Join the LWV Moscow for a Speaker Series presentation: Update on the New Idaho Behavioral Health Program on Jan. 24 via Zoom: bit.ly/LWVMspeakers, Meeting ID: 835 0394 1866, Passcode: 432184.

The Idaho Department of Health and Welfare has signed a $1.2 billion contract with Magellan Health to manage the delivery of behavioral health and substance abuse treatment in our state.

To help us understand how the new program will be implemented in our area we will be joined by Christina Ward, the agency's Program Manager for Clinical and Quality care. Joining her will be Monica Martin, the state's Program Manager of Assistive Community Treatment (ACT). Those currently providing direct services for Health and Welfare will transition to the Center for Excellence whose task will be to coach and mentor private providers across the state.

Idaho's behavioral health division recognizes that this is a significant change, and is preparing to work with residents on Medicaid, private insurance and without insurance coverage. The new system being rolled out will have a single comprehensive approach to behavioral health treatment, follow up, and services.

Christina Ward is licensed as an LCPC in the state of Idaho and has been a licensed clinician in the state of Florida for over twenty years. She has worked at The Department of Health & Welfare as the Program Manager for the Analytics & Automation Unit and currently is the Program Manager for the Clinical & Quality unit in the Idaho Behavioral Health Program Governance Bureau. She was previously the Executive Director at Recovery Ways Idaho where she worked to expand services offered to include SUD IOP and expand payors to include BPA.

In Florida, Christina was the Director of Kinship at Children’s Home Network and was an integral part in implementing and expanding Kinship services in multiple counties throughout Florida as well as in the states of Nebraska and Delaware. Christina also has seven years of experience working in managed care companies. She is a co-author for the Kinship Manual and manuscript titled, “Children’s Home Network Kinship Navigator Program Kin as Teachers 2.0: Early Childhood Intervention for Kin.” Christina holds a master’s degree in Rehabilitation Counseling and a bachelor’s degree in Psychology from the University of South Florida. Christina enjoys traveling, outdoor activities, and is an avid reader.

Monica Martin is the Program Manager of the ACT/MHC Center of Excellence. Monica has a Master of Social Work degree from Northwest Nazarene University and is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker. Monica has enjoyed working for the Department for the past 13 years – all of which has been spent working with ACT and MHC. Monica is beyond thrilled and grateful for the opportunity to help the communities of Idaho increase access to ACT services and Mental Health Court treatment through the Center of Excellence.