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Much has been done within the health care and advocacy communities to create pathways to treatment and support. However, due to a national shortage of mental health care providers and other systemic issues, the needs continue to grow.
We need bold action and innovative solutions to make greater impact. Providence, a national, not-for-profit Catholic health system serving the Western U.S., is doing just that.
Millions of people are affected by mental illness in the U.S. According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness, one in five adults experience mental illness each year, and one in six youth aged six to 17 are impacted. Less than half of these individuals – our friends, neighbors, family members and co-workers – receive help. By every measure, this is a public health crisis.
A child’s mental well-being affects how they interact with their surroundings and respond to stress and those around them, including at school and in the home. Mental health concerns often begin in childhood and if left unaddressed can result in additional or worsening conditions well into adulthood.
In 2023, Providence announced that through its Well Being Trust it would invest in Renton School District – one of the most diverse school districts in Washington state – and its student virtual mental health services. This three-year commitment is part of a partnership between Providence and the Seattle Sounders FC to address the youth mental health crisis.
Work2BeWell, a mental health and wellness program focused on providing mental health resources and education for teens, parents and educators, plays a key role in this partnership and supports in-person and virtual events using curriculum and resources based on clinical best practices and co-created by students for students. In the first year of the partnership, the program was rolled out to half of Renton’s middle and high schools.
Through this new partnership, 15,000 students have access to mental health services and support, including:
Spanning seven states with 51 hospitals, more than 1,000 physician clinics, senior services, supportive housing, and many other health and educational services, Providence and its affiliates see firsthand the impact of the mental health crisis. Every year, mental health is identified as a pressing health priority in the communities it serves.
“We’ve seen in community needs assessments in each of our seven states that mental health care is a tremendous need,” said Arpan Waghray, M.D., CEO of Providence’s Well Being Trust. “These issues are not new, and they’re becoming the leading health concern for us and other health care providers.”
Providence and its affiliates combine a long-standing commitment to improving community health with expertise in high-quality care to help address the mental health crisis. They focus on whole-person health, looking at individuals’ health through the lens of their mental, physical and spiritual well-being. Providence has made a bold commitment to innovate and transform the delivery of mental health care through the formation of its Well Being Trust, a national foundation started with a $100 million endowment in 2016 to advance mental, social and spiritual health for all.
Providence’s Well Being Trust supports strategic efforts to expand access and improve clinical care outcomes across the communities Providence serves and beyond. It has set an audacious goal to increase access to mental health care to 1 million people in the Western U.S., by 2026. In the past 18 months, more than $10 million has been invested in communities Providence serves, and the impact is significant:
Identifying mental health concerns as early as possible helps children - and families - get the support they need and can make a real difference in a child’s life and future.
“The research shows that addressing behavioral health needs in our kids not only improves their symptoms but also improves their day-to-day life,” said Roger Dowdy, LICSW, chief operations officer for Providence’s Well Being Trust. “Supporting young people with mental health resources gives them the care and resilience they need to thrive at school, at home and in their community.”
Victoria Blakeney, director of student support for the Renton School District, shared that services through the Providence-Sounders partnership are filling a gap and providing much-needed support to students and families. After the COVID-19 pandemic, students ended up with long wait times for a mental health appointment due to a shortage of community partners and resources.
“As a community, we are working to address the social, emotional and mental health needs of our students,” Blakeney said. “This partnership, along with the new virtual therapy service, expands access for all of them, filling a key gap in a comprehensive mental health support system.”
The partnership has already made a difference in its first year with more than 2,200 virtual therapy sessions completed.
Looking ahead, the Renton School District plans to ensure all their K-12 students and families are aware that tele-therapy services are available, as well as expand the Work2BeWell curriculum to all middle and high schools in the district within the next two years. Additionally, Providence’s Well Being Trust is exploring opportunities to expand similar services to other school districts in partnership with local community organizations.
SPONSORED BY PROVIDENCE
Roger Dowdy, LICSW
COO, Providence Well Being Trust
“Supporting young people with mental health resources gives them the care and resilience they need to thrive at school, at home and in their community.”
Virtual mental health support brings hope to youth and families
Investing in innovative solutions to address the mental health crisis
Addressing mental health concerns early to create lasting community resilience
• 600,000+ projected lives touched;
• 40 community partnerships, including five school-based initiatives;
• 13,300+ patients received potentially life-saving interventions for opioid use disorder, suicidality and/or depression.
• Tele-mental health therapy provided by Hazel Health, a leading K-12 telehealth provider.
• Mental health awareness curriculum, support for wellness clubs on campus, and outreach to help kids prioritize their mental well-being and support their friends.
• In-person and virtual events and assemblies using Work2BeWell resources, designed by high school students to include mental health and wellness curriculum, student clubs, educator activities, parent resources and teen podcasts.
• Safe spaces for kids to play, including new soccer mini-pitch fields and basketball courts in the Renton area.
Fourth grader Sara*, age 9, has struggled with anxiety since the pandemic.
“She didn’t go to school for almost two weeks – it was a big issue,” says Sara’s mom. “I didn’t know what to do. I didn’t know who to talk to.”
Through a referral from her daughter’s school counselor, her mother found out about the virtual mental health services Providence supports through the Sounders partnership. Appointments are provided to students at no cost to parents and can be done remotely.
Sara’s mom shared how grateful she was to hear her daughter say, “It’s really working!” Sara attends school regularly now and uses tools and coping resources she learned from the therapist. One idea the therapist shared is to intentionally start the day with a positive thought. Sara said she tried the suggestion the next morning.
