The Practice NW

Advocacy has been keeping Sharon busy over the past few months, in part due to her volunteer role as a board member and the policy committee chair for the ! Testifying on a couple of important bills has been an opportunity to contribute provider voice to the conversation about desperately-needed policy and systems changes.

One small win was that her recommendation (at the end of this clip) that the DC:0-5 diagnostic manual be included in HB 1432 was adopted, no doubt thanks to behind the scenes follow up by state agency partners. We look forward to the governor's signature! In the meantime, here's the final language:

"For a health plan issued or renewed on or after January 1, 2027, medically necessary outpatient services, residential care, partial hospitalization services, inpatient services, and prescription drugs provided to treat mental health or substance use disorders covered by:..The diagnostic categories listed in the DC:0-5 diagnostic classification of mental health and developmental disorders of infancy and early childhood available on January 13, 2025, or any subsequent version as determined by the insurance commissioner in rule consistent with this section and the goals listed in section 1 of this act."

So much of the dysfunction of our national and state systems is out of our control. But if we keep showing up and speaking truth to power, every once in a while it makes a difference. And we are holding onto hope that all those small changes will add up over time to make a big difference for the people living in our communities and the mental health professionals who support them.