- Home
- About
- Resource Library
- Mental Health Disorders
- Agitation
- Anxiety Disorders
- Bipolar Disorder
- Cognition
- Depression
- Eating Disorders
- Personality Disorders
- PTSD/Trauma
- Schizophrenia
- Substance Use Disorders
- Women’s Health
- Topics of Interest
- Care Coordination
- Digital Health
- Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion
- Early Episode Psychosis
- Health Care Policy & Legislation
- Neuroscience
- Payer & Financing Models
- Quality Standards & Performance Measures
- Stigma
- Suicide Awareness
- Wellness
- Collections
- Featured
- Monthly Spotlight
- Psychopharmacology
- Learning Tracks
- Community Insights
- Community Podcast
- Disease Management & Support Tools
- Frameworks In Health & Quality Resources
- Mental Health System Guidebooks
- Patient & Caregiver Resource Center
- PsychU Roleplay
- Psychiatric Scales
- PsychUSim
- Events
Quality Standards & Performance Measures
Quality standards allow performance to be measured, and measuring performance is the first step to improving behavioral health care and outcomes for individuals. Visit this library for the latest in performance metrics and quality benchmarks.
Care For The Incarcerated – Better Or Worse?
Article June 27, 2022There are almost two million individuals who are incarcerated in U.S. federal, state, and local jails and prisons. This makes the U.S. the world leader in the number of people… Read MorePeople With Dementia & Depression May Benefit From CBT
Article June 27, 2022Cognitive behavioral therapies (CBT) to treat depression added to usual care for people with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) or dementia reduced symptoms of depression and increased remission rates. These findings… Read MoreMichigan Expands Medicaid Behavioral Health Home Initiative To Five New Counties
Article June 27, 2022On May 1, 2022, the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) expanded its Medicaid Behavioral Health Home (BHH) initiative to five new counties. The BHH provider organizations serve… Read MoreMental Health Challenges In Rural Populations
Downloadable Resource June 20, 2022Adults With Depression & Anxiety More Likely To Develop Chronic Health Conditions
Article June 20, 2022Adults with depression and/or anxiety are more likely to develop multiple chronic health conditions than adults of the same age without either depression or anxiety. For women, the likelihood was… Read MorePrescribing Patterns For All Types Of Psychotropic Medications For Consumers With Schizophrenia Varied Across States
Article June 20, 2022Prescribing patterns in the United States varied widely across the states for psychotropic medications prescribed to adult Medicaid beneficiaries diagnosed with a schizophrenia spectrum disorder. Psychotropic medications include long-acting injectable… Read MorePeople With Serious Mental Illness Have Increased Heart Disease Risk
Article June 13, 2022Adults ages 18 to 75 with serious mental illness (SMI) have a higher risk of developing cardiovascular disease over 10 years compared to those without SMI, at 9.4% and 8.0%… Read MoreHot Topics: Clinical Questions In Bipolar Disorder (Part 4)
Interview June 6, 2022Drs. Mauricio Tohen and Joseph Goldberg will address current and relevant clinical questions relating to bipolar disorder. These questions and Dr. Tohen’s and Dr. Goldberg’s responses will be recorded and… Read MoreCalifornia, Georgia, Indiana, New Jersey, Oklahoma & Virginia Saw Increase In Adolescent Suicides During COVID-19
Article June 6, 2022Statistically significant increases in the number of adolescent deaths due to suicide during coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) occurred in California, Georgia, Indiana, New Jersey, Oklahoma, and Virginia, according to data… Read MoreU.S. Economic Burden For PTSD Tops $230 Billion
Article June 6, 2022Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) costs in the United States for civilian and military populations are estimated at $232.2 billion for 2018. Of that estimated cost, $76.1 billion was for direct… Read MoreGlobal Prevalence Of Major Depression In Older Adults Tops 13%
Article June 6, 2022Worldwide, about 13.3% of adults aged 60 years and older have major depressive disorder (MDD), according to a meta-analysis with 20 studies involving 18,953 participants from 16 countries. About 11.9%… Read MoreRecognizing the Inner Voice: Breaking the LGBTQIA+ Conversation Barrier
On-Demand Webinar June 1, 2022The month of June is Pride Month and throughout the world the LGBTQIA+ communities come together to celebrate sexual and gender diversity, and to raise awareness of the ongoing pursuit… Read MoreWhat’s New, Going Away, & Here To Stay: A Look Forward From The OPEN MINDS & Otsuka National Payer Survey
