Behavioral Health System Needs in the Current Landscape: Ways to Support - Updates from Behavioral Health Catalyst’s March Learning Session

Written By Katherine Switz

On March 5th, 2025, Behavioral Health Catalyst (BH Catalyst) convened a learning session to consider behavioral health needs in the current landscape and stimulate philanthropic investment to address these needs. The behavioral health system is at considerable risk due to potential reductions in funding for care and support, research, and education at the state and federal level. Concurrently, BH Catalyst is hearing from community leaders about increasing demand for support and services, particularly among key communities (e.g., immigrant, LGBTQ+, BIPOC). 

BH Catalyst invited speakers across community, state, and federal environments to share their perspectives on the highest priority needs, including Bill Smith from Inseparable, Dr. Jürgen Unützer from the University of Washington (UW), Dr. Ben Danielson from AHSHAY, and Katrina Egner from Sound Behavioral Health. In addition to these viewpoints, BH Catalyst outlined opportunities for philanthropy to support Washington Thriving – the effort to develop a statewide strategic plan for prenatal-through-age-25 behavioral health – to which BH Catalyst provides strategic support. 

Some key takeaways from the session included: 

  • The importance of advocacy and communications, from governors to citizens, to address key issues like potential Medicaid cuts 

  • The need for bridge funding to ease transitions of funding in areas such as training programs, research, and Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinics (CCBHCs) 

  • Opportunities to become more effective in care using AI and technology more broadly  

  • The need to think more broadly about mental health in all areas of life – not just siloed in “care” 

  • The need to “take account of your power” and the power of your relationships 

  • Critical and strategic investments can spark, spur, or sustain long term investments from other entities over time  

  • It is important to take care of workforce 

  • Investment in prevention is key 

The speakers detailed philanthropic opportunities in the following areas: 

  • Higher Education  

  • Advocacy  

  • Providers  

  • Community 

  • Washington Thriving 

For more information about specific opportunities for philanthropy, please reach out to BH Catalyst at info@bhcatalyst.org. 

Discussion from the philanthropists in the room centered on the potential for increasing impact through co-investment, and the importance of working together through this community to address the behavioral health needs that were outlined during the session.  

BH Catalyst will continue working with community organizations to learn about their needs throughout the changing landscape, and convening and connecting to philanthropy with the goal of stimulating funding where it is most needed.  

Thank you to our speakers, collaborators, and network for making this session — and our exploration of these issues more broadly — possible. 

Katherine Switz
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