News

The first initiative workshop will be hosted in Bismarck, North Dakota, by Governor Kelly Armstrong on September 1-2.

Topics include community-based care, mental illness and the criminal justice system, integrating physical and behavioral health, policy pathways for peer support, the digital transformation of the mental health system, youth mental health in the digital age, and operationalizing youth mental health.

View the agenda below (all times are CDT) and register here to join the conversations.

Be sure to check back in with WGA in the coming weeks for more information on workshop panelists. 

Tuesday, September 1

12:00 p.m.: Welcome and Introductions 

• Jack Waldorf, WGA Executive Director

12:05: Governor’s Conversation

The Honorable Kelly Armstrong, Governor of North Dakota, will sit down for a conversation with WGA Executive Director Jack Waldorf about North Dakota’s approach to improving mental health outcomes and lessons learned from their efforts.

12:35: Panel 1: Centering Community-Based Car

Communities have become the primary setting for prevention, treatment, and recovery as the mental health system has shifted away from institutional care, but community-based mental health infrastructure is often unable to fully support current patient needs.  Panelists will discuss ways to strengthen the continuum of care, keep pace with demand, and increase access to mental health services across the West.

1:40: Panel 2: Criminal Justice Deflection and Diversion

People with mental illness are disproportionately represented in our nation’s criminal justice system.  Over 40 percent of those incarcerated in locally run jails and 37 percent in state and federal prisons have been diagnosed with a mental disorder.  This panel will examine strategies to deflect and divert people with mental health challenges from incarceration and connect them to community-based care.

2:45: Panel 3: Youth Mental Health in the Digital Age

Digital technologies – including smartphones, social media, and artificial intelligence – are reshaping how young people learn, connect, and experience the world, while also introducing new risks to their mental health and well-being.  This panel will explore the effects of digital technologies on youth and highlight policy opportunities and evidence-based approaches to address youth mental health in response to the rapidly evolving digital landscape.

3:50: Panel 4: Interventions to Improve Youth Mental Health

In recent decades, the number of children and adolescents experiencing mental health challenges has increased significantly.  Schools and families play a critical role in promoting children's mental health and identifying concerns early.  This session will identify school- and parent-focused actions to strengthen prevention, early intervention, and access to behavioral health supports for K-12 students.

4:45: Adjourn

Wednesday, September 2

8:30 a.m.: Panel 5: Behavioral Health Integration

Integrating behavioral health into primary care helps people access mental health and substance use services where they already receive care.  This approach reduces barriers to care, supports earlier identification and treatment, and strengthens coordination across providers.  It is especially important in rural and frontier communities, where primary care providers frequently serve as the first – and sometimes only – point of access to behavioral health services.  This panel will analyze innovative behavioral health integration models, as well as the policies, partnerships, and payment strategies needed to expand integrated, whole-person care and improve health outcomes.

9:35: Panel 6: Digital Transformation of the Mental Health System

Telehealth, artificial intelligence, digital therapeutics, and other innovations are transforming how mental health services are delivered.  These technologies can revolutionize access to care, especially in hard-to-reach western communities, but pose unique challenges for providers and patients alike.  This session will focus on policies and best practices that enable the responsible use of technology to improve mental health delivery and support higher-quality care.

10:40: Panel 7: Policy Pathways for Peer Support

Peer support specialists play an essential role in the behavioral health workforce, using their lived experience to promote recovery, help individuals navigate services, and connect them to care.  Panelists will discuss how western states can build and sustain a strong peer support workforce while highlighting federal recommendations to standardize training and certification, establish sustainable financing, and expand career pathways.

11:35: Adjourn