MHTP News Archives

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July 2008

07-09: Assessing the Effects of Trauma comments posted
07-03: Participate in Consumer Focus Groups

On July 9 and 10 SAMHSA cross-site evaluators will visit Washington State to assess the impact of the Mental Health Transformation Project’s activities to date.

As part of the visit, the cross-site evaluators will hold two focus groups to meet with consumers, youth and family members who have, or have not, been involved in Transformation Project activities.

If you’re interested in participating in one of the focus groups (either in person or by phone), please contact Dow Weiman at dweiman@hrsi.org or (617) 818-1047 to rsvp and to obtain more details.
07-01: History of Peer Support

June 2008

06-18: Harvest House to Host 2008 Recovery Trainings Kick-Off
For the third year straight, the Mental Health Transformation Project is pleased to announce that it will be sponsoring eight Principles of Mental Health Recovery trainings across the state. These one-day free trainings, presented by recovery experts Mary Jadwisiak and Nancy Dow-Witherbee, cover the 11 recovery components outlined in the SAMHSA consensus statement and will primarily take place this year in rural areas of the state. The first training is scheduled for June 25 and will be hosted by the Harvest House in Pullman, WA, located at Palouse River Counseling, 340 NE Maple Street. Registration forms can be downloaded from our Calendar of Events page.
06-05: Share and Track the Transformation
We have recently added new ways you can share and track the latest information about the Mental Health Transformation Project posted to our Web site:
- Use the "Email This Article" icon to share a news story you find interesting. Click the icon, fill out the form and hit the submit button.
- For those who like to use RSS to stay on top of the latest updates, we have also added an RSS feed for our MHTP news articles. Add our site to your reader by clicking the "RSSubscribe" icon near the top of the home page.
- And don't forget, you can also sign up for our updates email, which notifies you of recent news articles on the Web site and points you to other content as well. The sign-up box is on the home page.
06-05: Thinking About Prevention comments posted

May 2008

05-20: Prevention Summit: A Good Day of Hard Work

If some good-natured moaning and groaning occasionally rippled through the Prevention Summit on May 13, 2008, it was only because the participants, which numbered well over 200, knew the importance of staying focused for a full day's work.

By any measure, the event was a success. The demographically matched and balanced group, representing all age groups and many organizations within Washington state who have a stake in mental health policy, prioritized issues that have been in discussion since the release of the Washington State Board of Health report, Mental Health–A Public Health Approach: Developing a Prevention-Oriented Mental Health System in Washington State [ 771KB].

Next: In the coming weeks, we will provide a full report on the results from the Summit, including the direction of future policy efforts. Meanwhile, we invite you to relive the day with us by viewing a collection of photos that we gathered from the event. To view Kathryn Power's opening PowerPoint presentation and read her remarks, go to the PowerPoint presentation page.
05-09: Is It Transformation Yet?
05-06: On the Road to the Prevention Summit: Cowlitz County
05-03: May Is Mental Health Month: Get Connected
05-02: Join The Conversation
Like to share your thoughts with us and others? We've added a new feature to the articles we are publishing. To offer your comments, simply click the "Send a Comment" button at the bottom of each news article, then provide your name, email address, and comments. (We need your email address only to reach you for follow-up; no one's email address will be published on our site.) We reserve the right to edit for clarity and brevity. Not all comments that we receive will be published – but they will all be read and considered.
05-01: Kids, Schools, and Mental Health

April 2008

04-25: TWG Meets April 25 in Bremerton
The Transformation Work Group (TWG) holds its quarterly meeting Friday, April 25, from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Agenda items include a review of progress to date, 2008 legislative updates, report recommendations, and a look at what's next for the Project. The meeting will take place at Kitsap Conference Center in Bremerton. View driving directions.
04-18: Transformation Project Gets Good Marks from SAMHSA
A recent review by the federal Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) hailed the progress shown so far by the Washington State Mental Health Transformation Project. "Transformation in Washington State is occurring on many fronts through new partnerships, innovative thinking, and radical change at multiple levels," the review said in part. It went on to cite the Project's empowered and independent approach, its transparency and accessibility, the focus on coalition building, development of stakeholder leadership, use of resources to seed innovation and leverage other investments, and more.
04-16: Where Science Meets Mental Health
04-16: Can You Digg It?
Featured articles published to the Mental Health Transformation Project web site are now accompanied by a Digg button that appears at the top of each full article. Digg is a system for helping people discover and share content from across the Web. If you like something you read here and think others would like it too, simply click the Digg button.
04-11: Peer Support 101
04-10: Coming Up: Behavioral Healthcare Conference
Registration is now underway for the 2008 Washington Behavioral Healthcare Conference in Yakima, June 11-13. Keynote speakers include acclaimed author and poet Sherman Alexie, whose unique outlook on the world embody recovery and resiliency; Lorrin Gehring, who will share her journey through a youth system and how that inspired her to become an advocate for youth rights; and Dr. John Newcomer, who will address the health disparities gap for people with serious mental illness.

The Mental Health Transformation Project is sponsoring a pre-conference symposium on Trauma Informed Care, with facilitated breakout sessions intended to help establish initial steps to move Washington State toward providing better environments and programs for individuals who come into our systems with trauma histories. This pre-conference event is free, but seating is limited and you need to register. Email Jill SanJule for additional information.

