Wasatch Mental Health

Sarah Ballard
Paige Brennan
Wren Ludlow
Mike McMahan
Sam Petersen
Megan Ryssman
Dr. Kenneth Plowman
Brigham Young University
April 14, 2014

Background
History of Wasatch:
Wasatch Mental Health was founded in 1967 to provide quality mental healthcare for all
individuals within Utah County.
Services Wasatch Provides:
The Wasatch Mental Health Mission:
Embracing Wellness (4 foundation pillars for this)

Excellence in Mental Health Care

Providing Excellent Customer Service

Economic Stability

Employee Growth and Development

Wasatch Mental Health is a comprehensive community mental health center. It offers an

array of programs and services for children, teens and adults. In order to meet the requirements
of a comprehensive mental health center, the following services are provided: inpatient,
residential, day treatment, case management, outpatient, 24-hour crisis line, outreach, follow-up,
referral screening, consultation, education and prevention. Wasatch Mental Health may also
provide, coordinate or support additional services for patients such as housing, transportation to
needed mental health services, clubhouses, consumer drop-in centers, employment and
rehabilitation and more. Their main priority is to provide services to adults with serious and
persistent mental health illnesses and children who are emotionally disturbed. The following
guidelines apply in prioritizing the service that we provide:
* A person in psychological crisis

* Severely mentally ill children, youth and adults

* Acutely mentally ill children, youth and adults
* Emotionally disabled individuals whose improved functioning is critical for their future and for
society in general.
* Moderately impaired individuals and families.
OUTPATIENT: Through outpatient services, adults, children, adolescents and their families
receive treatment for all diagnosable mental illnesses. Individual group and family therapy, as
well as psychiatric services are available.
DAY TREATMENT: Adult day treatment has a program which provides mental health care
which includes intensive life skills and recreation programs for individuals with ongoing mental
health needs.
CRISIS/EMERGENCY SERVICES
365 days a year, 24-hours a day crisis and emergency services to all age groups. Crisis services
are provided over the telephone and through face-to-face assessments.
Current Industry/external environment/market situation:
Other Major Mental Health Providers:
UTAH county: National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), Intermountain Healthcare
Behavioral Health Services and the United Way
WASATCH county: Heber Valley Counseling, NAMI and the United Way
Funding/Revenue:
56% - Medicaid
19% - State/Federal
10% - Treatment Contracts

5% - Medicaid Fee for service

3% - County
3% - Insurance / Personal Payments
3% - Other
1% - Residential Contracts
The Annual Wellness Run (helps fund non-Medicaid initiatives):
Presenting Sponsor: Provo Canyon Behavior Hospital
Major Sponsors: Myler Disability, Mountain America, Zions Bank, NAMI Utah & Seven Peaks
Sponsors: Intermountain Healthcare, Dennys see the following link for a complete list of
sponsors: www.wasatchwellnessrun.com/sponsors.html
Perceptions/Current Trends/Attitudes:
According to the survey done by the MBA team, Behavioral Health Professionals (BHP) and
Other Health Professionals (OHP) generally place more importance than students and the
general public in the following issues: prevention resources, reducing the crime rate, reducing
suicide rate, reducing homelessness, autism, raising awareness and providing mental health
services. In other words, it will probably be easier to motivate BHPs and OHPs to get involved.
In addition, according to the MBA survey, perception is broken down by the following:
General Public:
48% - Not Aware of Wasatch Mental Health
40% - Have a neutral perception, not positive but not negative, (another way of saying
Ive heard of WMH, but I really am not aware of what they do)
10% - Positive perception
2% - Negative perception

Behavioral Health Professionals and Other Health Professionals:

41% - neutral perception
34% - positive perception
13% - not aware
12% - negative perception
SWOT Analysis
Strengths
-WMH is a comprehensive mental health center - it already has all the programs in place to be a
huge resource to the community (just lacking resources, funding)
-WMH has a clear slogan Embracing Wellness and 4 distinct pillars to focus on
-34% of health professionals have a positive perception of WMH
-Health professionals with positive perception believe:
1) WMH provides a valuable service to the community
2) WMH manages its resources well, has very limited resources
-47 years of service to build a legacy around
Weaknesses
-Health professionals with positive perception believe:
1) WMH has some good but also many bad clinicians
-Health professionals with a neutral perception believe:
1) WMH is busy, but provides services to a narrow portion of the population
-Health professionals with a negative perception believe:
1) WMH is overcrowded, many wait in line
2) WMH is inflexible when scheduling appointments, no evening appointments

3) WMH staff has a high turn-over rate, and always understaffed

4) WMH doctors are not well educated or not understanding of clients
-12% of health professionals has a negative perception of WMH
Opportunities
- 48% of general public is not aware of Wasatch Mental Health and its contribution. We have a
clean slate to start with.
-13% of health professionals are not aware of WMH - clean slate.
-Mental Health Issues have a strong presence in the blog world. See Wasatch Blogs doc.
-According to MBA survey, general public and health professionals agree that the best way to
seek medical help is to 1) ask a friend or 2) research providers online
Threats
-The majority of WMH revenue comes from governmental funding
- The potential loss/decrease of government funding, e.g.: Valley Mental Health in Salt Lake City
lost 2.2 million in Medicaid and non-Medicaid funding
- There are other well-known and reputable Mental Health providers in Utah and Wasatch
counties: NAMI, Intermountain Healthcare, The United Way of Central and Southern Utah