On-Demand Webinar May 31, 2022In 2021, Otsuka America Pharmaceutical, Inc. (OAPI) released The Third Edition Of Trends In Behavioral Health: A Reference Guide On The US Behavioral Health Financing & Delivery System (The Guide). This… Read MorePeople With Severe Mental Illnesses Have A Higher Risk Of Dying From Cardiovascular Disease
Article May 30, 2022People with serious mental illness (SMI), particularly schizophrenia, generally have a higher incidence of cardiovascular disease (CVD) and higher levels of cardiovascular-related mortality than the general population. Over time the… Read MoreNebraska Becomes Tenth & Final State Needed To Launch Multi-State Counseling Compact For Licensed Counselors
Article May 30, 2022On April 19, 2022, the American Counseling Association announced that the tenth state needed—Nebraska— had signed legislation to support the Counseling Compact to allow licensed professional counselors to practice across… Read MoreU.S. Behavioral Health Workforce At 1.2 Million Professionals
Article May 30, 2022Nationwide, the behavioral health workforce includes about 1.2 million health care professionals. Within this workforce, more than 677,000 are behavioral health specialists, and over 400,000 are primary care professionals who… Read MoreNew Florida Law Exempts Antipsychotics From Medicaid Step Therapy
Article May 23, 2022On April 6, 2022, Florida enacted a bill to exempt Medicaid beneficiaries diagnosed with schizophrenia from step-therapy authorizations for antipsychotic medications. Under the new law, the beneficiary can be exempted… Read More16% Of Community Mental Health Centers Use Measurement-Based Care, Despite Knowledge Of Value
Article May 23, 2022As of October 2021, 83% of community mental health center (CMHC) executives said that “their organization is familiar with the value of using measurement-based care (MBC)”, however just 16% were… Read MoreThe Definition Of Insanity: Behind The Scenes With Judge Leifman
Interview May 19, 2022Judge Leifman shares his perspective of the decriminalization program in which he started over 20 years ago. The Judge describes how the program got started and how it grew. For more… Read MoreMental Health Crisis Infographic
Downloadable Resource May 19, 2022Acquiring A Medical Marijuana Card Linked To Development Of Cannabis Use Disorder Within 12 Weeks
Article May 16, 2022About 17% of adults ages 18 to 65 diagnosed with insomnia, pain, or anxiety who obtained medical marijuana cards immediately after receiving a qualifying diagnosis developed cannabis use disorder in… Read MorePsychiatrists Scores On 2020 Medicare Merit-Based Incentive Payment System Lower Than Other Physicians
Article May 16, 2022Compared to other outpatient clinical professionals participating in the 2020 Medicare Merit-Based Incentive Payment System (MIPS), psychiatrists had performance scores about five percentage points lower than other physicians, at 84.0… Read MoreChronic Health Care Better For People With SMI In Primary Care Medical Homes With Integrated Psychiatric Care
Article May 16, 2022Among people with serious mental illness (SMI), those who received care through a specialized primary care medical home (PCMH) received more health screenings and had more improvement in care for… Read MoreGeorgia Enacts Bill To Enforce Mental Health Parity
Article May 16, 2022On April 4, 2022, the Georgia Mental Health Parity Act, House Bill 1013 (HB 1013) was signed into law to enforce mental health parity provisions of private health plans. Starting… Read MoreThe Tech For Success With “Whole Person” Care
Article May 9, 2022Many payers and many health plans are finally embracing ‘whole person’ approaches to care and looking for integrated models for care coordination. For example, California’s CalAIM will shift all of… Read MoreCare Management Does Not Reduce Risk Of Self-Harm For Suicidal Ideation
Article May 9, 2022Among adult outpatients with frequent suicidal ideation, offering care management to provide outreach and systematic suicide assessment did not significantly reduce risk of self-harm, compared to usual care. The risk… Read MoreImpact Of Trauma On Women With Children
Interview May 8, 2022Pregnant women from marginalized communities are at high risk for problematic birth experiences due to historical trauma and exposure to racism and discrimination, the biological and psychosocial consequences of which… Read MorePlanning For 988
Article May 2, 2022Widespread concerns about suicide led to the passage of the National Suicide Hotline Designation Act in 2020, which will make “988” the nationwide suicide prevention hotline to support suicide and… Read MorePeer Support – The Next Generation
