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Children and Youth Behavioral Health Work Group (CYBHWG)

The Children and Youth Behavioral Health Work Group (CYBHWG) provides recommendations to the Legislature to improve behavioral health services and strategies for children, youth, young adults, and their families. The group includes representatives from the Legislature, state agencies, health care providers, tribal governments, community health services, and other organizations, as well as parents of children and youth who have received services.

Mission

The CYBHWG’s work is focused on:

Identifying barriers to and opportunities for accessing behavioral health services and strategies for children, youth and young adults (prenatal to age 25 years old) and their families that are:
- Accessible,
- Effective,
- Timely,
- Culturally and linguistically relevant,
- Supported by evidence, and
- Incorporate tailored innovations as needed.

The CYBHWG advises the Legislature on statewide behavioral health services and supports, and recommends improvements. It also monitors enacted legislation, programs, and policies.

Co-chairs

Representative Lisa Callan
Email: lisa.callan@leg.wa.gov
Dr. Keri Waterland
Assistant director of DBHR
Washington State Health Care Authority (HCA)
Email: keri.waterland@hca.wa.gov

Advisory groups

During the 2020 interim, the Children and Youth Behavioral Health Work Group (CYBHWG) has four advisory groups working in these areas:

Prenatal to age five relational health

Representative Debra Entenman
Email: Debra.Entenman@leg.wa.gov
Bridget Lecheile
Email: bridget @wa-aimh.org

Workforce and rates

Specific to the prenatal to 25 age group.

Leads:

Representative Mari Leavitt
Email: Mari.Leavitt@leg.wa.gov
Hugh Ewart
Email: Hugh.Ewart@seattlechildrens.org
Laurie Lippold
Email: Laurie.Lippold@gmail.com

Student behavioral health and suicide prevention

Leads:

Representative My-Linh Thai
Email: My-Linh.Thai@leg.wa.gov
Lee Collyer
Email: lee.collyer@k12.wa.us

Youth and young adult continuum of care

Quad leads:

Representative Lauren Davis
Email: lauren.davis@leg.wa.gov
Representative Carolyn Eslick
Email: Carolyn.Eslick@leg.wa.gov
Michelle Karnath
Email: Michelle.Karnath@clark.wa.gov
Lillian Williamson
Email: lillian.martha.williamson@gmail.com

Behavioral Health Integration

Kristin Houser
Email: houser@sgb-law.com
Sarah Rafton
Email: srafton@wcaap.org

Background

The Children's Behavioral Health Work Group was first created by the Legislature by Engrossed Second Substitute House Bill 2439 (2016), the workgroup released recommendations before disbanding July 1, 2017. The workgroup reformed in 2018 through Engrossed Second Substitute House Bill 2779 (2018) to continue the work they started. In 2020, Second Substitute House Bill 2737 renamed the work group as the Children and Youth Behavioral Health Work Group, and extended its work through 2026.

The work ends on December 30, 2026.