Stories of Change: How We’re Transforming Clinical Practice to Better Treat Mental Health and Substance Use Disorders
Well Being Trust is led by clinical experts who’ve dedicated their lives and careers to improving the well-being of patients and communities. We know the challenges patients, practitioners, and health systems face when it comes to addressing mental health and substance use disorders. Just as importantly, we know there are solutions and opportunities for change, and we understand the nation must work together to transform the way mental health care is provided and ensure everyone has access to high quality care.
To that end, one of the first things we did after our founding in 2016 was work with Providence St. Joseph Health to create, fund, and lead the Clinical Performance Group, a system-wide learning collaborative that aims to improve care and delivery.
These efforts are building exciting momentum. In these pages, we share four stories of what the group has achieved and learned so far:
- Seattle health care network Swedish is using technology to dismantle barriers to mental health treatment in the primary care office.
- Providence Alaska Medical Center, in Anchorage, is piloting several initiatives that increase access to successful substance use disorder treatment, without stigma.
- With the help of an actuarial firm, we’ve created a tool that could help health care institutions make the business case for using proven behavioral health interventions in primary care settings.
We envision a world in which no one struggles alone. The Clinical Performance Group is helping to move us closer to that vision. As our learning grows, we believe it will lead to best-in-class solutions that deliver the highest quality care; improved outcomes for patients and quality of work and life for caregivers; a blueprint for other systems and care settings to begin their own transformations; and a strong return on investment.