Article May 2, 2022There are a number of new developments in the use of peer services spurring provider organization innovations. California is establishing a new peer support specialist certification program under Medi-Cal. And… Read MoreADHD Three Times More Common In People With Mood Disorders
Article May 2, 2022Adults with mood disorders are three times more likely to have attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) than adults without a mood disorder. For this comparison, mood disorder included both major depressive… Read MoreStaff Shortages & Professional Burnout Are Key Impediments To Quality Health Care In 2022
Article May 2, 2022Health care staffing shortages and the mental health of health care workers are key impediments to quality health care in 2022. According to a recent study, the challenges existed in… Read MoreMore Than $24 Billion For Behavioral Health Treatment Included In The $1.5 Trillion Government Funding Bill
Article May 2, 2022More than $24 billion to fund mental health and addiction treatment is included in the $1.5 trillion government funding bill, House Resolution 2471, signed on March 15, 2022. The bill… Read MoreAMA Recommends Using Telehealth & Digital Tools To Accelerate Behavioral Health Integration
Article May 2, 2022To accelerate behavioral health integration (BHI) in provider organizations, the American Medical Association (AMA) recommended the use of virtual care (telehealth) and a variety of digital tools to facilitate the… Read MoreAddressing Psychiatric Readmissions Infographic
Downloadable Resource April 21, 2022Colorado Legislature Moves Forward With Bill To Create A Behavioral Health Administration
Article April 21, 2022On March 2, 2022, the Colorado legislature began deliberations on a bill introduced to create a new behavioral health administration (BHA) as proposed in January 2022 by Governor Jared Polis.… Read MoreCollaborative Care At Scale – More Important Than Ever
Article April 18, 2022“Achieving collaborative care at scale has never been more important.” That was the message of Dr. Indira Paharia, the chief operating officer of behavioral health at Centene Corporation during her… Read MoreThe Largest Share Of Telehealth Visits During COVID-19 Were For Behavioral Health Issues
Article April 11, 2022Between March 1, 2020 and November 30, 2021, telehealth visits for behavioral health diagnoses accounted for about 57.9% of all telehealth visits. During that period, behavioral health telehealth utilization increased… Read MoreMild & Moderate COVID-19 Doubles Risk Of Reduced Mobility For Older Adults
Article April 11, 2022Middle age and older Canadian adults (age 50 and older) who had recovered from mild and moderate infections with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) were nearly twice as likely to have… Read MoreFlorida DCF Implements Peer Behavioral Health Services To Reduce Suicidality Among First Responders & Their Families
Article April 11, 2022The Florida Department of Children and Families (DCF) is launching new peer behavioral health services to help first responders and their families improve mental well-being and manage stress. These services… Read MoreHealth Care Professionals Expect Virtual Primary Care Visits To Surpass In-Person Visits In Five Years
Article April 11, 2022About 63% of health care professionals believe that virtual primary care visits will bypass in-person visits in the next five years, according to a recent survey of health care professionals… Read MoreOne-Third Of Behavioral Health Organizations Have Incomplete Policies For Health Information Protection
Article April 11, 2022About 31% of behavioral health provider organizations evaluated by the Accreditation Commission for Health Care (ACHC) were cited in 2020 and 2021 for having incomplete policies that fell short of… Read MoreAmazon Launches Nationwide Access To Telehealth Service Through Amazon Care
Article April 4, 2022On February 8, 2022, Amazon announced that its telehealth services through Amazon Care is now available throughout the U.S. for its enrollees. In addition, Amazon Care will be expanding in-person… Read MoreGetting Ahead Of The ILOS Opportunity
Article April 4, 2022Last week, we wrote about the opportunities in addressing social support needs through non-traditional service models in “Leveraging “Social” In Health Plan Partnerships.” Part of this trend is the growing… Read MoreYouth Emergency Room Visits Increase For Suicide, Drug & Mental Health Conditions During COVID-19
Article April 4, 2022Compared to the same surveillance period prior to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, the number of emergency room visits for adolescents aged 12 to 17 increased significantly for suicide,… Read MoreHHS Mental Health Strategy Calls For Transforming Health & Social Services To Support Equitable & Holistic Care
