16 Wednesday,March3,2021 Columbia Gorge News www.columbiagorgenews.com Now Available! Spring COMMUNITY REPORT Find out more about innovative behavioral healthcare in our community. PLUS see the winners of our student contest spotlight for Suicide Prevention Month! For more, visit us online at www.comphc.org or scan here with your smartphone camera for access to a digital version! Our Shared Vision of Equity Despite a challenging year, we are proud of our team’s ability to drive forward with our mission of standing up for the most vulnerable and continuing to foster truly vibrant communities that are inclusive of all individuals. By playing a role in the sustainability, resilience, and overall wellbeing of our corner of the world, we are able to forge paths of progress for all those who live here, in our schools, neighborhoods and workplaces. Jodi Daly, Ph.D. President and CEO Comprehensive Healthcare As we venture forth in 2021 and continue to deal with the aftermath of the pandemic, the need for accessible, culturally affirming mental health and substance use disorder support has never been more acute and more important to Comprehensive Healthcare’s mission and strategy. You can rely on us to continue to work on initiatives that impact our community’s health and wellbeing. For more information on these initiatives, read on at comphc.org. Comprehensive Healthcare is currently accepting new clients, and our caring, multilingual staff is available for appointments via telehealth, over the phone, or safely in person. TO SCHEDULE AN APPOINTMENT: White Salmon Center (509) 493-3400 24/7 Crisis line (833) 407-9286 Comprehensive Healthcare’s Innovative Research Partnerships An app to navigate life with schizophrenia, and therapy through storytelling In partnership with the University of Washington (UW), Comprehensive Healthcare is conducting innovative research projects to advance behavioral health care in our region, state, and nationwide. Two of our current initiatives, Healing Seasons and FOCUS, are designed to uncover new, evidence-based approaches to helping clients build skills for effectively managing challenges. HEALING SEASONS: We’re working to understand whether a culturally adaptive, story-based model would help clients process trauma by building on Native American communities’ rich cultural traditions of oral storytelling. The project recognizes that indigenous populations often face high levels of institutional and generational trauma that traditional therapy models may not fully address. Participants work with a therapist to use objects, such as feathers, rocks, photographs, and other items to help paint a physical timeline of abuse and trauma while also anchoring the participant in their positive memories as well. FOCUS App for Skill-Building and Mental Health Support for Individuals with Schizophrenia. In conjunction with counseling services, the app allows users to learn emotional regulation practices, and receive notifications and reminders to take medicine, tips for understanding social cues, sleep improvement techniques, and more, working toward managing their illness much like other chronic conditions, such as diabetes or high blood pressure. The app is ideal for early intervention with schizophrenia, since many experience their first psychotic break between the ages of 16 and 26. The New Era of Telehealth: Computers on Carts in EDs Computers on carts are rolling in a new era of telehealth – literally. Over the past several months, Comprehensive Healthcare has partnered with 12 hospitals and county jails to install secure, user-friendly mobile devices that provide immediate access to crisis behavioral health services at sites across Central Washington. Early data shows strong adoption. Within the 12 current locations, clients accessed Comprehensive Healthcare’s emergency services over 100 times during November and December of 2020. CONTACT US: White Salmon Center (509) 493-3400 | 24/7 Crisis line (833) 407-9286 | To read the full report, visit us at comphc.org