Blue Mountain Heart to Heart

12/23/2025

It's been a busy year, and we have faced challenges from state programming cuts to unexpected costs of our building renovation project. Despite the challenges, though, we've helped reverse more than 1,730 overdoses this year, performed more than 20,000 encounters across our clinical and diversion programs to support patients and clients, and expanded our workforce. We've joined in support of our local drug court, increased our collaborations with other social service providers, and added SUDP support for true walk-in SUD assessments.

There's a reason the State of Washington, CDC, and academic partners know they can rely on us—because we adhere to the highest standards of care, seek the newest technology to further our reach, and hold ourselves to high ethical practices for our work. It's why we use multiple approaches to improving access to care, working in more than one place, deploying field-based case managers and counselors, collaborating with law enforcement, first responders, and other charitable organizations to help them with their work and to lower their burden.

Our integrated health strategy isn't just a jumble of cool-sounding words on a screen (anyone remember "synergy" 20 years ago?), it's a real set of activities that serve people according to need and that is designed to help move them through increasing motivation for change. Integrated health has been key to getting people onto the newest best practices for medication and treatment, and giving our patients the ability to help determine their own care and journey.

We really are doing something special here. We have the lived experience, public health and medical expertise, and innovative management knowledge to conduct behavioral health and HIV care to scale for our communities in southeast Washington State.

Also, we know you have many people asking for your support. If you are able, please consider a donation to Blue Mountain Heart to Heart. We show up for our communities, and we dedicate ourselves to the missions of improved wellness and health for everyone. Happy New Year, friends!

https://www.valleygivingguide.org/organizations/blue-mountain-heart-to-heart

12/09/2025

Many thanks to Walla Walla University for helping us put together our annual baking boxes for delivery to clients! Former board member, Professor Emily Tillotson, and current practicum student, Gabriel, helped organize the ingredients for cakes, cookies, brownies, and worked with Rubi and Maggie on our staff to get them sent to clients. This is an important way to help folks celebrate their holiday traditions, and we love seeing smiles in the dreary rainy days of winter. Thank you, everyone!

12/05/2025

We tout our dedication to serving the community, especially for people who have been lost to care due to their substance use, or afraid of traditional care, as have some people here living with HIV/AIDS. But hear what our work means to supporters in Walla Walla, in this video. If you have a few minutes, you can learn more about our mission, and if you'd like to decide to make a gift toward our work, we would sincerely appreciate it.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P8r3FqDNOEU&t=6s

https://www.valleygivingguide.org/organizations/blue-mountain-heart-to-heart

Enjoy the videos and music you love, upload original content, and share it all with friends, family, and the world on YouTube.

12/03/2025

We had $4,250 raised yesterday on the first day of the Valley Giving Guide effort! Adding our generous two donors who pledged $1,000 each, that brings us to more than $6,000 for day one!

Blue Mountain Heart to Heart’s integrated services, which we’ve named “No Wrong Door” has helped hundreds of people find stability and better health for themselves. Throughout this month we will be sharing some of their stories, and talking about what our building project on Poplar Street means for improving access to care for people who have fallen through the cracks of our care system. Please consider a gift today.

https://www.valleygivingguide.org/organizations/blue-mountain-heart-to-heart

12/02/2025

We had a meaningful celebration and vigil at our World AIDS Day event downtown last night. So appreciated seeing Ryan White Care Act nurse Allison Millar and retired physician Dr. Richard Simon who helped so many at the height of the crisis here in Walla Walla.

You are probably being inundated for Giving Tuesday today ... so we'll be quick. We have two donors pledging to match any donation TODAY, December 2, up to $2,000! So let's see if we can get up to $4,000 today on the Valley Giving Guide.

This year, our funds are going to support our work providing free and low-cost care to people living with HIV/AIDS and people challenged with substance use issues as always, but we are also directing some funds to support our renovation project at 3 W Poplar, which will significantly increase our ability to engage more people in medical and behavioral health care.

Thank you and we appreciate your generosity!

https://www.valleygivingguide.org/organizations/blue-mountain-heart-to-heart

11/25/2025

Please join us on December 1st at 6:PM at Land Title Plaza for our annual World AIDS Day remembrance. Joining us this year will be Dr. Richard Simon, who was a critical part of Walla Walla's efforts in the early days of the AIDS crisis, caring for many people. We will also hear remarks from our executive director, and an a ca****la singing group from Whitman College will provide some music while we look ahead to the next year. Vigil candles, hot beverages, and cookies will be provided. Dress for the weather, and feel free to bring a sign. We look forward to seeing you!

11/24/2025

It’s one of our favorite days—Thanksgiving meal kit delivery day! With help from BMAC, Andy’s Market, First Congregational Church, and Junior Club, we pack up and deliver 30 meals for clients living with HIV/AIDS to cook and serve their own holiday meal. It’s an important way for people to enjoy time with loved ones and protect their agency. Thank you so much to our partners and our wonderful volunteers!

10/31/2025

Halloween is spooky fun, but overdoses are not! Come see our team for naloxone, prevention information, and STI testing today, and everyday! Great staff are here to help, even if they’re a little green!

09/04/2025

NOTICE: We are happy to announce a new partnership with Washington Recovery Alliance to sponsor a space in downtown Walla Walla to host a variety of groups and programs to support people in recovery. Much more news on the way soon.

09/03/2025

We are hearing the news that Trilogy Recovery Community is closing this Friday. Knowing this is devastating news and that their programs are critical supports for people in our area, BMHTH is looking at all opportunities for fostering the continuation of at least some of the groups hosted by TRC. If you would like to express an opinion about what kinds of recovery supports you see need for in Walla Walla, please contact Everett at info@bmh2h.org, as we compile information.

A big thank you to all the staff and board of Trilogy who have guided it over the years and who worked so steadfastly for people in our community. ❤️‍🩹

08/31/2025

Today is Overdose Awareness Day. So far it is another rough year for our region with more than 1,300 overdose events reported to our staff as part of our naloxone program. I know that popular media focuses on overdose as a “scourge,” or sometimes as a public health issue, and often as a set of unfortunate circumstances that befell an individual. But I observe patterns that add up to system failures. As a member of a regional overdose fatality review board, and as the manager of several overdose prevention efforts, I see interruptions in support as a context for many overdoses. A treatment program timed out. A medication was too costly to continue. A friend, partner, or sponsor said that Suboxone was just another addiction (it’s not). A housing program had a deadline for residency. A shelter illegally refused service because they “don’t take people on buprenorphine.” A doctor moved away and there was no replacement. A jail booking made someone lose their insurance.

In many of these scenarios, the person making the declaration or determination did not consider overdose as a consequence of their actions. Like I said, we frame overdose as an individual failing. But if we were talking about diabetes, would these agents be so cavalier about withholding treatment or support?

I think we need to more fully address the context in which we provide care and support for people addicted to opioids. We can all work to create a more caring and client focused environment, to work together to minimize overdose events. It’s time we stop handing over our collective power and start asking how we can help to stop this runaway train of overdose.

I always try to remember that we are talking about people, not numbers, or “addicts” or anyone beyond care. This OAD, I hope you also will try to work on solutions to our crisis. As it is our shared crisis, and no one should feel alone.

—Everett

08/20/2025

3 DAYS LEFT! Come join us and celebrate all the things we've done in the community. Live music from Rogue Lobster, fresh eats from La Monarca and Colville Street Patisserie, a fun silent auction, drink tickets, and a ton of community and heart. We'd love to see you.

The "Little Agency that Could" is celebrating 40 years of life-changing work! Please join us as we mark progress & look ahead.