Article April 4, 2022On March 1, 2022, President Biden and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced a new national mental health strategy. This effort, called the National Tour to… Read More44 Million U.S. Adults Spent Over $106 Billion For The Treatment Of Mental Disorders In 2019
Article March 28, 2022Approximately 44 million adults, or 17.3% of the U.S. non-institutionalized civilian population age 18 or older, reported expenditures for treatment of mental disorders totaling about $106.5 billion in 2019. Approximately… Read MoreHalf Of Adults In The U.S. With SMI Received Telehealth Mental Health Services During 2020
Article March 28, 2022During 2020, 49.8% of the 14.2 million adults in the U.S. aged 18 or older with severe mental illness (SMI) received mental health services via telehealth treatment, representing 7.2 million… Read MoreAMA Unveils Toolkit To Help States ‘End’ The Overdose Epidemic
Article March 28, 2022The American Medical Association (AMA) released a group of strategies intended to help states reduce drug overdose rates and “end” the opioid overdose epidemic. The strategies include eliminating prior authorization… Read MoreCalifornia Adds Pharmacist Medication Therapy Management Services As A New Benefit For Medicaid Beneficiaries
Article March 28, 2022Medi-Cal, the California Medicaid program, is contracting for pharmacist medication therapy management (MTM) as a covered benefit. Initially, the California Department of Health Care Services (DHCS) will contract for MTM… Read MoreFor Low-Income Households, Total Expenditure For Antidepressants Dropped 33% Between 2013 & 2018
Article March 28, 2022The total expenditure for antidepressants prescribed to people in households below 200% of the federal poverty level (FPL) was one-third lower in 2018 compared to 2013, but rose by 10%… Read MoreTreatment Transformation Ahead
Article March 21, 2022Greetings from lovely Clearwater Beach, Florida and the mhca winter conference. It’s been an interesting few days with lots of discussion with behavioral health organization executives from across the country.… Read MoreCharacterizing Mixed States & Mixed Features: Conceptual Matters In Treatment Direction
Interview March 15, 2022This presentation will review the history of mixed states and mixed features, focusing on conceptualization, phenomenology, diagnostic considerations and treatment options. Read MoreEmergency Weary? Emergency Ready?
Article March 14, 2022“If you stay ready you don’t have to get ready.” – Will Smith Does it seem that over the past few years there are just more “emergencies?” Front and center… Read MoreThree Million Americans Were Added To The Marketplace Plans During The 2022 Open Enrollment Period
Article March 14, 2022Approximately three million new enrollees signed up for a health plan during the 2022 Health Insurance Marketplace open enrollment period (from November 1, 2021 through January 15, 2022). Approximately 11.5… Read MoreCall To Action: The Need For Stigma Awareness In Healthcare Professional Education
On-Demand Webinar March 9, 2022Recognizing the need for awareness of mental health stigma in healthcare professional education programs can be challenging. In this webinar, our panelists from medical, pharmacy, and psychology academic settings will… Read MoreCOVID-19 Had A Negative Impact On Mental Well-Being For 70% Of Americans
Article March 7, 2022The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) public health emergency that began in March 2020 had a negative impact on mental well-being for about 70% of Americans age 12 and older. Based… Read MoreCalifornia Has 21 New Behavioral Health Initiatives
Article February 28, 2022The California Department of Health Care Services (DHCS) is implementing 15 behavioral health initiatives and planning six additional initiatives. Some of the 15 initiatives started in 2019 and 2020, and… Read MorePrevalence Of Child Mental, Emotional & Behavioral Conditions Ranges From 15% To 60% Based On Relational & Social Risks
Article February 28, 2022The prevalence of child mental, emotional, and behavioral (MEBs) conditions ranges from 15.1% to 60.4% depending on the type and amount of relational health risks (RHRs) and social health risks… Read MoreHalf Of Provider Organizations In International Survey Report Consumer Refusal Of Telehealth Due To Security Concerns
Article February 28, 2022About 52% of health care provider organizations that offer telehealth services reported that some consumers had declined telehealth delivery, citing security and privacy concerns. About 33% said consumers who declined… Read MoreThe Alphabet Soup Of Integrated Care
