757: WI Crisis Stabilization Centers, Using HBI Data Effectively

JANSON SILVERS: 

This is the award-winning Public Health Review Morning Edition for Wednesday, September 25, 2024. I'm Janson Silvers.

SILVERS: 

Now, today's news from the Association of State and Territorial Health Officials.

BRIANNE ZABOROWSKE: 

Wisconsin's regional crisis stabilization facilities are really an intentional enhancement and expansion of crisis stabilization facilities that have really existed in our state in a much less robust way for the last 25 years.

SILVERS: 

Five new crisis stabilization facilities are now open across Wisconsin. Brianne Zaborowske, a social worker in the state tells us how they did it.

ZABOROWSKE: 

So through the use of American rescue plan dollars, what we decided to do was provide five agencies, one in each of our five DHS regions, with some additional funding and support In order to enhance services and expand services beyond just the county in which they operate.

SILVERS: 

Zaborowske says crisis work is a challenge, so staff must be trained and ready to address multiple issues.

ZABOROWSKE: 

So training on de-escalation and trauma, informed practice is absolutely essential. It not only provides staff with a foundation of understanding why certain symptoms or behaviors are manifesting, which helps to build empathy for that client, but it also helps to limit the need for intensive and restrictive interventions, which we want to avoid.

SILVERS: 

For those agencies interested in replicating Wisconsin's program, she says:

ZABOROWSKE: 

Listen to the individuals who are trying to access care, who are in need of care. Understand what their needs are, what the challenges and barriers are that they're experiencing. Along with that, communication with the programs themselves and the agencies that are providing care.

SILVERS: 

Wisconsin has an announcement about the five regional centers use the link in the show notes to read it.

Agencies are learning how data related to brain health can help educate audiences and inform planning approaches. Elizabeth Conklin, with Connecticut's Department of Health, says her state was part of the first cohort for the Healthy Brain Initiative Data for Action Project.

ELIZABETH CONKLIN: 

These were regular meetings that were convened for the data for action and helped us really look through what is your data? What do you want to do with the data? Who do you want your audience to be? How much available data do you have? Is it relevant?

SILVERS: 

Conklin says being part of the project, collaborating with other agencies, and sharing ideas was very valuable.

CONKLIN: 

It was a very helpful project to be part of the Data for Action Group. I think there was about six or seven state health departments that participated, and it's also helpful to hear their feedback and what they're using the data for, what they were going to create. Some created, I think, a booklet, some created, other briefs. We went the factsheet route.

SILVERS: 

Hear more about how Conklin and her team translated all this data into usable, actionable information in the latest episode of the Public Health Review podcast available now. Use the link in the show notes to listen.

Also, today, it's Falls Prevention Awareness Week and ASTHO has several resources on the topic. In the show notes, you can find links to those resources from ASTHO and the CDC.

Finally, on tomorrow's newscast.

SHEENA PATEL:

We are dedicated to enhancing health infrastructure and facilitating data exchange across the country.

SILVERS: 

Dr. Sheena Patel tells us how Crisp Shared Services will be integral to the success of the new National Implementation Center Program, and how you can get your questions answered. Follow the show and you'll have the episode on your mobile device at 5am tomorrow. Tap the plus sign in the upper right corner of the screen that you're looking at right now.

That'll do it for today. We're back tomorrow morning with more ASTHO news and information.

I'm Janson Silvers. You're listening to the award-winning Public Health Review Morning Edition.

Have a great day.