Behavioral Health Advisory Council

About the council

The council includes consumers, providers, advocates, government representatives, and other private and public entities. The membership represents the state's population with respect to race, ethnicity, disability, and age, urban and rural.

As required by Section 1914(c) of the Public Health Service Act, at least 50 percent of the members are not state employees or providers of mental health services. Also, the ratio of parents with children with serious emotional disturbance to other members of the council meets the requirement to provide adequate representation.

The council on stigma

The behavioral health advisory council is committed to addressing stigma around mental health and substance use disorders. Watch two of our members share their story.

What does the council do?

The council makes decisions concerning the needs, planning, operations, funding, and use of services for mental health, substance use, and gambling disorders.

Council duties

Council members:

• Review plans the state provides to the Council and recommend modifications.
• Monitor, review, and evaluate—not less than once a year—the allocation and adequacy of mental health services within the state.
• Study programs and services, analyze problems, and identify gaps and barriers in the services system.
• Review materials provided and discuss and analyze current mental health programs and ancillary services.
• Solicit representative points of view from the communities represented by the Planning Council members concerning mental health issues. Provide information on mental health issues within those communities.
• Create and manage subcommittees, as necessary, to facilitate and inform its work.

Meeting information

Behavioral Health Advisory Council (BHAC) meetings take place the second Tuesday of every odd month from 9:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Meetings are currently hybrid, with the option to attend virtually or in person. The Health Care Authority is currently hosting the in person meetings, located at 626 8th Avenue SE, Olympia, WA 98501.

For more information, please contact the BHAC coordinator, Nathan Lusk.

2025

Date	Materials
July 8	Minutes (07/08/2025) Review of block grant priorities Letter in response to block grant recommendations Department of Commerce session highlights on housing Presentation on strategic plan roadmap
May 13	Minutes (05/13/2025) Block grant updates Community partner regional forums presentation
March 11	Minutes (03/11/2025) Block grant recommendations Block grant updates Salish presentation Overdose Education and Naloxone Distribution (OEND) presentation Rights under State v. Blake presentation
January 14	Minutes (01/14/2025) True North student assistance presentation SUPTRS and MHBG priorities NTI Raises the bar overview presentation Community connectors SUD flyers Block grant executive summary and recommendations

2024

Date	Materials
November 12	Minutes (11/12/2024) Adult ASAM presentation Block grant presentation National Training Initiative presentation Office of Community Voice and Empowerment presentation The Peacemaking Institute presentation
September 10	Minutes (09/10/2024) Presentation (09/10/2024) Behavioral health administrative services organizations (BH-ASO) federal block grant presentation Department of Health health professional credentialing presentation Block grant summary report for state fiscal year 2025
July 9	Minutes (07/09/2024) Block grant update (July 2024) HCA's DBHR state agency partnerships Great Rivers presentation House Bill 1515 presentation Northwest Center for Family Support presentation Department of Corrections presentation Youth BHConnect overview
May 14	Minutes (05/14/2024) Block grant report (state fiscal year 2024) Advance and Family Health Center presentation BHAC strategic planning preparation and annual survey presentation BHAC strategic planning activity summary Southwest Washington Behavioral Health Advisory Board presentation Washington Peer Network flyer
March 6	Minutes (03/06/2024) Meeting discussion notes (03/06/2024) BHAC presentation Behavioral health legislative presentation Workforce presentation Apple Health State Plan presentation
January 3	Minutes (01/03/2024) BHAC membership update and meeting review presentation (01/03/2024) Southwest Washington Behavioral Health Advisory Board presentation (01/03/2024) 2023 Federal Block Grant peer review report Mental Health Block Grant progress report (12/01/2023) Substance Abuse Block Grant progress report (12/01/2023) Substance Use Prevention and Treatment Block Grant progress report (12/01/2023)

2023

Date	Materials
November 2	Minutes (11/01/2023) State Prevention Enhancement (SPE) overview presentation Advocates for Human Potential presentation 2024 BHAC calendar presentation 2024 BHAC calendar ideas BHAC meeting expectations HCA 2024 budget and legislation proposals
September 6	Minutes (09/06/2023) BHAC bylaws BHAC bylaw changes (August 2023) BHAC Crisis Worker Liability Protection one pager North Central BHAB presentation
July 5	Minutes (07/05/2023) Block grant priorities presentation Trueblood implementation presentation
May 3	Minutes (05/03/2023) Adolescent Behavioral Health Care Act presentation Family Initiated Treatment (FIT) presentation SAMSHA Mental Health Block Grant presentation
March 1	Minutes (03/01/2023) 2022 BHAC peer review summary report 2023 federal block grant recommendations Behavioral health Medicaid State Plan Amendment presentation
January 5	Minutes (01/04/2023) Office of Behavioral Health Advocates (OBHA) presentation Fiscal year (FY) 22 block grant progress report priorities FY 22 Mental Health Block Grant (MHBG) progress report FY 22 Substance Abuse Block Grant (SABG) progress report BHAC state opioid settlement update

2022

Date	Materials
November 2	Minutes (11/02/2022)
September 7	Minutes (09/07/2022)
July 6	Minutes (07/03/2022)
May 4	Minutes (05/04/2022)
March 1	Minutes (03/01/2022)
January 5	Minutes (01/05/2022)

2021

Date	Materials
November 3	Minutes (11/03/2021)
September 1	Minutes (09/01/2021)
July 7	Minutes (07/07/2021)
May 5	Minutes (05/05/2021)
March 3	Minutes (03/03/2021)
January 6	Minutes (01/06/2021)

2020

Date	Materials
March 6	Agenda (03/06/2020)
January 8	Agenda (01/08/2020)

Council background

Beginning in 2012, the former Division of Behavioral Health and Recovery (DBHR) submitted one Unified Block Grant application for community mental health and substance abuse prevention and treatment services. However, implementing services and reporting progress for both block grants remained separate.

The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) also encouraged states with Joint Block Grant applications to create a joint advisory council. Washington State transitioned the previous Mental Health Policy Advisory Council (MHPAC) into a council that addresses all behavioral health conditions: mental health, substance use, and problem gambling disorders.