Feature news articles about transformation in Washington State. http://mhtransformation.wa.gov Crisis intervention teams are law enforcement units—in the Memphis Model, individual officers distributed strategically throughout the rank and file—trained specifically on how to recognize and deal with symptoms of mental illness or developmental disability in high-tension, confrontational situations. http://mhtransformation.wa.gov/MHTG/articles/20080801.shtml Fri, 01 August 2008 12:00:00 PST pikej@dshs.wa.gov (Jeff Pike) Eight of 39 Washington State counties have taken advantage of a new state law that provides counties with an option for funding mental health and chemical dependency services, according to a recent report from the Washington Institute for Mental Health Research and Training in Spokane, Implementing E2SSB-5763 in Washington State Counties. http://mhtransformation.wa.gov/MHTG/articles/20080711.shtml Wed, 11 July 2008 12:00:00 PST pikej@dshs.wa.gov (Jeff Pike) Trauma is among the most significant factors involved in mental illness, and it must be taken into account by caregivers and providers, four prominent speakers told the Trauma-Informed Care Symposium in Yakima in June 2008. http://mhtransformation.wa.gov/MHTG/articles/20080709.shtml Wed, 09 July 2008 12:00:00 PST pikej@dshs.wa.gov (Jeff Pike) In the late '70s, the embrace of community support programs on a national level in the mental-health field made clear the critical role that only consumers could play in supporting recovery. http://mhtransformation.wa.gov/MHTG/articles/20080701.shtml Tue, 01 July 2008 12:00:00 PST pikej@dshs.wa.gov (Jeff Pike) Creating a campaign to market mental wellness and reducing stigma was the #1 ranked and prioritized policy at the final vote of the Prevention Summit. But what would that look like? http://mhtransformation.wa.gov/MHTG/articles/20080605.shtml Thu, 05 June 2008 12:00:00 PST pikej@dshs.wa.gov (Jeff Pike) The Mental Health Transformation Project is accountable to the Substance Abuse & Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) to justify the use of its grant funds within federal tracking guidelines defined under the Government Performance and Results Act (GPRA). http://mhtransformation.wa.gov/MHTG/articles/20080509.shtml Fri, 09 May 2008 12:00:00 PST pikej@dshs.wa.gov (Jeff Pike) In anticipation of its Prevention Summit, the Mental Health Transformation Project has been reaching out to local communities for input on policy ideas and priorities for a Washington State mental health policy focused on prevention. http://mhtransformation.wa.gov/MHTG/articles/20080506.shtml Tue, 06 May 2008 12:00:00 PST pikej@dshs.wa.gov (Jeff Pike) May is Mental Health Month and the theme this year is 'Get Connected.' http://mhtransformation.wa.gov/MHTG/articles/20080503.shtml Sat, 03 May 2008 12:00:00 PST pikej@dshs.wa.gov (Jeff Pike) Coordination between the K-12 schools and mental health systems has long needed improvement in the area of delivery of mental health services. In Washington State, some innovative solutions have been found in local areas. http://mhtransformation.wa.gov/MHTG/articles/20080501.shtml Thu, 01 May 2008 12:00:00 PST pikej@dshs.wa.gov (Jeff Pike)