Spokane Training Sites

Spokane Mental Health (SMH)

Since 1970, Spokane Mental Health, a private not-for-profit community mental health center, has served children, families, adults and elders throughout Spokane County. The professional staff provides quality treatment and rehabilitation services for those with mental illness and co-occurring disorders. Services provided for Spokane County residents include Crisis Response Services; psychiatric and psychological services; medication management and consumer education; individual, family and group therapy; community support/case management; vocational rehabilitation and transitional employment opportunities. Services are tailored to the unique needs and strengths of each person seeking care.

SMH works collaboratively with local, state, and federal agencies, organizations, and academic institutions to help ensure the availability of a comprehensive and flexible array of treatment options and services for those in need.

SMH is nationally recognized for its services provided to children and elders; for suicide prevention and intervention programs; and for leadership in training programs. It is through its commitment to excellence that SMH promotes health and quality of life to the community.

Psychiatric Services
SMH Psychiatric Services include diagnostic evaluations, medication management, consultations, and psychotherapy for children, adults, and elders. Psychiatrists (MDs and DOs), Psychiatric Nurse Practitioners (ARNPs), Resident Physicians in the University of Washington Psychiatry Training Program, Registered Nurses (RNs), Licensed Practical Nurses (LPNs), and other mental health professionals are all members of the SMH Psychiatric Services staff.

In addition to routine care for people with a mental illness, an SMH doctor is on-call around-the-clock for urgent and emergent needs, including sharing coverage for Sacred Heart Medical Center's Emergency Department. Psychiatric Services staff members also provide nursing assessments, Crisis Stabilization Services for developmentally-disabled consumers, Expanded Community Services for those being discharged from longer term psychiatric hospitalization, Psychiatric Nurse Consultation services in skilled nursing facilities, and counseling about nutrition, wellness, and overall health education.

Our Psychiatric Services staff members strive to provide evidence-based approaches to properly diagnose and treat mental illness with the goal of achieving mental health.

Crisis Response Services
Crisis Response Services provides emergency response services that are available and accessible to all Spokane County residents, 24-hours a day, 7-days a week, 365 days a year regardless of age, culture, mental health coverage and without need for pre-authorization based on medical necessity criteria. There are several components of Crisis Response Services at Spokane Mental Health which include: First Call for Help, Crisis Respite Services, and LRA Specialists.

Professional Telephone Triage provides an access point for initial triage and assessment services for children, adolescent, adult, and older adult services at Spokane Mental Health, other mental health providers and other healthcare providers. Site-based Walk-in Services are provided to individuals who come to Spokane Mental Health with or without an appointment for on-site emergent response, Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Mobile Crisis Outreach/ITA Services are provided for crisis intervention/resolution and voluntary or involuntary treatment, as needed.

Multicultural Services
Multicultural Services provide specialist evaluations to SMH consumers as well as to consumers who receive their primary services at other agencies. These evaluations are provided to all consumers who self-identify as Asian, African-American, Hispanic, or Native American. Specialist consultations are also provided to people who are deaf and hard of hearing, those who are developmentally disabled, and those of advanced years (or elders).

Multicultural services staff are from diverse ethnic backgrounds and many are bilingual. For those who are not bilingual, an interpreter can be made available for mental health care consumers.

Multicultural staff members in this service also provide individual therapy, case management, and group therapy services to people of ethnic minorities as well as to other consumers who request services.

Adult Services
Adult Services provide an array of mental health services and a continuum of care for adults experiencing mental illness. All services focus on recovery including symptom reduction, the restoration of self-esteem, and the attainment of functional and meaningful roles in the community.

Adult Services provides a wide-range of mental health care options which include individual therapy, group therapy, psycho-educational classes, rehabilitative case management, employment services, clubhouse services, co-occurring services for mentally-ill consumers with substance abuse and dependency problems, psychological testing, specialist evaluations, and homeless case management services, and psychiatric services.

