECC is intended to improve the employment rate for people with behavioral health and other challenges. The current SECC was originally the Olmstead Policy Academy, started in 2013, to create a strategic plan to improve the employment rate for people experiencing mental health and/or substance use issues. The SECC carries on with the same intent and a wider audience.
We still have much to do to improve employment rates and support Medicaid recipients' return to work. In each meeting we will discuss new ideas and strategies as well as receive training on various programs and projects.
Washington Health Care Authority (HCA) Foundational Community Supports (FCS) team is kicking off 2026 with another round of our FCS 101 monthly trainings
Webinar: Wednesday, March 18, from 10 a.m. to noon
This training is intended to provide you with an introduction to the FCS program. The FCS Team will be offering the FCS 101 training on the third Wednesday of every month from 10am-12 noon. It is an open and supportive space to get a basic introduction to all things FCS Supportive Housing and Supported Employment. We enthusiastically encourage providers to learn more about the variety of programs and services supported by FCS, as well as an introduction to the Washington FCS team and answer questions you may have.
Objectives
- Learn about Foundational Community Supports
- Get an overview of supported employment services
- Get an overview of supportive housing services
- Connect with HCA’s FCS Team
Upcoming 2026 FCS 101 trainings: March 18, April 15, May 20, June 17, July 15, August 19, September 16, October 21, November 18, December 17
Already taken FCS 101? Check out FCS 102, focused on supervision.
Washington Health Care Authority (HCA) Foundational Community Supports (FCS) team in partnership with Rutgers School of Psychiatric Rehabilitation and Counseling Professions invite you to this March Supervisory series webinar
Webinar: Wednesday, March 18, 2026, from 2 to 3:30 p.m.
This training provides a practical overview of data-informed supervision in Supported Employment (SE) and Supportive Housing (SH) programs. Participants will explore the process of data-informed supervision and review how it differs from supervision based solely on anecdotal feedback or compliance review.
In the session, we will identify the benefits of integrating data into routine supervision, including improved service quality, stronger worker performance, and clearer outcome accountability. Participants will also explore concrete approaches for tracking SE and SH outcomes and using that information to guide coaching, performance conversations, and program improvement.
Objectives
- Define and review data informed supervision
- Identify benefits of integrating data informed supervision into your practice
- Explore approaches for tracking SE and SH outcomes
Washington Health Care Authority (HCA) Foundational Community Supports (FCS) team in partnership with Rutgers School of Psychiatric Rehabilitation and Counseling Professions eagerly invite you to join our upcoming 4-part Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) guided employment series
Webinar: Thursday, March 19, 2026, from 8:30 to 10 a.m.
This four-part series launches with Part one: Introduction to DBT and Mindfulness Strategies for Career Readiness. In this webinar, we will explore core Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) mindfulness skills and how they help individuals stay focused, reduce job-related anxiety, and make intentional choices throughout the job search and employment process.
Objectives:
- Review the core concepts of Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) and understand its application in career contexts
- Identify the role of mindfulness in vocational planning, interviewing, and workplace interactions
- Teach mindfulness techniques to reduce anxiety before interviews, first days on the job, and during transitions
- Learn DBT skills to help individuals increase attention, self-awareness, and focus
Upcoming webinars in this series:
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Thursday, April 16: Part two: Distress Tolerance Strategies for Employment Stressors
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Thursday, May 21: Part three: Emotion Regulation Strategies for Sustainable Employment
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Thursday, June 18: Part four: Distress Tolerance Strategies for Employment Stressors
All webinars will be from 8:30 to 10 a.m. You may use the same link to register for each; this will be shared monthly as well with updated webinar descriptions as the series progresses.
Washington Health Care Authority (HCA) Foundational Community Supports (FCS) team in partnership with Spokane Housing Authority (SHA) present this Health-Related Social Needs (HRSN) rental assistance webinar
Webinars:
Please join us to learn about the newly available HRSN rental assistance program. FCS Supportive Housing eligible individuals will be able to access up to six months of rental assistance anywhere in Washington State.
Topics:
- Eligibility requirements and what the approval/denial process looks like
- How to apply, including a tutorial of the Core Relief platform with the Spokane Housing Authority
- Available funding
- Relationship with and impact to Medical Respite Care
- An opportunity for Q+A
Please note: All three trainings are formatted similarly with repeat information; you are welcome to attend one or all.
Washington Health Care Authority (HCA) Foundational Community Supports (FCS) team in partnership with Rutgers School of Psychiatric Rehabilitation and Counseling Professions present the Buried in Treasures learning community one Thursday a month, January through June, and invite you to join
Webinar: Thursday, March 27, 2026, from 1 to 2:15 p.m.