When she got home from school she shared with her mom, “I told myself I was going to have a great day, and I did!”
Sara’s mother, who works full-time, said the accessibility of virtual appointments that can fit in around her and her family’s schedule has been critical.
Sara’s older brother, Robert,* serves as a student ambassador at a Renton district high school, where he presents information about the virtual mental health services to his peers. Robert says he has noticed a positive change in his sister. “Since she’s received support from a virtual mental health therapist, my sister’s anxiety has reduced significantly.”
Sara’s mother said she’s glad to spread the word to break down mental health stigma and encourage more young people to reach out for support they need.
One student’s experience with virtual therapy
The Providence-Sounders partnership is one example of how Providence is making strategic investments in programs that improve health and increase equitable access to quality care.
“Providence supports solutions that wrap around entire communities, from workforce wellness programs for caregivers and area employers to programs with community partners that extend our reach to more people in need,” Dowdy said.
Through community benefit programs and other high-impact investments, Providence works to ensure basic health needs are met and strives to remove barriers to care, build community resilience and innovate for the future.
“A community’s strength comes from the health, wellness and resilience of its people,” Waghray said. “Across the communities we serve, we’re committed to closing mental health care gaps and providing access to affordable, equitable care for everyone so that we can all thrive.”
To learn more about the impact we’re making in our communities, visit: Annual Report to Our Communities | Providence.
Improving health in partnership with communities
* Names in this story were changed to protect the privacy and identity of minors.
Much has been done within the health care and advocacy communities to create pathways to treatment and support. However, due to a national shortage of mental health care providers and other systemic issues, the needs continue to grow.
We need bold action and innovative solutions to make greater impact. Providence, a national, not-for-profit Catholic health system serving the Western U.S., is doing just that.
Millions of people are affected by mental illness in the U.S. According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness, one in five adults experience mental illness each year, and one in six youth aged six to 17 are impacted. Less than half of these individuals – our friends, neighbors, family members and co-workers – receive help. By every measure, this is a public health crisis.
Spanning seven states with 51 hospitals, more than 1,000 physician clinics, senior services, supportive housing, and many other health and educational services, Providence and its affiliates see firsthand the impact of the mental health crisis. Every year, mental health is identified as a pressing health priority in the communities it serves.
“We’ve seen in community needs assessments in each of our seven states that mental health care is a tremendous need,” said Arpan Waghray, M.D., CEO of Providence’s Well Being Trust. “These issues are not new, and they’re becoming the leading health concern for us and other health care providers.”
Providence and its affiliates combine a long-standing commitment to improving community health with expertise in high-quality care to help address the mental health crisis. They focus on whole-person health, looking at individuals’ health through the lens of their mental, physical and spiritual well-being. Providence has made a bold commitment to innovate and transform the delivery of mental health care through the formation of its Well Being Trust, a national foundation started with a $100 million endowment in 2016 to advance mental, social and spiritual health for all.
Providence’s Well Being Trust supports strategic efforts to expand access and improve clinical care outcomes across the communities Providence serves and beyond. It has set an audacious goal to increase access to mental health care to 1 million people in the Western U.S., by 2026. In the past 18 months, more than $10 million has been invested in communities Providence serves, and the impact is significant:
A child’s mental well-being affects how they interact with their surroundings and respond to stress and those around them, including at school and in the home. Mental health concerns often begin in childhood and if left unaddressed can result in additional or worsening conditions well into adulthood.
In 2023, Providence announced that through its Well Being Trust it would invest in Renton School District – one of the most diverse school districts in Washington state – and its student virtual mental health services. This three-year commitment is part of a partnership between Providence and the Seattle Sounders FC to address the youth mental health crisis.
Work2BeWell, a mental health and wellness program focused on providing mental health resources and education for teens, parents and educators, plays a key role in this partnership and supports in-person and virtual events using curriculum and resources based on clinical best practices and co-created by students for students. In the first year of the partnership, the program was rolled out to half of Renton’s middle and high schools.
Through this new partnership, 15,000 students have access to mental health services and
support, including:
Identifying mental health concerns as early as possible helps children - and families - get the support they need and can make a real difference in a child’s life and future.
“The research shows that addressing behavioral health needs in our kids not only improves their symptoms but also improves their day-to-day life,” said Roger Dowdy, LICSW, chief operations officer for Providence’s Well Being Trust. “Supporting young people with mental health resources gives them the care and resilience they need to thrive at school, at home and in their community.”
Victoria Blakeney, director of student support for the Renton School District, shared that services through the Providence-Sounders partnership are filling a gap and providing much-needed support to students and families. After the COVID-19 pandemic, students ended up with long wait times for a mental health appointment due to a shortage of community partners and resources.
“As a community, we are working to address the social, emotional and mental health needs of our students,” Blakeney said. “This partnership, along with the new virtual therapy service, expands access for all of them, filling a key gap in a comprehensive mental health support system.”
The partnership has already made a difference in its first year with more than 2,200 virtual therapy sessions completed.
Looking ahead, the Renton School District plans to ensure all their K-12 students and families are aware that tele-therapy services are available, as well as expand the Work2BeWell curriculum to all middle and high schools in the district within the next two years. Additionally, Providence’s Well Being Trust is exploring opportunities to expand similar services to other school districts in partnership with local community organizations.
SPONSORED BY PROVIDENCE
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