May 2024 Board Minutes

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May 10, 2024 

Board Members Present:  Kelli Houston, Bryan Raines, Bob Lutz, Dvid Crump, Beverly Sarles, Mark Wakai, Julie Honekamp, Kurtis Robinson, David Crump, Lynn Kimball, Jennyfer Mesa, KJ January, Ricki Peone, Rachel Ferguson, Tamika LaMere,  Luke Baumgartner, Shawn  Brigman, Lacey Bacon, Juliana Repp, Kiana McKenna, Hancel Sanchez, and Ryann Louie, Stephanie Courtney, and Ash Riant 

Rachel called us to order. 

During the welcome, Rachel acknowledged Jennyfer Mesa and thanked her for her support of BHT as she has stepped down as Board Chair. Jennyfer shared thoughtful comments about the need for additional support for BIPOC leaders. The Chair role is a big commitment and requires added support for individuals, especially when they are from community-based organizations. 

Kiana read our Land Acknowledgement. 

Mark read our Statement on Anti Racism 

Kelli provided a short equity reflection on the history of Black History Month. 

Motion: To approve the May Consent Agenda  

April Board Minutes  

April Finance Committee Notes  

2023 Prelim Year End Financials  

Feb 2024 YTD Financials  

April Strategy & Living our Values Notes  

April Governance & Belonging Notes  

May Executive Committee Notes  

Moved: Dave Seconded: Luke APPROVED 

Abstain: Julie 

Tribal Partners Collaborative Update 

Alison provided a history of the Tribal Partners Leadership Council transitioning to the Tribal Partners Collaborative 

Board Development Updates 

Rachel and Kelly shared the thinking of the Board Goverannce and Belonging Committee and Board Strategy & Living our Values Committee recommendation that we hire a consultant to support the goals of: 

  • Assess BHT’s current Board culture.  

  • Lead a process to finalize values, beliefs and principles with our strategic direction.  

  • Define the roles and responsibilities that we expect will include a Board Manual.   

  • The Board provided feedback on skills/experience necessary. 
     

Board Belong Survey was distributed 

Adjourn 

Health and Housing: An Overview of the Literature

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Health and Housing: An Overview of the Literature

Better Health Together supports housing-first approaches to solving homelessness. We understand that safe and affordable shelter is fundamental to achieving health equity. The Housing First approach prioritizes establishing access to decent, safe, and permanent housing for people experiencing homelessness to ensure the needed stability for improving health. Review the literature supporting this approach to learn more!

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2024 Update: Behavioral Health Workforce Investments

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Better Health Together convenes a regional Behavioral Health Forum made up of organizations that provide behavioral health services and institutions that educate the behavioral health workforce. Using Integrated Managed Care dollars set aside by the BHT Board, this self-governing group designs and funds initiatives focused on the behavioral health workforce. This page highlights the way these dollars have supported the community-based workforce, clinicians, and behavioral health interns to strengthen behavioral health services in Eastern Washington.

This is a visualization of behavioral health workforce investments. Click this link for a PDF of the content.

Funding Opportunity: Telehealth Implementation Plan Consultant

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Funding Opportunity: Telehealth Implementation Plan Consultant

To support the needs of Newport School District, BHT is looking for a consultant to design an implementation and sustainability plan for a telehealth service to be offered in Newport High School, and the alternative High School, Pend Oreille River School, by March 30, 2024. Learn more here.

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Behavioral Health Supervision Funding Opportunity: Year 1 Summary

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Behavioral Health Supervision Funding Opportunity: Year 1 Summary

We released funding to support provider organizations with SUD and master’s level behavioral health staff with supervision so that the staff can gain critical licensure and to build capacity for supervision in our region. Here’s how our first year went..

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Smile Survey participation supports Spokane County children’s oral health!→

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Smile Survey participation supports Spokane County children’s oral health!

The 2023 Smile Survey is making significant progress across the state. So far, thanks to the partnership of school districts, the survey has reached 55% of schools randomly selected for the sample. In Spokane County, the Smile Spokane Collaborative is seeking connections to selected schools to support participation in the Smile Survey.

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COVID Housing Project helps over 260 households find stability in unprecedented times

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COVID Housing Project helps over 260 households find stability in unprecedented times

In 2021, the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) allocated Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) dollars to cities to provide housing and utility assistance to citizens financially impacted by COVID. As we conclude this work and step back to view the larger picture, we can see how essential these supports are in times of crisis to impacted populations.

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