Integrated Services for Behavioral Health’s Post

Community mental health is a significant part of the mental health system. Unfortunately, years of underfunding have resulted in significant wage gaps. These organizations receive funding from the government, similar to hospitals and other areas of healthcare, to provide care, and they too are limited by government restrictions on spending funds, on wage increases, one-time funding, etc. The significant wage gap that exists between community mental health and roles in schools, hospitals, justice, and even private sector (including virtual care), has seen a departure from community mental health for higher paying roles, and a challenge to recruit and retain staff. All this at a time when the demand for mental health is greater than ever. All this at a time that integrated care where community care, acute care, and social support organizations work in partnership to create a healthcare system that works for the populations it serves is a focus of the Government. It is time for a plan that closes the gap, that recognizes the value of community health, and ensures that people are able to get the care they need close to home, in their communities, when they need it. #CloseTheGap #CommunityMentalHealth #Wages

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The conversation "How do I quickly gain traction with my new testing program?" that I have with pharmacists is a frequent and understandable one. A very valuable resource is networks (CPESN comes to mind) and other colleagues that have experience pursuing GRANTS. The state you live in, right now, has money set aside to give to citizens, who can fulfill some much needed public health goal. That could be you, or your tech or your community health worker credentialed staff person. These frequently take the form of data collection, public outreach, and education. It also sometimes takes the form of vaccination, screening and testing too. #ClinicalPharmacy #COMMUNITYPharmacy #connected #POCT #DPH #Health #PublicHealth #CommunityHealth

Today’s briefing in Washington D.C. hosted by Representative Sydney Kamlager-Dove marked a pivotal moment in our ongoing advocacy for children with special needs. Key takeaways: 1. **Crisis Awareness**: Addressed the critical need for foster children to access mental health and behavioral health treatments. 2. **Legislative Advocacy**: Pushed for Medicaid reforms to include Board Certified Behavior Analysts (BCBAs) as direct providers, ensuring better access and improved service rates. 3. **Strong Partnerships**: Highlighted our unique collaborations with county, DDS, and DHCS to support behavioral health treatments for foster children. Special thanks to our speakers: - Areva Martin, Esq., our Founder, who passionately called for urgent legislative changes to improve Medicaid rates and direct services. - Dr. Amy Woods, who discussed the intersection of autism with mental health challenges. - Our incredible team members who shared insights on the systemic barriers and the real-world impact of policy gaps. 👉 Stay tuned and join us in our mission to transform lives through advocacy, education, and direct support. Together, we can make a difference! #SpecialNeedsNetwork #AutismAwareness #MentalHealth #FosterCare #Advocacy #SNNBriefing2024 #MedicaidReform #BehavioralHealth #InclusiveCare

The Power and Challenge of Advocacy (a personal story) As someone deeply invested in public affairs and advocacy, I've often found myself representing causes that become personal commitments of mine, but initially were driven by others' priorities. Yet, nothing compares to the complexity and emotional intensity of advocating for a cause that directly affects your own life. It's a situation many advocates face but isn't frequently discussed. During the pandemic, headlines about the rise in eating disorders and mental health challenges among children were more than just news to me—they were my reality. My own child was grappling with serious mental health issues due to the circumstances of the pandemic, a situation that was unbearably painful. Advocating for these issues while living them brought an additional layer of urgency and personal investment to my work. In a particularly poignant moment, I found myself sharing my story with a Minister, tears streaming down my face as I advocated for change. The personal stakes were high—knowing that while I could afford private care for my child, many others could not, added a weight that was heart-wrenching. Despite the personal challenges, the last few years have shown progress. We've seen significant government investments in youth mental health care, highlighted by the recent announcement of the new Youth Mental Health Fund in the recent federal budget. This change was hard-won, the result of years of advocacy, persistence, and resilience—often punctuated by tears. I want to extend my heartfelt thanks to the government stakeholders who listened and put in the effort to prioritize these issues. Your commitment to turning advocacy into action we are hopeful will make a real difference. Why share this story? Because it underscores that even when advocacy becomes deeply personal and emotionally taxing, it is still worth pursuing. Your voice and experiences can drive real, tangible change. I encourage all advocates not to shy away from engaging with issues close to their hearts. Yes, it is challenging. Yes, it can be emotionally draining. But it is also incredibly powerful. As we continue to push for the changes we believe in, let's remember the dual role of self-care and advocacy. Support each other, lean on your networks, and never underestimate the impact of sharing your own story. Change is possible, and often, it starts with the courage to speak up about what is most personal to us. Beacon North Strategies #advocacy #cdnpoli #governmentrelations #publicpolicy #lobbying

