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Behavioral Health Program

Supporting systems that help people and communities thrive since 1955


WICHE’s Behavioral Health Program (BHP) has two main goals:

  • To help Western states best serve the behavioral health care needs of their residents
  • To develop, prepare, and continuously improve the behavioral health care workforce

 


The WICHE BHP pursues these goals through diverse means in three priority areas:

  • Systems improvement to contract directly with states to optimize their delivery of behavioral health care
  • Workforce development to help states assess, plan for, and meet their behavioral health workforce needs with a focus on adoption of evidence-based practices
  • Research, data, and evaluation to advance behavioral health knowledge and promote sound public policy

The BHP staff and consultants include psychologists, social workers, policy experts, researchers, and more – all who have earned strong reputations as thought leaders in their areas of expertise, and who are as passionate in their purpose as they are diverse in their skill sets.

Like other WICHE programs, the BHP expands the capabilities of its partners by promoting innovation, cooperation, resource-sharing, and sound public policy.

The BHP imagines a future in which no one, however emotionally or geographically isolated, is limited by behavioral health challenges.


 

IN FOCUS

WICHE BHP hosts annual Together With Veterans Summit in Westminster, CO

On October 25th and 26th, WICHE hosted the annual Together With Veterans Summit, held in Westminster Colorado. The 2024 Summit was attended by almost 170 TWV community members from across the country.

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Rural Psychology Internship ConsortiaMountain Plains Rural Opioid Technical Assistance Center (Mountain Plains ROTAC)Together with Veterans

We support the administration of year-long programs for doctoral interns to build the behavioral health workforce pipeline, particularly in rural or remote areas, in six Western states.

We partner on a federally funded center to provide training, webinars on evidence-based practices, and providing Community of Practice learning opportunities. We aim to reach populations impacted by health disparities in rural, tribal, and frontier communities to reduce morbidity and mortality associated with opioid and/or stimulant use in rural communities.

In partnership with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, we are developing and piloting a multi-platform suicide prevention program to assist veterans in rural communities.

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In Focus

WSDSG Meets In-person in Boulder, CO

The Western States Decision Support Group (WSDSG) held its annual in-person meeting in Boulder, CO on Nov. 18-19, 2024. The meeting included a reception and day-long conference that featured presentations from Dr. Michelle Cornette from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) on 988 Lifeline and Crisis Services Program Evaluation, Kristin Neylon from the NASMHPD Research Institute (NRI) on National Trends in Behavioral Health Crisis Services, and Melanie Boetel and Brittney Lengkeek from the South Dakota Department of Social Services, Division of Behavioral Health on Using State Data to Track Outcomes and Inform Policy and Practice. The event provided opportunities for networking, information exchange, and planning, which included the formation of a WSDSG Steering Committee with representatives from Alaska, Nevada, South Dakota, Utah, and Washington.

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WICHE Behavioral Health was instrumental in helping state agencies in Hawai‘i develop an APA-accredited predoctoral psychology internship training program for our state. The ability of the WICHE consultants to integrate our internship into the nationwide APPIC match selection process and their invaluable assistance with obtaining APA accreditation has enabled our program to attract and train highly competent doctoral students for work in our public service agencies across the state.”

— Alex Bivens

Clinical Psychologist, Faculty, Hawai’i Psychology Internship Consortium

“Connecting with WICHE through the Guam Psychology Internship Consortium has been pivotal in shaping my educational and career path. The opportunities provided by WICHE allowed me to gain invaluable experience in a supportive environment, significantly enhancing my professional growth. Dr. Leeper, a WICHE Consultant, offered exceptional support during my APPIC application process, addressing all my concerns about relocating from Louisiana to Guam. WICHE’s proactive approach to obtaining feedback on my experiences led to impactful adjustments to the program, such as the introduction of the Economic Impact Payment to assist interns with the cost of relocating overseas. My experience with Guam PIC was so extraordinary that I decided to stay and complete my post-doctoral training there. WICHE demonstrated a strong commitment to team collaboration by inviting me to participate in interviews for the new incoming class. The resources and support offered through WICHE have significantly contributed to my success, preparing me for a promising career in psychology. I highly recommend WICHE’s programs to any student looking to enrich their educational journey.”

— Mary Parrish

Psychologist, Guam Behavioral Health and Wellness Center

“WICHE played a pivotal role in connecting the University of Alaska Fairbanks, Social Work program with Northern Marianas College in Saipan. Recognizing that the UAF Social Work program, with their focus on rural practice, Indigenous communities, and with an expertise in distance education, would be the perfect fit for Saipan’s behavioral health needs. WICHE was instrumental in assisting with the creation of a 2+2 partnership that allows NMC students to seamlessly transfer to the UAF BSW program without ever leaving their home community. In its fifth year, [the program has a] growing number of bachelor- and master-level social workers now in Saipan.”

— Retchenda George-Bettisworth, PhD

Clinical Professor, Statewide BSW Rural Cohort
Coordinator, UAF Department of Social Work

 

For more information, please contact:

Dennis Mohatt

Vice President, Behavioral Health Program


303.541.0256

dmohatt@wiche.edu

Janell Daly

Senior Administrative Coordinator, Behavioral Health Program


303.541.0278

jdaly@wiche.edu