IDAHO BEHAVIORAL HEALTH ASSOCIATION HOSTS ITS FIRST ANNUAL “LEADERS IN BEHAVIORAL HEALTH CONFERENCE” IN DOWNTOWN BOISE
The Idaho Behavioral Health Association (IBHA) hosted its first annual conference: “Leaders in Behavioral Health: Behavioral Health and Criminal Justice Reform in Idaho.” The conference was held at Treefort Music Hall and gathered behavioral health and public safety professionals from across the state.
The Conference featured a keynote speech from the Chief Medical Officer and Chief Executive Officer of the Fletcher Group, Dr. Ernie Fletcher and Dave Johnson. Each discussed the history of behavioral health services and the importance of allocating resources and focusing on outcomes to create an ecosystem that can sustain successful programs.
“Harm reduction is incredibly important, but we have to move beyond harm reduction,” Dr. Fletcher said. “We still have to provide it, but we can’t stop there. Idaho has taken some goods steps but there is also tremendous opportunity to do more, and we can, together.”
Two separate panels presented and discussed behavioral and mental health, and the opportunities therein to improve resources in Idaho. The first panel, focusing on education, featured Beth Markley, executive director of National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), Sara Omundson, director of the Idaho Supreme Court, Weston Trexler, deputy director of the Idaho Department of Insurance, and Ross Edmunds, administrator of the Division of Behavioral Health.
The second panel, focusing on advocacy work in behavioral health featured Roger Schei, Pocatello Chief of Police, Adrian Cavener, director of government affairs for Regence BlueSheild of Idaho, and Sarah Samson, therapist team coordinator lead & mental health court therapist with Trivium Life Services.
“This conference served as an opportunity to bring together all those working in behavioral health and criminal justice to learn that when we work as a coalition, we are able to discuss ideas that will better serve Idahoans needing access to mental and behavioral health,” IBHA Executive Director Peyton Nunes said. “Our ultimate goal as an organization is to improve systems in the state to remove barriers to access to these vital services.”
Currently, Idaho does not have enough housing, workforce, or in-patient facilities to care for everyone experiencing severe mental illness and as a result, some individuals needing care are instead placed into correctional facilities.
“We had a great mix of public safety officials and behavioral health professionals, all who agree that we need better resources available to those needing behavioral or mental health care in Idaho” IBHA Board President Erin Hudson said. “Our hope is that this serves as an opportunity to continue these conversations so we may improve and expand how we are able to provide care to those needing behavioral or mental health services.”
Some goals highlighted at the conference for the association included their commitment to support the Idaho Behavioral Health Council’s recommendations to the Governor, increasing the supply of behavioral health professionals helping to add a much-needed resource of workforce, and addiction education and recovery.