March 2008

03-27: Youth 'N Action Unveils New Website
The Youth 'N Action website just got a facelift. The nonprofit, dedicated to providing a voice to at-risk youth ages 14-24 in Washington State, now sports a new look on the Web with fresh content, a calendar, information about projects, all the latest news, and more. Youth 'N Action, which recently won a Courage award from the Chase Youth Commission, is funded in part by the Mental Health Transformation Project.
03-26: Implementing E2SSB-5763 in Washington Counties
A new state law that provides counties with a new option for funding mental health and chemical dependency services has so far been put into use by eight of the 39 Washington State counties, according to Implementing E2SSB-5763 in Washington State Counties, a new report from the Washington Institute for Mental Health Research and Training Eastern Branch at Washington State University in Spokane (WIMHRT East). The funding strategy, which calls for an increase to the sales tax of 1/10 of one percent, has been adopted by Clallam, Clark, Island, Jefferson, King, Okanogan, Skagit and Spokane counties.
03-25: Diversion Law Prompts Cross-system Planning
A recent telephone survey, along with input from police departments, mental health agencies, and court systems, indicates minimal impact to date of SSB-5533 legislation. That's the conclusion reached by Implementation of SSB-5533 in Washington State Counties & Cities, a new report from the Washington Institute for Mental Health Research and Training Eastern Branch at Washington State University in Spokane (WIMHRT East). The legislation allows local prosecutors and law enforcement officials to divert from the criminal justice system individuals who have committed non-serious and non-felony crimes if they are know to suffer from a mental disorder.
03-24: Planning Grants Awarded for School-Based Health Centers
The Washington State Department of Health recently announced it is awarding grants to 11 communities across the state to develop local plans for school-based health centers. This effort, funded in part by the Mental Health Transformation Project, makes it more likely that teens in those areas can get the physical, oral, and mental health care that they need, even if their families have no health insurance.
03-21: Register Now for Prevention Summit
Registration for the Prevention Policy Summit is now open. The summit will continue the effort to guide Washington State toward a system that promotes mental health, intervenes early, and addresses the devastating impacts of mental illness. It will take place 8:30 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. on Tuesday, May 13, 2008, in Tukwila.
03-19: What Would Prevention Look Like for Mental Health?
03-14: Getting Crisis Intervention Right
03-06: Stop Stigma, Support Recovery, Stay Well

February 2008

02-28: Recovery: The Big Picture
A five-part series on recovery from mental illness and substance abuse, Rehabilitation in a "Recovery Mode," looks at recovery from a number of distinct perspectives, from clinical research to the power of language to peer counseling, and more. The series starts March 5 and is offered via teleconference. It includes presentations from Yale Professor Larry Davidson, Ph.D.; educator Amy K. Long from the National Empowerment Center; Jill SanJule of the Washington State Mental Health Transformation Project; Beth Calvo of the Washington State Division of Vocational Rehabilitation and Helen Nilon of Highline Mental Health.
02-28: How Many Researchers Does It Take to Screw in a Transformation?
02-25: Results In: Two Heads Now Better Than One
02-15: Can Mental Illness Be Prevented?
02-13: Using Data to Evaluate Transformation
When do efforts pay off in results? How do you know when results are actually good? Ron Jemelka, who heads the Evaluation Team of the Mental Health Transformation Project, recently appeared at the 18th Annual Conference on State Mental Health Agency Services Research to answer those questions in part. His presentation points to the benefits of diverse points of view among evaluators, a firm grounding in measurable outcomes, and the advantages of integrated databases.
02-12: Consumer-Run Organizations: Sharing Experience, Strength, and Hope
02-06: Mental Health Services in Washington State Schools
A new report from the Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction, Publicly Funded Mental Health and School Coordination Resource Manual, is now available. The report gathers information from parents, RSNs, mental health providers, and K-12 school personnel to examine how players in the system can better collaborate to meet the mental health needs of children in Washington State schools. The report was funded in part by the Mental Health Transformation Project.
02-05: Science by Any Other Name

January 2008

01-31: An Ounce of Prevention
01-29: SAMHSA Lauds Progress of Mental Health Transformation Project
The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), federal funding agency for the Mental Health Transformation Project (MHTP), recently reviewed MHTP Year 2 Plan Update. The result? "Washington has made great progress with multiple activities and accomplishments," Mary Blake said in a letter to MHTP Director Ken Stark. Blake is the SAMHSA Connector/Government Program Office for the programs in Washington State. For particular praise, she singled out "legislative activities, policy analyses, and coalition building work, for instance through the expansion of the Community Transformation Partnership." She also noted, "I am especially excited about the opportunities that will arise from the public health report." Read SAMHSA letter and review on the Priority Reports page.
01-18: Keep Up With Legislative Happenings
The 2008 legislative session is underway. You can keep up with a number of bills related to changes and improvements to Washington's mental health services system by visiting the Legislative Happenings section of this website.
01-18: Mini-Grant Webcast January 23
If you have submitted a letter of intent for the Mini-Grant program, you are required to watch the upcoming January 23 webcast. Learn more about the Mini-Grant Program.
01-03: TWG Meets January 4
The Transformation Work Group (TWG) holds its quarterly meeting this Friday, January 4, from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Agenda items include presentations on Medicaid Jails Study and Prison Re-entry; Involuntary Treatment and the Program for Assertive Community Treatment (PACT); a survey on Evidence Based Practice; Prevention models in mental health policy; and a consideration of TWG progress in terms of transformation, integration, and sustainability. The meeting will take place at Red Lion Hotel in Olympia. View Mapquest map.