News & Success Stories

State requirements and best practices that aim to improve the health of infants and parents affected by substance use at birth were announced June 26, 2023. If there are no safety concerns, state policy now allows substance-exposed infants to receive voluntary wrap-around services without being reported to Child Protective Services. All hospitals should update policies to align with state policy and train staff no later than January 1, 2025, to comply with federal requirements.
When someone is diagnosed with diabetes or heart disease, they often struggle with managing their condition. Learning how to track your blood pressure or blood sugar takes time and can feel overwhelming to manage on your own. The Department of Health’s Heart Disease, Stroke, and Diabetes Prevention Program has seen tremendous success working with partners to make health information and personalized care more accessible.
The Prevention Awards of Excellence are an opportunity to recognize individuals and organizations for their dedication and contributions to the prevention field. Sponsored by the state Health Care Authority, the goals of the Washington State Prevention Awards of Excellence are to:
Bree Collaborative is looking for individuals and teams that would like to participate in a Health Equity Action Collaborative. During the collaborative, participants will receive support in taking their chosen health project from an idea to developing an implementation plan that can be enacted within their organization.
The Washington State Department of Health (DOH) awarded Birth Equity Project funding to five organizations serving pregnant and birthing people in the state. These organizations are led by and serve Washington’s Black/African American, African Immigrant, and American Indian/Alaska Native communities:
The Washington State Department of Health (DOH) has released its 2023 Maternal Mortality Review Report (PDF), with findings that behavioral health conditions, including suicide and overdose, remain the leading causes of pregnancy-related deaths.
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) released the results of its annual National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH), which shows how people living in America reported about their experience with mental health conditions, substance use, and pursuit of treatment in 2021. The 2021 NSDUH national report includes selected estimates by race, ethnicity, and age group.
The 2023 National Association of County and City Health Officials (NACCHO) Conference will take place both virtually and in-person, July 10–13, 2023 in Denver. This year’s theme, Elevating Public Health Practice for Today and Tomorrow, will explore how the local public health workforce and its stakeholders can move forward in the midst of an ongoing crisis while implementing traditional and innovative approaches to restructure a system built to protect the health of communities nationwide.
Every year, the Bree Collaborative chooses focus areas to develop best practices and clinical guidelines to improve health care quality, affordability, and accessibility. Potential topics are evaluated based on relevant healthcare utilization, variability, and impact on health outcomes in our state. In 2023 the Bree Collaborative will focus on:
The Dr. Robert Bree Collaborative, which brings together public and private health care stakeholders to identify specific ways to improve health care quality, outcomes, and affordability in Washington State, has recently published recommendations for key health issues. The Bree Recommendation on Hepatitis C Virus has been finalized.