Issue link: https://blog.providence.org/i/958890
Well Being Trust | Annual Report | Policy and Advocacy 15 HEALTH AFFAIRS BLOG During fall 2017, we published a piece in the influential Health Affairs blog 12 to call out the need for foundations, health policy leaders and other key stakeholders to take an integrated approach to advance mental health. In addition, we published other highly visible blog posts and op-eds to help spark important conversations and raise critical questions in the minds of this country's public policy leadership regrading mental health and wellness. We are intentionally investing in providing substantive information and building our credibility as a "go-to voice" for mental health and well-being policy. BIPARTISAN POLICY CENTER We launched a partnership with Bipartisan Policy Center to engage and leverage key leaders from both sides of the political aisle to raise awareness, increase stakeholder engagement, and enhance the focus on identifying solutions specific to mental health, substance use disorders and well- being. UNITED STATES OF CARE As a founding partner of the United States of Care (USofC), Well Being Trust leadership will become a member of the USofC team—serving as the mental health and well-being policy partner. We will work to ensure that mental health elements are infused seamlessly into the USofC's work and leverage the work on the state level to help develop state-specific strategies for advancing effective mental health and well- being policies. PAIN IN THE NATION In November 2017, we partnered with the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation to co-fund a report with Trust for America's Health called Pain in the Nation. In this report we highlighted the number of deaths due to drugs, alcohol and suicide over the last decade; projected forward how many more lives we will lose if we do nothing; recommended 60 evidence-based programs and policies that can drive impact; and called for a national resilience strategy. This powerful report has become a platform for policy investments and is already shaping dialogues around the nation and generating an array of blog posts, articles and media interviews. HIGHLIGHTS