Seasons Greetings!
As December is in full gear, I do hope that you along with our state policy makers are making time to close out our books and year!
This month, our video will feature Amanda Ibaraki Stine, a member of the Legislative Committee and the work that she has been doing with the Bree Collaborative. Prior to Amanda stepping in, our very own Amira Whitehill attended these meetings and helped shape some of the conversations you will see in the video (Thanks Amira!)
Please take the time to view our video update and read through the recommendations the Collaborative will eventually turn over to the State. Your input is extremely important and will ultimately shape the practice of clinicians in Washington State and our responsibilities to prevent violence in our families.
Other important information:
While acts of violence against others are rare, they represent a significant societal and clinical priority. The vast majority of people with behavioral health conditions (including mental illness and substance use disorders) do not engage in violent behavior. However, a small percentage of those with a behavioral health diagnosis may have an increased risk for violence. The workgroup stresses that while clinicians can assess and monitor an individual’s risk factors for violence and use clinical decision-making aimed to mitigate risk of violence, they cannot predict violent acts with certainty. This workgroup developed the following focus areas:
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Identification of increased risk for violence
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Assessment of violence risk
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Violence risk management
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Protection of third parties
If you are interested in participating in the WAMFT legislative committee please email us at
wamft@wamft.com
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