COVID-19 has changed how leaders are engaging with and delivering care to people and communities with behavioral and other complex health needs. Given the nature of this pandemic, there is no defined “end” we are working toward. Rather, we are working through the crisis, which for many of us means the momentum we achieved pre-COVID has been stripped away. Concurrently, the killing of Mr. George Floyd has once again brought into stark reality the undeniable impact of racism in the United States. Credible leaders must step forward and own our ability to lead through this important moment.
The College for Behavioral Health Leadership (CBHL) is bringing together experts from around the country to help leaders balance the reality of managing the current crisis with the need to foster hope, plan for the future and convene conversations that will lead to new partnerships and collective action.
Through a series of interactive webinars, CBHL will offer opportunities for leaders to learn and collaborate on topics relevant to leadership in the current era, including the importance of integrated care, inequity and resulting disparities, international innovations, the role of public behavioral health authorities in disaster behavioral health management, and the role of partnerships. Specific topics will be flexible to be responsive to emerging needs.
Who Should Attend: Leaders serving people and communities with behavioral and other complex health needs.
Format: Each webinar will consist of two parts, 90-minutes total
- Part 1 will be a 45-minute panel presentation on the identified topic from experts in the field and is free for all to attend.
- Part 2 will be a 45-minute facilitated, interactive discussion to process information with the panelists and other colleagues, and may include breakout discussions with the panelists, large group discussions and Q&A with the panelists, networking and information. Part 2 is free for CBHL members and Partner members and just $10-$20 for non-members to attend (cost varies by webinar).
Schedule of Events
Sustaining Resilience During COVID-19 – From Leadership to the Front Line | April 1, 2020
COVID-19 has changed the world in which we live and work. Leaders and front-line healthcare professionals alike are facing new and more complex challenges as we adapt to a rapidly changing environment of care, while the level of uncertainty and ambiguity continues to grow. We are forced to make more difficult decisions, work in new ways and care for our own families, all while motivating our workforce to stay the course. So how do we collectively cultivate resiliency in order to remain strong and thrive while in stressful conditions, particularly when connection to others must be made from a distance? In this webinar, we will hear from three professionals to explore the dynamics of COVID-19 and how we can continue to support the development of our best selves as leaders through crisis. We will also learn about a model of peer to peer support developed to support Chinese healthcare professionals, and an upcoming opportunity to virtually build resilience together.
Click on the link below to access the video and materials.
Provider Obligations, Opportunities and “Oh No’s” – Your COVID-19 Questions Answered | April 21, 2020
With many changes affecting American businesses during the coronavirus pandemic, it can be difficult to keep up. Complex new laws, programs and regulatory changes have raised questions and concerns amongst healthcare providers trying to continue necessary services for their customers while staying ahead of the rapidly evolving environment.
New obligations to employees under the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA) and/or unemployment; opportunities for business relief like the Paycheck Protection Program, Economic Injury Disaster Loan, and grant programs from SAMHSA, the CDC and others; and regulatory relaxation under the 1135 Waiver during Federal and State emergency declarations – including telehealth and payment for services – have left employers/providers scrambling for the latest information.
This webinar will explore:
- Frequent questions and concerns related to the new laws, programs and regulatory changes;
- General themes related to how States have used the 1135 waiver, and implications for providers;
- An overview of National and State resources and how they can be accessed by providers.
Click the link below to access the webinar video and materials.
The Tsunami of Need is Coming: Integrated Care in the Era of Covid-19 | June 25, 2020
Offered in partnership with Health Management Associates (HMA).
Rates of depression, anxiety, trauma, substance use and grief are rising across large segments of the population—particularly for youth and black, indigenous and people of color. Primary care will be the first responders to this mental health crisis across the country. There has never been a more important time for the integration of behavioral health in primary care for early identification, treatment of mild to moderate conditions, and enhanced referral to specialty care. Integrated care has also shifted to telehealth and there are emerging lessons. Join us for a discussion on the importance of integrated care for supporting public health, behavioral health, and health equity during Covid-19.
Click the link below to access the webinar video and materials.
A Call to Action: Our Responsibility as Leaders to Address Structural Racism and Resulting Inequities | July 29, 2020
COVID-19 does not affect everyone equally. Public health crises by their nature reveal existing inequities and make them worse. This is especially true among Black, Indigenous and People of Color who are disproportionately harmed by institutionalized policies and practices that knowingly and unknowingly perpetuate racism and discrimination – creating transgenerational disparities and generational poverty. Generations of historically traumatic events have a profound impact on a community’s health, increasing vulnerability to behavioral and other complex health needs. Join us for a discussion on inequities at each level of the social ecological model, to understand the impact on populations, and to identify ways in which we as leaders can address inequities.
Click the link below to access the webinar video and materials.
Disasters and Behavioral Health in Today’s World: Implications for Leadership | August 26, 2020
Offered in Partnership with the International Initiative for Mental Health Leadership (IIMHL).
Behavioral health leaders are faced with a confluence of mental health disasters – the COVID-19 pandemic, other natural disasters like hurricanes, an economic crisis, civil and cultural turmoil – all producing a range of effects and challenging our values and ability to respond. Disaster mental health principles tell us that:
- Everyone is impacted in some way, but the impact varies
- It is not only about diagnosing disorders
- There is a behavioral health role in all phases of the disaster (preparedness, response, and recovery), and
- Leadership matters.
Typically, in our healthcare profession, we focus on diagnosing and treating disorders, which make up a great deal of the morbidity and mortality in this and other disasters. However, before diagnosis occurs during a mental health disaster, the public will experience things like distress reactions and engagement in risky behaviors. These will show up in places like the emergency department or primary care setting, via law enforcement interactions, and at home or at work. All segments of society are impacted by the significant social and economic cost, creating a significant public behavioral health burden, and underscoring the important role of public behavioral health leadership.
Click on the link below to access the video and materials.
Health Equity Through Partnerships with Community Development Corporations: The other CDC | December 3, 2020
Offered in Partnership with Build Healthy Places Network.
The current pandemic has revealed even more deeply the health inequities that impact our communities, influenced by legacies of racial and economic segregation and disinvestment that fueled disparities in opportunity, health and well-being even before the COVID-19 crisis. The community development industry was originally founded during the civil rights movement, in response to racist “redlining”policies and discriminatory lending practices, and is responsible for investments in health clinics, affordable housing, permanent supportive housing, and more. What is the industry’s role in our current moment, and how can those working to provide for mental and behavioral health, better collaborate to address shared goals?
Click on the link below to access the video and materials.
