The College for Behavioral Health Leadership

Where behavioral health leaders collaborate to grow and transform communities across the nation.

Holly Salazar

Behavioral Health and the New Administration: Summary of Key Themes

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A new year. A new administration. A behavioral health pandemic within a lingering COVID pandemic. Struggling communities. A renewed sense of urgency.

On January 28, The College for Behavioral Health Leadership (CBHL) hosted an important leadership conversation: Behavioral Health and the New Administration – A Call to Action. This dialogue featured five multi-sector senior leaders from the behavioral health field addressing major needs and key challenges that face the new Biden-Harris administration, and the potential roles the new administration could serve in helping to address these needs. The summary of this conversation identifies key themes and outlines opportunity for further discussion and action. 

I invite you to review the recording of the conversation and summary report here. As a neutral convener, the College for Behavioral Health Leadership is in a unique position to lead future dialogue to sharpen the concept of controversial or underdeveloped issues to work toward a common understanding. Stay tuned for updates on future events to be scheduled, where we will dive deeper into 3-4 high priority topics. They will also be posted here on our website as dates are confirmed.

f you have questions or comments, please feel free to email Holly at hsalazar@leaders4health.org.

Holly Salazar | CEO | The College for Behavioral Health Leadership

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The College for Behavioral Health Leadership Signs Historic Mental Health 7-Pillar Roadmap to Stem Crisis in Mental Health and Substance Use Care

Roadmap for Recovery Includes Focus on Early Intervention, Emergency Crisis Response, Leveling of Racial and Economic Inequalities in Health Care, Parity in Payment by Health Insurance Plans, Among Other Core Issues

February 25, 2021 – The College for Behavioral Health Leadership (CBHL) today announced that it has signed onto an historic mental health and substance use care roadmap for accelerating effective mental health care as the nation struggles to weather and recover from the COVID-19 pandemic.

The roadmap – titled A Unified Vision for Transforming Mental Health and Substance Use Care – calls for policy, programs and standards that prioritize mental health care and address the social and economic conditions – including racism and discrimination – that disproportionately impact people of color and people whose incomes are below the federal poverty threshold, and result in inadequate and inequitable access to effective, humane treatment.

“The importance of aligning agendas and working together across sectors cannot be understated if we are to make real changes to our mental health and substance use care system. The systemic transformation we are embarking on will take a new kind of leader – prepared to innovate, transform and lead us into the future.  CBHL is pleased to support the Unified Vision and stand ready to take the important steps in actualizing it.” – Holly Salazar, CEO, The College for Behavioral Health leadership

A collaboration of mental health and substance use disorder organizations – the American Psychiatric Association, the American Psychological  Association, the Massachusetts Association for Mental Health, Meadows Mental Health Policy Institute, Mental Health America, the National Association for Behavioral Healthcare, the National Alliance on Mental Illness, the National Council for Behavioral Health, One Mind, Peg’s Foundation, the Steinberg Institute, The Kennedy Forum, the Treatment Advocacy Center and Well Being Trust – developed the roadmap as a response to the pandemic, which has greatly exacerbated the fault lines in an already fractured mental health system and heightened mental health issues across our nation – including anxiety, depression, isolation, addiction, domestic abuse, and suicide.

In welcoming CBHL as the newest signatory to the Unified Vision statement, co-convener of the group that drove the roadmap Tyler Norris from Well Being Trust said: “Accomplishing real, substantive change to our country’s mental health care system is a significant undertaking, one that will require collaboration and coordination from all involved in the sector. No one person or organization can do it alone, and the collaboration is looking to prompt discussion and forge partnerships that will ultimately transform the future of mental health care in the United States. We welcome this critical show of support for our mission from our most recent signees.”

Just as the public health care system was unprepared for a pandemic, an unprecedented mental health crisis afflicting half of all Americans has overwhelmed the mental health care system. Since the onset of the pandemic, prevalence of depression symptoms have jumped three-fold, overdose deaths have increased in 40 states, and the CDC reports that 25 percent of young adults struggle with suicidal ideation.