Situation Analysis
Wasatch Mental Health has been servicing Utah and Wasatch counties for 47 years. As a
comprehensive mental-health center, it provides an array of services for children, teens and
adults including the following: inpatient, residential, day treatment, case management,
outpatient, 24-hour crisis line, outreach, follow-up, referral screening, consultation, education

and prevention. In addition to clinical facilities, WMH provides housing, transportation,

clubhouses, employment and rehabilitation services.
Thirty-four percent of health professionals share a positive perception of WMH. Those
professionals believe that WMH provides a valuable service to the community and that it
manages its resources well. However, there are various negative perceptions shared by a small
portion of the health professionals and the general public that need to be corrected. These
perceptions include the following: 1) WMH has many bad clinicians, 2) WMH is busy and has
long lines, 3) WMH provides services to a narrow portion of the population, 4) WMH is
inflexible with scheduling, 5)WMH staff has a high turn-over rate and is always understaffed,
and 6)WMH doctors are not well educated or not understanding of clients.
The majority of its revenue comes from Medicaid and other government funding. With
the recent change in Health-care laws, WMH could potentially lose some of its funding, as seen
when Valley Mental Health of Salt Lake City recently lost 2.2 million in governmental funding.
WMH holds an annual Wellness Run that generates most of its publicity. However, even with
47 years of service, the organization is still widely unknown, misunderstood or misrepresented.
Over 48 percent of the general public and 13 percent of health professionals are unaware of
WMH as an organization. If WMH increases awareness of its services and grows its reputation,
it will continue to receive the funding from its current providers and acquire funding from other
potential providers.
WMH has a few reputable competitors that also provide mental health services in Utah
and Wasatch counties: The National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), Intermountain
Healthcare Behavioral Health Services, Heber Valley Counseling and the United Way of Central
and Southern Utah.

Core Problem
Negative perceptions and a lack of awareness threaten to undermine Wasatch Mental
Healths access to future government funding in the wake of changing healthcare laws,
potentially leaving low-income families in the community without access to much needed mental
health services if it cannot improve reputation and garner community support for its services and
positive impact on the community.

Goal
Overcome the lack of awareness and negative perceptions to improve organizational
reputation in the community and preserve future funding.

Objectives
Objective 1:
Increase the frequency of monetary donations to Wasatch Mental Health by 25% within 6
months.
Objective 2:
Increase referral rates to Wasatch Mental Healths services by 40% within 6 months.
Objective 3:
Increase satisfaction of Wasatch Mental Healths services by 30% in three months and 50% in six
months.

The Big Idea

Wasatch Mental Health needs to overcome passivity in the community in order to garner
a stronger, more positive reputation that will maximize the likelihood of future funding. The
campaign slogan embrace life, give wellness is a strong call-to-action to both the community
and all those involved in the work of mental wellness Wasatch Mental Health facilitates. The
phrase give wellness empowers community members to feel like they are an integral part of
the solution, maximizing community awareness and engagement with the issue. The slogan uses
the active command form of embrace and give, creating a direct invitation to recipients.
Ideals of embracing life and giving wellness are universal and adaptable to the self-interests of
many diverse publics and demographics.

Publics and Messages

Behavioral Health Professionals and Other Health Professionals
Demographic: Health professionals in Utah and Wasatch counties.
Motivating self-interest: Want to maintain a good reputation among current and potential patients
so they can be successful.
Current Relationship: Some respect and appreciate WMH, others do not.
Influentials: WMH employees, former WMH patients.
Related objectives: Increase referral rates to Wasatch Mental Healths services by 40% within 6
months.
Primary Message: Refer your patients to our center. We can provide the helpful affordable care
that your patients are looking for. Your patients will thank you and will in turn refer your services
for future success in your business.
Secondary Messages:

Wasatch Mental Health is a comprehensive community mental health center that serves
adults, youth and children.

98% of people in Utah and Wasatch counties have positive or neutral feelings about the
WMHC.

Former/Current patients of WMH

Demographic: Lower income adults from Utah and Wasatch counties.
Motivating self-interests: Want other people to benefit from WMH services. Do not want to be
identified as a mental clinic patient.
Current relationship: Hopefully patients have had positive experiences and appreciate the
services they received from WMH.
Influentials: Employees of WMH, other patients.
Related objectives: Increase the frequency of monetary donations to Wasatch Mental Health by
25% within 6 months; increase referral rates to Wasatch Mental Healths services by 40% within
6 months.
Primary Messages: (1) Be proactive in promoting WMH services. You do not need to say you
were a patient to help others get the same help you had. You can be the one to offer relief to your
friends and others.

(2) Give back to the organization that helped you come to where you are now. By donating and
encouraging others to donate you can help more people like you enjoy life and wellness.

