Announcements

Mark your calendars! The Health Care Authority (HCA) Division of Behavioral Health and Recovery's (DBHR) next learning community meeting will be held on Wednesday, January 25, 9-11 a.m., with an optional third hour from 11-12 p.m. Please note, we anticipate the agenda will include an update on the prevention section budget including potential upcoming funding opportunities. This meeting is required for all community prevention and wellness initiative (CPWI) and community-based organization (… read more

We are nearing the next cycle of the Communities Talk. A major change is coming!

The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) will be sponsoring stipends for the next round of Communities Talk to Prevent Alcohol and Other Drug Misuse, an initiative that focuses on alcohol and other drug misuse that negatively affect communities and our youth. Since 2006, the initiative has provided prevention resources and stipends to thousands of community-based… read more

The Department of Health (DOH) You Can campaign educates teens about the risks and consequences of using cannabis and increases protective factors that help teens resist using drugs.

The relaunch includes new messaging focused on cannabis’ impact on mental health, personal relationships, and brain development. Assets also acknowledge the mental and emotional issues youth face, and offer healthy ways to deal with stress, anxiety, and loneliness; encourage young people to connect with… read more

The Division of Behavioral Health and Recovery (DBHR) has identified funding to provide financial support for prevention partners to attend various conferences. These conferences provide training on prevention theory, strategic planning, coalition development, cultural competency, reducing health disparities, community organizing, and/or the Strategic Prevention Framework.

These conferences are open to CPWI, CBO, and Tribes for attendance. Only registration costs can be covered by… read more

The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) is making progress on plans to revise the Tribal Behavioral Health Agenda, published in 2016. SAMHSA worked with tribal leaders, the Indian Health Service, and the National Indian Health Board to develop the National Tribal Behavioral Health Agenda (TBHA). The TBHA is a blueprint for collaborative action by tribes, federal partners, states, and other stakeholders on five foundational elements. They are in process of an… read more

The Washington State Department of Health (DOH) is inviting young people living in Washington to apply to become an Adolescent Youth Advisory Council member. Council members will serve for about two years starting in 2023 and help the Adolescent and Young Adult Health Unit make key programming decisions. DOH is looking for young Washingtonians ages 13-22 with internet, social media, and email access. Members will be compensated for their time. Applications selected will center… read more

This winter, the Behavioral Health Institute (BHI) with the Washington Health Care Authority (HCA) is engaging behavioral health stakeholders from around Washington state in listening sessions to gather information and opinions regarding inequities in behavioral health care. The information gathered from the listening sessions will be used to inform state-level policy recommendations that address inequities in behavioral health care.

BHI is seeking a diversity of identities,… read more

What is involved? the Review Team reviews the previous year's Overview and Nomination Packet documents during January and February, making suggestions on improvements, suggestions on how to market the awards to encourage more participation, and to make suggestions on how to simplify the nomination process. Any meetings are via Microsoft Teams. Award nominations are accepted during the April - early August time frame; there are no Review Team meetings or duties during the… read more

On Monday, December 12, 2022, the Supreme Court denied a request made by a group of major tobacco companies to block California’s recently passed ban on flavored tobacco products, allowing for a lower court’s decision permitting the ban to stand.

Each year the Division of Behavioral Health and Recovery compiles and submits an Annual Synar Report (ASR) to the Federal Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA).

The report is no longer available for public review.

Questions? Email Ray.Horodowicz@hca.wa.gov.