👉 National Public Health Week Spotlight: Today, BHPN would like to uplift Hennepin County Public Health Department. We had the opportunity to highlight the public health department’s Community Health Improvement Partnership (CHIP) in our new public health primer which focuses on uplifting cross-sector partnerships that are working across sectors to advance health and racial equity. The coalition of partners prioritized the unique challenges that BIPOC communities often face and worked with communities to identify community-driven solutions that increased community engagement and involvement when planning and implementing programs to advance health and racial equity efforts. Learn more about how this program focused on community-level involvement and worked with various sectors to address disparities. https://ow.ly/617y50R7ZuM #NPHW #CrossSectorCollaboration #CommunityEngagement #RacialEquity #CommunityDrivenSolutions

Webinar: Advancing Youth Power Building for Effective Health Equity and Advocacy Join Community Catalyst and Partnership for Southern Equity on December 15th for an awesome new webinar that will delve into how and why youth power building is a critical component of building successful health justice movements. More information and link to register below! #youthempowerment #youthengagement #youthpower #healthequity #healthjustice #oralhealth #accesstocare #mentalhealth #racialequity #racialjustice

Social care support can be transformative when people receive it.  But a new Healthwatch England poll of 1,504 working-age disabled adults found that 28% have never accessed social care or other support despite potentially being eligible.   Across England, this would translate to around 1.5 million people.    We’re joining Healthwatch England in calling for a fully funded, long-term plan to reform social care. This should include proactive outreach to people who may benefit from social care, better support for unpaid carers and a focus on prevention.   #SocialCare

Understanding why volunteers participate in research studies is critical to successful enrollment for clinical research. Dr. Angie Randazzo, Director of Patient Engagement and Advocacy at #Clinilabs, speaks with Claire, a person living with Parkinson’s, about why she has participated in research studies in the past and what would help motivate the community to get involved. Visit https://loom.ly/QjP8-Sk to learn more. #parkinsons #parkinsonsdisease #volunteer #clinicalstudies #clinicalresearch

🌟 **Highlighting Success: CACO's Hope Initiative** 🌟 🎉 We're still riding high on the success of CACO's Hope Initiative Pilot! This groundbreaking 6-month endeavor has revealed incredibly promising data, underscoring the pivotal role Children's Advocacy Centers (CACs) play in aiding the recovery of child abuse victims and their caregivers. 🙌 Among caregivers surveyed, a resounding 88% expressed that the Center provided essential information about services for their child. Impressively, 98% felt that CAC staff equipped them with the necessary resources to support their children, leading to a noteworthy 8% indicating they didn't require further services. ✨ Notably, the study highlighted a statistically significant reduction in anxiety levels among caregivers after receiving services at the Center. These findings underscore the positive impact that Child Advocacy Centers have on families, closing service gaps, and providing comprehensive support to both children and caregivers. 👏 Hats off to the dedicated work of CACs across Oklahoma! Their commitment to delivering holistic, wrap-around services and bridging critical gaps is truly commendable. We're thrilled to witness the positive outcomes and the transformative support these centers provide to our communities. #CACOSuccess #HopeInitiative #ChildAdvocacyWorks 🌈✨