Adults entering services at SMH participate in a comprehensive intake evaluation. Each consumer is linked to a Mental Health Care Provider (MHCP) in one of the primary service delivery systems within Adult Services that include the Adult Outpatient Program, Intensive Outpatient Program, Community Support Services, and the Evergreen Club, a certified clubhouse program.

Child and Family Services
Child and Family Services provide a wide array of mental health services to children, adolescents, and their families. SMH works to identify and clarify pertinent issues at the beginning of treatment so that their interventions are delivered in the most effective and efficient manner consistent with evidenced-based clinical practices. A high priority is placed on cultivating a collaborative working relationship with consumers, parents, other agencies, and family support systems.

SMH assists families with children and adolescents whose mental or behavioral health issues prevent them from reaching their potential at home, in school, or in the community. Examples of treatment options include: brief intervention, individual therapy, family therapy, rehabilitative case management, group therapy, day support, psychological testing, and psychiatric services.

Elder Services
Launched in 1978 as a partnership between the mental health and aging communities, SMH's Elder Services serves as a "Focal Access Point" for services/resources that promote independence and enhanced quality of life for older adults, especially at-risk, isolated elders. Elder Services provides seamless, cost effective, and consumer oriented services that include in-home interdisciplinary clinical case management and psychiatric/medication management; telephone information/assistance; caregiver support/respite care; volunteer escort special transportation; and specialized case management.

Elder Services is internationally recognized for its "Gatekeeper" model. We have been honored for Gatekeepers with five national awards including the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University and Ford Foundation's "Innovations in State and Local Government Award" and Hospital and Community Psychiatry's "Achievement Award". In June 2002/04, Elder Services was recognized as a model program at the University of Rochester Medical Center's "Suicide Prevention" conferences. Spokane Mental Health's Elder Services is also recognized as a "Best Practice" model for services to home dwelling at-risk elders.

Through collaborations with local universities, Elder Services offers on-site training opportunities for Masters in Social Work students, and College of Pharmacy Candidates, as well as excellent volunteer opportunities.

Evergreen Club
The Evergreen Clubhouse, which is certified by the International Center for Club House Development, provides both rehabilitation and vocational services for members with a severe psychiatric disability. It uses work as central to the rehabilitation process. The member first participates in an assessment to determine employment history and interests and then chooses one of three discrete work units in which to work. These units consist of the café, thrift store, and the business unit. The members are able to develop meal preparation skills, organizational and budgeting skills, clerical skills, and to participate in and learn administrative tasks.

Most consumers/members at the Evergreen Club have Mental Health Care Providers at SMH or other SCRSN agencies. The MHCP's and the Rehabilitation Specialists collaborate with one another initially and on an on-going basis.

Education is available for those members who are interested in independent or transitional employment. This education consists of assistance in learning how to write resumes, fill-out applications, and interview for and locate jobs.

The Evergreen Club is open to its members Monday through Friday from 8:30 - 4:30. In addition, it is open on Wednesday evenings and Saturdays for drop-in activities, socialization and special events in the community. The clubhouse is also open four holidays per year.

Psychology Internship
The SMH pre-doctoral internship program is fully accredited by the American Psychological Association (APA). The primary goal of our internship program is to provide an intensive and professional learning experience leading to the development of focused clinical and professional skills. The psychology internship program adheres to a scholar-practitioner/public mental health training model. As a result, interns are exposed to a rich array of clinical, consultative, teaching, and training experiences within a public mental health framework. By the end of the internship, psychology interns should possess both a breadth and depth of clinical/public mental health experience that enables them to move smoothly into a post-doctoral position or into a job in the field of psychology.

Each year three interns are selected to work within the SMH psychology services division. While all three interns are placed in the psychology services division, one intern will be selected to spend time within our adult services track and two interns will spend time within our child and family services track. For more information please see our full brochure, psychology faculty and application process.