Video February 24, 2022The “Next Generation” Behavioral Health Carve-Out
Article February 21, 2022At the start of the year, we wrote about one of the emerging trends from 2021—”integrated care” is increasingly happening via integration of consumer data and financial incentives—with physical location… Read MoreMore Than One-Third Of Adults Who Attempt Suicide Receive No Subsequent Mental Health Treatment
Article February 21, 2022Over a 10-year span, from 2008 through 2019, 34.8% to 45.5% of adults who attempted suicide received no subsequent mental health treatment, but the year-to-year variation could be due to… Read MoreNational ‘988’ Lifeline For Mental Health Crisis Goes Live In July 2022
Article February 21, 2022On July 16 2022, the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline (Lifeline) “988” dialing code will take effect to support suicide and mental health crisis. “988” is linked to the current suicide… Read MoreAddressing Mental Health In Primary Care – The Key To Improving Health
Article February 15, 2022It has become widely accepted knowledge in both the United States (and worldwide) that healthcare outcomes have both physical and mental health dimensions (Funk, M., Saraceno, B., Drew, N., &… Read MoreUp To A Third Of California Medi-Cal Beneficiaries With Serious Mental Illness Receive No Treatment
Article February 14, 2022Up to one-third or more of individuals with serious mental illness (SMI) who are enrolled in California Medicaid (Medi-Cal) do not receive any Medi-Cal specialty mental health services. According to… Read MoreState Medicaid Spending Projected To Increase 9.2% In Fiscal 2022
Article February 14, 2022State general fund appropriations for Medicaid during fiscal year 2022 are projected to be 9.2% ($15.3 billion) higher in fiscal year 2022 compared to the $165.8 billion in general funds… Read MoreHow To Engage Older Adults With Digital Health
Article February 8, 2022The Covid-19 public health emergency has changed the landscape of healthcare service delivery. Healthcare service providers have had to pivot rapidly to new and different treatment modalities while serving patients… Read More20% Of Americans Received Mental Health Treatment During 2020
Article February 7, 2022In 2020, 20.3% of adults said they had received mental health treatment in the past 12 months. This includes 16.5% who had taken prescription medication for a mental health condition,… Read MoreDepression Stigma Drops For First Time In U.S.
Article February 7, 2022A recent survey found the first evidence of significant decreases in public stigma toward depression in the U.S. Between 1996 and 2018, respondents reported increasing beliefs that mental health problems… Read MoreMental Health Workforce Capacity Rose 30% Between 2017 & 2021
Article February 7, 2022Between 2017 and 2020, mental health workforce capacity rose 30%, from 218.0 mental health professionals per 100,000 population in 2017 to 284.3 per 100,000 population in 2021. The 2021 numbers… Read More39% Of Americans Want In-Person Mental Health Services
Article January 31, 2022A total of 39% of working U.S. residents prefer in-person mental health support with a counselor as their preferred modality for mental health support. Another 9% prefer a combination of… Read MoreMedicare Telehealth Flexibility Extended During The COVID-19 Public Health Emergency At-Risk Of Ending Without Congressional Action
Article January 31, 2022Most of the federal Medicare telehealth flexibilities granted during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) public health emergency are slated to end when the public health emergency (PHE) determination expires. The… Read More51% Of People With Chronic Illness Reported Depression Symptoms
Article January 31, 2022About 51% of people with chronic illness who were using a chronic condition digital health management platform between 2019 and 2021 reported depression symptoms in their user feedback. These individuals… Read MoreNew Illinois Law To Allow Students Five Mental Health Absences Beginning In January 2022
Article January 31, 2022As of January 1, 2022, Illinois public school students are allowed to take off five days off per school year for mental or behavioral health reasons, without requiring a medical… Read MoreColorado To Establish A New Behavioral Health Administration
Article January 31, 2022Colorado Governor Jared Polis is establishing a new Behavioral Health Administration (BHA). On January 4, 2022, Governor Polis appointed Morgan Medlock, M.D., MPH, MDiv as the state’s first cabinet-level behavioral… Read MoreThe “Ideal” Health Home?
