This page was developed to share updates regarding Solano County Behavioral Health's (SCBH) efforts related to advancing health equity and reducing disparities for historically underserved communities. Updates will include specific culturally responsive strategies used to improve the system of care; the posting of the annual Diversity & Equity Plan Update; information related to diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) trainings; resources for underserved communities; and outcomes related to the recent Interdisciplinary Collaboration and Cultural Transformation Model (ICCTM) Mental Health Services Act (MHSA) Innovation Plan.


    


Inclusion Statement
SCBH is committed to equity, diversity, and inclusion. Our services aim to empower all community members throughout their journey towards wellness and recovery. It is also of equal importance for us to improve access to quality care for underserved and under-represented ethnic and minority populations who have been historically marginalized by health care systems. We value the importance of employing staff who possess valuable life experiences and expertise to ensure our workforce is culturally and linguistically responsive and leverages diversity to foster innovation and positive outcomes for the people we serve. 


Land Acknowledgement - Solano County BH
As a county that uses the representation of a Native American in the logo it is important that we are congruent and authentic and that we collectively work towards recognizing the history of genocide and continued inequities experienced by indigenous people. The sacrifices of indigenous people on this land can be an invisible hurt and pain that is a reality for Native Americans. We would like to acknowledge the land and the people of the land. We acknowledge the indigenous people of the Suisunes and the Patwin of the Wintun tribes, the Muwekma Ohlone Tribe and the countless other California tribes that traveled this land we stand on utilizing the Carquinez Strait for trade. We would like to acknowledge the displacement and lost lives due to colonization and ongoing disparities, in addition to honoring the ancestral grounds. We honor those that have passed and those that continue to live on.

Map for local information:
https://land.codeforanchorage.org/
https://native-land.ca/


Ethnic Services Coordinator
The Ethnic Services Coordinator (ESC), also referred to as Ethnic Services Manager in other counties, is a state-mandated role for each County Behavioral Health Plan (BHP_ throughout the state of California. The ESC is a key member of the Behavioral Health leadership team with a sustained and meaningful role in helping shape the BHP's services delivery system in a way that advances health equity and cultural responsiveness. As such, the ESC leads the Diversity and Equity Committee; participates in program planning and policy development; reviews hiring practices; reviews grievances related to disparities; sits on various advisory groups/task forces; monitors data related outcomes for racially, ethnically and culturally diverse vulnerable populations; and is responsible for developing and monitoring SCBH's annual Diversity and Equity Plan in partnership with key stakeholders. If you have additional questions, please contact [email protected].


Diversity & Equity Plan and Committee
To learn more about the Diversity & Equity Committee, or to review Solano County Behavioral Health's Diversity & Equity Plans, please click here. 


Welcoming Spaces Survey 2022
In support of the ICCTM ISeeU community-defined QI Action Plan, and a goal to create culturally inclusive spaces, during FY 2020/21, SCBH provided an opportunity for all SCBH and contractor programs to order wall hangings, books, toys and other materials representing diverse communities as funded by SCBH MHSA. In November of 2022, the first "Welcoming Spaces Survey" was released to gather information directly from consumers about their perceptions of clinic spaces and interactions with staff. This particular survey had a focus on the LGBTQ+ community, and there were 118 survey respondents from both County-operated and contractor-operated programs. To review findings, please use this link. SCBH intends to administer this survey annually and/or incorporate the questions piloted in the initial survey into existing customer survey processes.


Solano County's Interdisciplinary Collaboration and Cultural Transformation Model (ICCTM) Innovation Project
From 2016 to 2021, SCBH partnered with U.C. Davis Center for Reducing Health Disparities (CRHD); three local community-based organizations: Rio Vista CARE, Fighting Back Partnership, and Solano Pride Center; and most importantly community members in Solano County to implement the MHSA Interdisciplinary Collaboration and Cultural Transformation (ICCTM) Innovation Project. The ICCTM Project was anchored in the national Culturally and Linguistically Appropriate Services (CLAS) Standards, community engagement and quality improvement with a goal to implement strategies to increase access and utilization of services for County-specific underserved populations that had historically been shown to have low mental health services utilization rates throughout Solano County: the Latino, Filipino-American, and LGBTQ+ communities.

Through the ICCTM Project, fourteen (14) community-defined quaitly improvement (QI) Action Plans were developed and were focused on workforce development, improving community outreach, and training.

The ICCTM project resulted in increased access and utilization of behavioral health services for the Latino, Filipino-American, and LGBTQ+ communities. SCBH is pleased to share with the community The Solano County Interdisciplinary Collaboration and Cultural Transformation Model (ICCTM) Innovation Project: Final Evaluation Report, which summarizes the ICCTM Project, including the outcomes and the progress that has been made over the course of the project. Click here to access a PDF version of the report, or use this link to navigate to an online reader version.

SCBH continues to implement and/or support the 14 QI Action Plans. If you are interested in a deeper look at the QI Action Plans developed, click here. 

If you are interested in the findings from the health assessment CRHD conducted in 2016, please reach out to [email protected].