The strategic plan offers tried-and-tested “pathways for success” across seven critical policy areas identified as:

  1. Early identification and prevention, especially for families and young people;
  2. Rapid deployment of emergency crisis response and suicide prevention;
  3. Leveling inequities in access to care;
  4. Establishing integrated health and mental health care to ensure “whole-person” well-being;
  5. Achieving parity in payment by health plans for mental health and substance-use coverage;
  6. Assuring evidence-based standards of treatments and care; and,
  7. Engaging a diverse mental health care workforce, peer support and community-based programs.

Included in the vision is a detailed proposal for how the new Administration, Congress, Governors and state and local lawmakers must work in tandem with the business community and the non-profit sector to promote systemic changes in the mental health care system.

Among the seven suggestions are a number of ideas that can be implemented quickly, such as, embracing telehealth, and implementing strategic shifts to early intervention that can help provide relief by bringing telehealth outside of a clinical setting – and into schools, community centers, prisons; fast-tracking new emergency response systems, such as the new “988” National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, for immediate access on mobile carriers; and, engaging a diverse mental health care workforce, providing additional support means by expanding access to peer support groups and community based programs.

https://www.leaders4health.org/2021/the-college-for-behavioral-health-leadership-signs-historic-mental-health-7-pillar-roadmap-to-stem-crisis-in-mental-health-and-substance-use-care/

Celebrating Black History Month

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Dear Colleagues,

Yesterday marked the first day of Black History Month, a time to celebrate the achievements of Black Americans – including the unsung heroes whose names we may not know but for whom we are indebted – and to recognize their important role in our history.

As I reflect on past years’ Black History Month events, I think of cultural celebrations, recognition of famous and accomplished Black Americans, and reminders of the important history in our not so distant past.

This year, I am struck by the profound and rapid change we are experiencing in how we think and talk about equity in both our personal and professional lives.

This year, I challenge us to focus on the work we are doing from within to inspire and elevate the voices of Black Americans already working alongside us. I challenge us to promote and encourage engagement of emerging Black leaders in our programs and planning and to listen and respond to Black voices with intention and integrity. I challenge us to differentiate ourselves as leaders in behavioral health so that future generations of accomplished Black leaders thrive in organizations and communities that more closely reflect those we serve.

I personally commit to each of these challenges with greater intention – I would love to hear from you how CBHL can support your own commitments.

With gratitude,
Holly
Holly Salazar | CEO

CBHL has a CEO!

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Dear CBHL Colleagues,

It is with great pleasure the CBHL Board of Directors would like to announce a significant change to our infrastructure. 

Since inception in 1979, CBHL has operated under a model of contracted services – where staff and support positions functioned as independent contractors to support the work of the organization.  

As we position ourselves for the future to support our behavioral health leaders and the communities we serve, we want to reinforce our commitment to the advancement of our vision and mission.  To do this, our  Board of Directors unanimously voted to approve the following actions:

  1. Transition from contracted staff to employed staff
  2. Convert the Director of Operations position to Chief Executive Officer.

We are happy to announce that Holly Salazar, currently serving as Director of Operations, will serve as the CBHL Chief Executive Officer, effective Friday, January 22, 2021.  

We are thrilled with this organizational change and look forward to a productive 2021.  If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me. 

Thank you all for your commitment to CBHL.  

Wendy Varnell, President, CBHL Board of Directors

Our Commitment to Addressing Systemic Racism

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Hello Everyone,

After a long election night, it is clear that we continue to be a country that is divided.  As a result, we thought it critical to share an update on our commitment at CBHL to address systemic racism and openly discuss and acknowledge the impact this has on our communities.  We are writing today to give you an update on our work. 

