---
title: How State Leadership Can Champion Lived Experience to Transform Behavioral Health
description: "### How State Leadership Can Champion Lived Experience to Transform Behavioral Health The article argues that meaningful engagement of people with lived experience is not just a best practice but a necessary strategy for behavioral health system transformation. State leaders…"
url: "https://bridges4mentalhealth.org/hub/collaboration-between-systems-coordination-of-services/how-state-leadership-can-champion-lived-experience-to-transform-behavioral-health/"
updated: "2026-10-23"
category: Collaboration Between Systems and Coordination of Services
tags:
  - Child welfare professionals
  - Mental health professionals
---

# How State Leadership Can Champion Lived Experience to Transform Behavioral Health

### How State Leadership Can Champion Lived Experience to Transform Behavioral Health

 The article argues that meaningful engagement of people with lived experience is not just a best practice but a necessary strategy for behavioral health system transformation. State leaders can drive better outcomes by elevating lived experience into leadership, building trusting relationships, sharing decision-making power, and designing reforms with communities rather than for them.  [Read the article](https://www.chcs.org/how-state-leadership-can-champion-lived-experience-to-transform-behavioral-health/)       [https://www.addtoany.com/add_to/linkedin?linkurl=https%3A%2F%2Fbridges4mentalhealth.org%2Fhub%2Fcollaboration-between-systems-coordination-of-services%2Fhow-state-leadership-can-champion-lived-experience-to-transform-behavioral-health%2F&linkname=How%20State%20Leadership%20Can%20Champion%20Lived%20Experience%20to%20Transform%20Behavioral%20Health](https://www.addtoany.com/add_to/linkedin?linkurl=https%3A%2F%2Fbridges4mentalhealth.org%2Fhub%2Fcollaboration-between-systems-coordination-of-services%2Fhow-state-leadership-can-champion-lived-experience-to-transform-behavioral-health%2F&linkname=How%20State%20Leadership%20Can%20Champion%20Lived%20Experience%20to%20Transform%20Behavioral%20Health)[https://www.addtoany.com/add_to/facebook?linkurl=https%3A%2F%2Fbridges4mentalhealth.org%2Fhub%2Fcollaboration-between-systems-coordination-of-services%2Fhow-state-leadership-can-champion-lived-experience-to-transform-behavioral-health%2F&linkname=How%20State%20Leadership%20Can%20Champion%20Lived%20Experience%20to%20Transform%20Behavioral%20Health](https://www.addtoany.com/add_to/facebook?linkurl=https%3A%2F%2Fbridges4mentalhealth.org%2Fhub%2Fcollaboration-between-systems-coordination-of-services%2Fhow-state-leadership-can-champion-lived-experience-to-transform-behavioral-health%2F&linkname=How%20State%20Leadership%20Can%20Champion%20Lived%20Experience%20to%20Transform%20Behavioral%20Health)[https://www.addtoany.com/add_to/email?linkurl=https%3A%2F%2Fbridges4mentalhealth.org%2Fhub%2Fcollaboration-between-systems-coordination-of-services%2Fhow-state-leadership-can-champion-lived-experience-to-transform-behavioral-health%2F&linkname=How%20State%20Leadership%20Can%20Champion%20Lived%20Experience%20to%20Transform%20Behavioral%20Health](https://www.addtoany.com/add_to/email?linkurl=https%3A%2F%2Fbridges4mentalhealth.org%2Fhub%2Fcollaboration-between-systems-coordination-of-services%2Fhow-state-leadership-can-champion-lived-experience-to-transform-behavioral-health%2F&linkname=How%20State%20Leadership%20Can%20Champion%20Lived%20Experience%20to%20Transform%20Behavioral%20Health)[https://www.addtoany.com/share](https://www.addtoany.com/share)