INTO THE 21ST CENTURY

The mission of the WICHE Mental Health program is twofold: 1) to assist states in improving systems of care for mental health consumers and their families; and 2) to advance the preparation of a qualified mental health workforce in the West. The program collaborates with states to meet the challenges of changing environments through regional research and evaluation, policy analysis, program development, technical assistance, and information sharing.

WICHE Mental Health Program Background & Experience

The WICHE Mental Health Program has focused on supporting public mental health system improvement and the training needs of the mental health workforce in the West as a major part of its agenda for a half-century. The role of higher education in the development of effective mental health professionals has been a natural fit for the mental health program within the WICHE family of programs. The values for the western states to develop, recruit and retain a workforce educated to serve the mental health needs of western states citizens with culturally effective approaches has been the primary mission of the program since its inception. Because of the Interstate Compact, contracting with WICHE is on an inter-governmental basis, and WICHE performs all technical assistance and other activities for member states at cost.

The WICHE mental health program is a recognized leader in rural and frontier mental health, cultural competence, and telemedicine/web-based health. (...read more)

WICHE Mental Health Department's Annual Report (pdf 1.93MB)

Mental Health Monthly Newsletter

WICHE Center for Rural Mental Health Research

The WICHE Center is one of eight Rural Health Research Centers funded by the federal Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) Office of Rural Health Policy. The Center is engaged in an inclusive process with partners in the WICHE West to identify potential research areas for future focus. The Center will serve as a foundation... (read more).

Western States Decision Support Group

The WSDSG is a regional user group for the federally funded Mental Health Statistics Improvement Program (MHSIP) and is supported by staff from the WICHE Mental Health Program. The WSDSG is comprised of two consumers, state representatives from 15 western states, and a staff person. It works on inter-state research projects and meets three times annually. (Click here for more information)

Culture

WICHE, in partnership with SAMHSA, developed cultural competence standards in mental health across different ethnicities/races. We coordinated the Center for Mental Health Services (CMHS) activities of four national racial/ethnic panels with 72 members from America’s underserved-underrepresented racial/ethnic groups. These groups produced the SAMHSA/CMHS National Standards for Cultural Competence. Click here for more information.

Workforce

Workforce shortages in mental health are a national problem and particularly severe in largely rural states, such as those composing the WICHE West.

Partly in response to this dilemma, WICHE applied for and received CMHS funding for the development of a “virtual” Grand Rounds series, (click here for more information) conducted via electronic web casts, to provide rural and frontier mental health professionals with access to training on key topics emergent in mental health practice today.

In addition to the grand rounds web casts, WICHE works in depth with each of its member states on workforce issues. In particular, we have done extensive work with Alaska, Idaho, Nevada and South Dakota.

The Annapolis Coalition on the Behavioral Health Workforce is pleased to announce the release of An Action Plan for Behavioral Health Workforce Development. This is the culmination of a two-year effort of work to create a national strategic plan to strengthen the mental health and addictions workforce. More than 5,000 individuals were engaged in the planning process. The plan is available for download without charge at the Coalition’s website (www.annapoliscoalition.org). In addition to the full plan, an Executive Summary is also available. The plan was funded by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) and can also be accessed through its website.

Click here for Job Openings in the West and Beyond!

Evidence Based and Promising Practices

Most, if not all, of the current evidence-based practices (EBPs) in mental health were developed in urban areas. Implementing these EBPs with full fidelity in rural areas is typically impossible... (read more)

WICHE has undertaken a project called The Rural Road from Promising Practice to Evidence-Based Practices, which is a collaborative effort with the Evaluation Center at the Human Services Research Institute (HSRI). Click here to read the Draft Report (pdf 987KB).

Deaf and Hard of Hearing

The WICHE mental health program continues to work on improving the behavioral health workforce of the rural West in regards to deaf and hard of hearing population. Information Gaps on the Deaf and Hard of Hearing Population: A Background Paper (pdf 321 KB)

Children’s System of Care

WICHE has supported state Children’s System of Care development and continued evolution in Alaska, South Dakota, and Wyoming, as well as with the Wakayeja Wape Tokeca Circle of Care program on the Pine Ridge Reservation in South Dakota. The mental health program also has considerable collaborative relationships with system of care projects in Nebraska. Additionally... (read more).

Older Adults

In June 1998, the federal Center for Mental Health Services (CMHS) contracted with the mental health program to identify, describe and help disseminate information on exemplary practices in the delivery of mental health outreach services to older adults. This project grew out of discussions... (read more).

Frontier Mental Health Services Resource Network

The basic mission of the Frontier Mental Health Services Resource Network is the collection, analysis, and synthesis of knowledge regarding needs for and delivery of mental health services in "frontier" rural U.S. counties (nonmetropolitan counties with population densities of less than seven persons per square mile). Read more...