When the CBHL Board of Directors met in June to determine the action we would commit to taking to address systemic racism, we began by acknowledging that racism is baked into the core of the United States and that we were each committed to addressing the impact of racism, class, and privilege on our communities, especially among communities of color.  We also acknowledged the need to articulate and communicate values of social justice and equity as the core of all of our initiatives, to host difficult conversations and consider the compounding impacts of racism and white supremacy on our work, and to remember not to over-complicate, but to start somewhere.

As a Board we discussed specific potential opportunities for organizational commitment, but realized that we didn’t know exactly where to start, and struggled a bit to determine the best course of action.  It was this realization that prompted us to – as a first and immediate step – engage a consultant to help clarify how we as a Board and an organization would take action to adequately and appropriately address racism as the primary root cause of inequity in health, social and wellbeing outcomes, ground our strategies with a focus on achieving equity and reducing disparities, and share our learnings and opportunities for transformation across disciplines with members.  

We held two affinity groups among board members and a workshop – Exploring Whiteness and Systemic Racism – over the last few months, and have made an organizational commitment to continuing this work.  As we engage with our members and launch new initiatives – including the creation of our Center for Leadership Innovation – we are committed to supporting and developing leaders committed to creating equitable systems for all.

We look forward to sharing more about our work to address racism in the coming months. Please don’t hesitate to reach out to Holly or to one of us with your thoughts, concerns, or questions.     

Wendy Varnell, LCSW, CBHL Board President
Alicia Smith, MHA, CBHL Board President-Elect

Announcing the 2020 Un-Summit: A Leadership Forum

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Dear Colleagues,

COVID-19 and new attention to the effects of racism have reinforced that Partnering with Communities to Improve Health Outcomes is more important than ever for health care leaders.  Thus, it is with great enthusiasm we announce our 2020 signature offering will be going virtual in a new and exciting format this year! The 2020 Un-Summit: A Leadership Forum is a 9-week series of live, interactive and on-demand events held September 24 through November 19, 2020.

The Un-Summit is a robust virtual learning package designed for busy leaders to learn together, develop new connections and build resilience as we tackle the most pressing issues facing the health of our communities today. The Un-Summit will be dynamic, interactive and flexible to spur bold ideas and actions to tackle the most pressing issues facing the health of our communities today.

While our understanding of the content will build sequentially through the series, we recognize the time constraints on leaders in today’s environment and have created both optional and core content with pathways for participants to “catch up” via recorded and on-demand events. 

The Un-Summit will kick off on Thursday, September 24 with our Opening Session 12-1pm EST, followed by a keynote address 1:30-2:15pm EST with Tyler Norris, MDiv, Chief Executive of Well Being Trust, an impact philanthropy with a mission to advance the mental, social and spiritual health of the nation. 

Registration opens later this month – check out our website for more information. We look forward to learning together with you!

Holly Salazar | Director of OperationsThe College for Behavioral Health Leadership

Condemning Institutional Racism

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A Statement from the College for Behavioral Health Leadership (CBHL)

The killing of Mr. George Floyd has once again brought into stark reality the undeniable impact of racism in the United States. The ingrained racism in our society contributes not only to deaths in the criminal justice system, but also hurts the health and wellness of communities of color through disparities in health care, housing, education, employment, income and neighborhood quality of life.

The College for Behavioral Health Leadership (CBHL) is a place where leaders collaborate to help communities across the nation improve behavioral health wellness and address health inequity.  CBHL condemns all acts of unequal treatment of Black, Brown and other communities of color. We recognize the rage and helplessness that has led to rioting. We are committed to working in partnership with our Board, staff and members to ensure that the work of CBHL promotes an understanding of and attention to eliminating systemic racism and subsequent health inequity.

We hope that you join us in this important cause.

Yours in peace, 

The CBHL Board of Directors

We are proud to announce our new website!

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Dear Colleagues,
I am thrilled to introduce our new website – same URL – different look and functionality!
New features include:

Are you a current CBHL Member? Click here for further instructions on updating your account.

We encourage you to look around our website and as always, if you have questions or would like to schedule a conversation to learn more, feel free to reach out to me at hsalazar@leaders4health.org.
Happy clicking!