Research and Data Analysis

Washington State Behavioral Health Treatment Need and Service Utilization Update

In September 2019, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) awarded the Washington State Health Care Authority (HCA) a grant under the §1003 SUPPORT ACT. To support this effort, a current state assessment was conducted in state fiscal year (SFY) 2017–2019 to gain insight into the prevalence of substance use disorder (SUD) diagnoses, utilization of treatment services, and physical health and social outcomes among Medicaid beneficiaries with behavioral health diagnoses. However, the COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent public health emergency (PHE) may have impacted prevalence rates, treatment utilization, and use of acute SUD-related services. This set of four updated reports covers an updated time frame including the peak of the pandemic, SFY 2019–2022. Each report addresses a core question about behavioral health treatment and recovery support services in Washington and the potential impact of the COVID-19 PHE on those services.

2024 Caregiver Survey Report

Between September 2023 and September 2024, DSHS surveyed 1,342 caregivers (884 kinship and 458 foster) who had a child in care within six months of the sampling dates (August and November, 2023; February and May, 2024). These caregivers were asked about their satisfaction with the support and training provided by the Department of Children, Youth, and Families (DCYF) and private agencies contracted by DCYF. They were also invited to offer recommendations for change.

The Impact of Forensic Housing and Recovery Through Peer Services (FHARPS) on Homelessness and Housing Support Access – An Outcome Evaluation

This study evaluates the impact of Forensic Housing and Recovery Through Peer Services (FHARPS) programs serving three regions in Washington State on homelessness, criminal legal, and behavioral health measures for Medicaid-enrolled participants relative to statistically matched comparators. The report presents FHARPS program participant characteristics and findings from the outcome evaluation for Medicaid-enrolled program participants with and without a competency order history two years prior to FHARPS enrollment. We found that participation in FHARPS programs increased utilization of housing supports and crisis services for FHARPS participants overall, reduced indicated homelessness and re-arrest rates for FHARPS participants with a competency order history, and increased access to outpatient mental health treatment for FHARPS participants without a competency order history. There were no measurable impacts on competency orders, inpatient mental health treatment, and substance use disorder treatment.

Eating Disorders Among Apple Health-Enrolled Youth and Young Adults: Prevalence, Characteristics, and Recent Trends in Washington State

This report documents trends in the prevalence and types of eating disorders among youth and young adults enrolled in Apple Health in calendar years 2017 through 2021. Focusing on young people diagnosed in 2021, the report describes co-occurring diagnoses needs, both behavioral and physical health related; demographics and other characteristics; the behavioral health services they receive; and selected outcomes associated with eating disorder diagnoses.

Broadband Internet and Computer Access in Washington State Findings from the American Community Survey

Disparities in access to the internet and computing resources have long been an issue, but such disparities became more visible during the early years of the COVID-19 pandemic. Having no or limited access to the internet and computing resources can pose a barrier to distance education, telehealth services or other virtual social or health services for vulnerable populations. This report uses data from the American Community Survey spanning 2017-2021 to analyze disparities in digital access by geographic location and demographic groups across Washington State.

Washington State Jail-based Opioid Treatment Networks: Disparities in Initiation of MOUD Treatment

Since September 2018, the Washington State Healthcare Authority (HCA) has received State Opioid Response (SOR) grants to improve access to FDA-approved medications for opioid use disorder (MOUD) and reduce overdose deaths. This evaluation focuses on SOR-funded MOUD programs in five Washington State jails, known as Opioid Treatment Networks (OTNs), which start MOUD treatment for individuals with opioid use disorder (OUD) before their release. The report examines factors such as race, prior behavioral health diagnoses and treatments, healthcare and social service use, and criminal legal factors affecting MOUD initiation among those booked into and released from jail-based OTNs between January 2019 and September 2022. In this evaluation, we observed racial disparities in MOUD initiation across the five OTNs, as well as differences in the implementation of MOUD treatment programs at each OTN site. Future efforts in correctional settings should proactively address these disparities.

Evaluation of Washington’s COVID-19 Public Health Emergency Demonstration: The Impact of Waiver Authority on Stabilizing the Long-Term Support Services System during COVID-19

To help combat the rapid spread of COVID-19 in nursing facilities and to help stabilize the long-term services and supports (LTSS) system more broadly, Washington State applied for and received a COVID-19 Disaster waiver in April 2020. This evaluation examined if the state’s strategies to mitigate the impact of the public health emergency on LTSS provider capacity and client access to services were successful. Overall, we found that after an initial decline in service utilization in the early months of the pandemic, the use of LTSS services remained consistent with pre-COVID-19 trends. This suggests that the strategies employed under the waiver were successful at stabilizing the system.