Expansion of behavioral health and clubhouse services - okanogan county is a vast geographical area with many rural, frontier communities and is designated as a health care provider shortage area…

Okanogan Behavioral Healthcare was awarded $733,041 under the Section 223 Demonstration Programs to Improve Community Mental Health Services grant program by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration to expand behavioral health and clubhouse services in Okanogan County, Washington from February 2021 through October 2021.

Specifically, the funding will allow Okanogan Behavioral Healthcare to increase access to counseling, case management, life skills training, treatment, prevention, education, and assistance with supportive housing for uninsured and underinsured populations in the vast, rural county. It will also support strengthening existing partnerships with specialized programs in areas like school-based services, intensive wraparound services, and drug court. The funding will aid expansion of the Highland Clubhouse, which offers recovery support services based on the international clubhouse model to those recovering from mental health and/or substance use disorders.

Expansion of behavioral health and clubhouse services - okanogan county is a vast geographical area with many rural, frontier communities and is designated as a health care provider shortage area (HCPSA). The federal office of rural health policy defines frontier counties as those counties having a population of 7 individuals per square mile. The 2010 census for okanogan county, produced by the united states census bureau, reports okanogan county at 7.8 people per square mile; thus narrowly missing this designation. The provider shortage, lack of public transportation, and the long-distance travel to health care causes individuals living in okanogan county to stuggle with timely access to needed services. IT is the goal of okanogan behavioral healthcare to provide expedited intervention and treatment to the most vulnerable populations of okanogan county. Okanogan behavioral healthcare is submitting a proposal for the FY 2020 certified community behavioral health clinic expansion grant to assist in this goal. Through this funding opportunity, okanogan behavioral healthcare will be able to expand services of counseling, case management, life skills training, treatment, prevention, education, and assistance with supportive housing to uninsured and under-insured populations. Okanogan behavioral healthcare maintains strong relationships with its community stakeholders and this grant will support US in strengthening these partnerships and networks. Some of our coalitions are with specialized programs such as school-based services, the wraparound intensive services (WISE), the highland clubhouse, drug court model, and more. Okanogan behavioral healthcare has dedicated the past year to increasing same-day access for both mental health and substance use disorder outpatient services to include rapid response to referrals from community stakeholders and request for services by consumers. In addtion to increasing access to services, there is a large need for recovery support in the community. Okanogan behavioral healthcare responded to this need by creating the highland clubhouse in january 2019. Broadly based on the international clubhouse model, the highland clubhouse offers recovery support services to individuals recovering from mental health and/or substance use disorders. This program supports community members working side by side as peers in the "work ordered day." activities include the teaching of daily living skills, event planning, daily meetings, member education/training, goal setting, food preparation, cleaning, promotion of the clubhouse, and more. In addition, the highland clubhouse serves as a bridge to the community in ways of potential employment, activities, and education.