Join the Buried in Treasures Learning Community, a monthly interactive forum designed to help Washington State Foundational Community Supports (FCS) providers support individuals experiencing hoarding behavior. Grounded in the acclaimed self-help manual Buried in Treasures: Help for Compulsive Acquiring, Saving, and Hoarding, this learning community offers a respectful, harm-reduction-based approach that recognizes the emotional significance of belongings and the challenges of change.
Each session will explore practical tools, peer learning, and strategies rooted in cognitive-behavioral techniques, motivational enhancement, and trauma-informed care. Participants will gain real-world knowledge, skills, and resources to engage people with empathy, foster self-directed progress, and create supportive environments where individuals feel empowered—not judged—to take meaningful steps forward.
Whether you’re new to this subject or want to improve your skills in helping clients with complex needs, this community will help you build your ability to support individuals struggling with clutter, acquiring, and discarding. While access to Buried in Treasures (2nd edition) is recommended, it is not required to participate.
Upcoming Buried in Treasure 2026 webinars: March 27, April 23, May 22, June 25.
Washington Health Care Authority (HCA) Foundational Community Supports (FCS) team in partnership with Rutgers School of Psychiatric Rehabilitation and Counseling Professions invite you to this March Staff Wellness webinar
Webinar: Thursday, March 30, 2026, at 10 a.m.
FCS staff work in high-pressure environments supporting people with housing instability, behavioral health needs, and employment barriers; all of this is achieved while often managing productivity and documentation demands. When wellness is treated as a one-time training, burnout, turnover, and service quality suffer.
Wellness is Not a Workshop webinar helps Supportive Housing and Supported Employment teams move beyond individual self-care to build a culture that truly sustains staff. Participants learn practical strategies for strengthening psychological safety, supportive supervision, healthy boundaries, and team-based wellness practices that protect staff capacity and improve performance.
Objectives:
- Create a culture of wellness in WA FCS programs
- Reduce burnout and turnover risk
- Strengthen supervision and team support
- Protect documentation quality and audit readiness
- Build a simple, actionable wellness plan
Washington Health Care Authority (HCA) Foundational Community Supports (FCS) team are pleased to announce the bi-monthly Medicaid documentation training series return.
Next training: Thursday, April 2, 2026, from 1 to 3 p.m.
This training is recommended for those who:
- Are new to providing Supportive Housing and Supported Employment services.
- Are interested in improving personal or agency documentation standards, especially around Medicaid billing requirements.
- Are considering participating in a fidelity review and would like more information on how to prepare for it.
We hope participants will come away with a thorough understanding of:
- How to keep interactions billable and how to document them as such.
- How comprehensive documentation enhances participant outcomes.
- The following elements of Supported Employment/Supportive Housing:
- Career profiles
- Job search and job support plans
- Disclosure forms
- Eligibility assessments and housing assessments
- Participant logs
- Housing and employment plans
Dates are bi-monthly into 2026 as follows (all sessions are from 1 to 3 p.m.)
- September 4, 2025
- November 6, 2025
- February 5, 2026
- April 2, 2026
- June 4, 2026
Please note: Future trainings will be presented via Teams
Washington Health Care Authority (HCA) Foundational Community Supports (FCS) team in partnership with Rutgers School of Psychiatric and Rehabilitation and Counseling Professions invites you to this new webinar series
Webinars:
Part I: Thursday, April 16, from 3 to 4 p.m.
Part II: Thursday, May 21, from 3 to 4 p.m.
Part III: Thursday, June 18, from 3 to 4 p.m.
Organizations that actively incorporate participant feedback are consistently linked to higher service quality, stronger engagement, and improved outcomes. Effective program evaluation starts with asking the right questions and using the responses to drive meaningful program change. This three-part interactive series introduces foundational survey design alongside principles from implementation science to ensure feedback is meaningfully integrated into practice.
Part one focuses on designing surveys aligned with best practices to assess the satisfaction and experiences of people engaged in SE/SH services.
Part two explores how to interpret results, engage teams, and embed data use into ongoing quality improvement. Walk away with practical tools to build a feedback system that strengthens your work and the experience of people engaged in FCS programs.
Part three will allow attendees to engage in a roundtable discussion on satisfaction survey development, data utilization plans, and problem solving with the session facilitator and peers, with the outcome of the beginning draft of an evaluation plan
Washington Health Care Authority (HCA) Foundational Community Supports (FCS) team in partnership with Rutgers School of Psychiatric and Rehabilitation and Counseling Professions invites you to this new webinar series
Webinars:
Part I: Wednesday, April 29, from 10 to 11:30 a.m.
Part II: Wednesday, May 6, from 10 to 11:30 a.m.
Often, job seekers are unsure about returning to work because they are concerned about how work affects Social Security. This two-part training provides an overview of the types of work incentives available to SSI and SSDI recipients.
Part one will review specific work-related information relevant to Supplemental Security Income (SSI), and part two will cover Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI).
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