Behavioral health is an integral part of overall wellness, and all hospital care settings need the necessary resources to best serve this patient population.
The behavioral health safety and quality program supports hospitals across care settings to improve identification, treatment, and recovery services for individuals with mental health and substance use disorders. This goal is met by providing education on behavioral health best practices, leading learning collaboratives for behavioral health hospital leadership, and using data to inform and advance behavioral health improvement across the state.
Getting Started
Inpatient Behavioral Health Roundtable
Washington inpatient behavioral health hospital leadership are invited to participate in this monthly roundtable. The goal of this community is to improve patient outcomes by sharing knowledge, establishing peer networks, encouraging innovation, and collaborating to solve problems. If you are interested in joining this monthly meeting, please contact Brittany Weiner.
Behavioral Health Webinars
Topical webinars are offered periodically to advance education about behavioral health best practices and provide implementation support and resources. These webinars are open to all hospitals and care settings, and are intended for broad audiences. Previous topics have included overdose prevention strategies, trauma informed care, and the impact of COVID on behavioral health. To be notified of future events, please sign up for the behavioral health mailing list or see the WSHA Events Calendar.
Support for Rural Hospitals
Rural hospitals face unique challenges providing behavioral health care. The WSHA behavioral health safety and quality program supports rural members by offering educational opportunities, technical assistance, and collaborative problem solving to ensure all individuals in rural communities can access appropriate care.
Behavioral Health Policy Issues
In addition to supporting safety and quality behavioral health initiatives, WSHA staff also monitor behavioral health legislative priorities, pro-actively advocate for policies in the best interest of both patients and hospitals, and regularly disseminate information about how these policies impact hospital operations. For more information, please see recent bulletins or contact Ryan Robertson.
Tools/Resources
Mental Health Advance Directive Toolkit (last updated May 2022) – This document is intended to support hospitals in effective policy and training implementation related to Mental Health Advance Directives and will be updated as new materials become available.
Mental Health Advance Directive Patient Flyer – This flyer is appropriate for patients and their families. It provides a general overview of the Mental Health Advance Directive, answers frequently asked questions, and notes relevant community resources.