Secondary Messages:

48% of Utah and Wasatch county residents are not aware of WMH services.

Medicaid cant cover everything. We need other donations, too--Medicaid covers only
56% of costs.

Utah and Wasatch county residents

Demographic: Men and women of all ages and socioeconomic levels.
Motivating self-interest: Want to support causes that positively contribute to the community.
Want to help friends get the help they need.
Current relationship: 48% arent aware of WMH and only 2% hold it in a negative light.
Influentials: Public figures, OHP/BHP and WMH patients
Related objectives: Increase the frequency of monetary donations to Wasatch Mental Health by
25% within 6 months.
Primary Message: Do you know someone that might need clinical mental help? WMH is a
comprehensive community mental health center that offers affordable, professional and reputable
help. You can be the one that makes a difference in someones life by referring them to the
WMH. You can also build the community by donating to our worthy cause.
Secondary Message:

48% of Utah and Wasatch county residents are not aware of WMH services.

Medicaid cant cover everything. We need other donations, tooMedicaid covers only
56% of costs.

MHC Employees
Demographic: Men and women with college education and/or training
Motivating self-interest: To earn money to provide for personal needs and/or their families and to
help people who cant help themselves.
Current relationship: Strained at best. Employees are underpaid and overworked.

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Influentials: Employee families and opinion leaders, including civil and religious.

Strategies and Tactics

1. Behavioral Health Professionals and Other Health Professionals
Strategy One: Through face-to-face communication, WMH employees will convince health
professionals of the high-quality services that WMH provides to increase referral rates and
maintain a positive reputation in the medical community.
Tactics:
-Send a WMH representative to network with local health organizations and explain services
-Create pamphlets to leave with health organizations and doctors to increase referral rate
Strategy Two: Through mass communication, WMH will inform health professionals of WMHs
range of services to benefit both parties and direct patients to proper medical facilities.
Tactics:
-Interview in Utahs health magazine of WMHs director, discuss upcoming fundraising events
-Newspaper coverage: Daily Herald, Salt Lake Tribune and Deseret Newspersonal experiences
-Press releases sent to media contacts
2. Former/ Current patients of WMHC
Strategy One: Convince former and current patients of WMH to actively donate to support its
facilities through personal communication.
Tactics:
-Follow-up email and letter requesting/encouraging donations and referrals
-Improve customer satisfaction by implementing new procedures, like online appointments
-Provide opportunities for patients to donate during check out

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-Create and distribute pamphlet describing benefits of donating and how to donate.
-Provide volunteer opportunities for local schools to get involved (BYU, UVU)
Strategy Two: Convince former and current patients of WMH to share experiences to friends
through social media.
Tactics:
-Invite patients who have benefited from WMH to share their experiences by contacting through
email
-Have patients like WMHs Facebook page
-Approve personal stories and post on WMHs Facebook page
-Encourage former and current patients invite all friends to like WMHs Facebook page
3. Utah and Wasatch county residents
Strategy One: Increase coverage of WMHs services and its need for donations through social
media.
Tactics:
-Create online donation page and give specifics that can be donated to
-Send out press releases to magazines and newspapers of WMHs upcoming events or unique
involvements
- Create twitter account
-Post original tweets from the WMHs twitter account weekly that contain a link to the WMHs
website page that explains the services they provide and a donation page.
- Create and use hashtags to promote WMHs mission: #givewellness, #embrace, #give
- Facebook posts that contain links to the WMHs donation webpage.
- Purchase advertising banner space on Facebook to appear on pages of Utah residents

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- Blog posts/testimonials on website from former patients about positive experiences

- YouTube three-minute explanation and promotion video emphasizing WMHs mission and their
need for donations
- Embed YouTube video in website and link the video to all social media posts.
-Invite patients to like Facebook page and retweet tweets for small incentives
Strategy Two: Increase community involvement and local business involvement with WMHC
through personal communication.
Tactics:
Fundraising events:
-

Fundraiser dinner, partner with local restaurant to provide food

Partner with Seven Peaks and Rooftop Concert series to donate/ have WMH nights

Music festival to raise money

-Provide volunteer opportunities for local schools to get involved (BYU, UVU)
-Send email and visit local businesses personally to have them sponsor the wellness run
-Provide publicity packages (posters, flyers, stickers) to all business sponsors

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Calendar and Budget

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Confirmation Table

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Evaluation
Objective 1
Criteria: Increase the frequency of monetary donations to Wasatch Mental Health by 25% within
6 months.
Tools: Monitor the frequency of donations through an online program used to track donations to
Wasatch Mental Health.
Objective 2
Criteria: Increase referral rates to Wasatch Mental Healths services by 40% within 6 months.
Tools: Record the amount of referrals within the six-month time period as received by Wasatch
Mental Health.
Objective 3
Criteria: Increase satisfaction of Wasatch Mental Healths services by 30% in three months and
50% in six months.
Tools: Distribute surveys at the three-month mark, and then at the six-month mark and compile
and compare data using a computer software program.

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