Article January 24, 2022As we look ahead to 2022–with more integration and more value-based care, the question is how do specialty provider organizations “fit” in an evolving service delivery and financing landscape. We’ll… Read More18% Of Children With Diagnosed Emotional, Developmental, Or Behavioral Problems Did Not Receive Treatment Over A One-Year Period, Possibly Due To Barriers Linked To Social Determinants Of Health
Article January 24, 2022About 18% of children with a diagnosed emotional, developmental, or behavioral problem received no psychiatric treatment or counseling over a one-year period, according to a parent survey in 2019. Barriers… Read MoreThe 12 Steps To Inclusivity In Mental Health Services Infographic
Downloadable Resource January 18, 2022Learn more about the aspects of inclusivity in mental health services by downloading this infographic that was based on “The 12 Steps to Inclusivity in Mental Health Services” series. Read MoreWhat Do We Mean By Integrated Care, Whole Person Care, Transmural Care, Or Coordinated Care?
Article January 17, 2022The buzzword in health policy these days is “integrated care.” Also known as whole person care, transmural care, coordinated care, collaborative care, or holistic care, the basic premise is that… Read MoreThe Alphabet Soup Of Integrated Care
Downloadable Resource January 17, 2022For Integration, It’s The Information – A Trend Driving 2022 Strategy
Article January 17, 2022“Integration” in health and human services remains an elusive goal. Which is curious, since it is important to both consumers and payers, for different reasons. The current state of coordination… Read MoreStates Expand Access To Medicaid Behavioral Health Services
Article January 17, 2022States are expanding access to Medicaid behavioral health services, mostly through funding from the 2021 American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) and other federal initiatives. For example, more than half of… Read MoreThe 8 Million Virtual Behavioral Health Visits
Article January 10, 2022I did take note that CVS just passed eight million virtual behavioral health visits in 2021. The article reminded me of the quote “A million here and a million there… Read MoreCMS Says State Medicaid Programs Can Cover Audio-Only Telehealth
Article January 10, 2022On December 6, 2021, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) announced that state Medicaid programs can reimburse for audio-only telehealth during the public health emergency and beyond. States… Read MoreLarge Employer Health Plans Increasingly Focus On Hybrid Care Models & Expanding Mental Health Service Access
Article January 10, 2022Large employers are designing their self-funded health plans for 2022 to integrate virtual and in-person services, and to expand access to mental health services and well-being. During 2020 and 2021,… Read More10% Of New York Children On Medicaid Received New Community-Based Behavioral Health Services
Article January 10, 2022About 10% of New York children eligible for a new set of Medicaid community-based behavioral health services actually received them between January 2019 and April 2020. In 2017, when the… Read MoreAustralia Releases The First-Ever Set Of National Guidelines For Memory & Cognition Clinics
Article January 10, 2022A University of Sydney Brain and Mind Centre collaboration with the Australian Dementia Network (ADNet) has released the first-ever set of national guidelines for Memory and cognition clinics to improve… Read MoreIowa Mental Health Funding Shifts From County To State
Article January 3, 2022Iowa is realigning how it funds behavioral health services. It is moving from a county-based funding distribution model for behavioral health services to a state-based model. The realignment pertains to… Read MoreSchizophrenia & Dementia Dual Diagnosis Increased After CMS Reporting Requirement For Nursing Home Antipsychotic Prescriptions
Article January 3, 2022After the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services’ (CMS) began requiring public reporting of nursing home antipsychotic use, the proportion of residents with different forms of dementia also diagnosed with… Read MoreMedical Homes Associated With Higher Likelihood Of Receiving ‘Guideline-Concordant’ Care For Chronic Health Conditions
Article December 27, 2021Consumer-centered medical homes are associated with a higher likelihood of receiving “guideline-concordant” care for chronic health conditions. Consumer-centered medical home participation resulted in a 1.7 percentage point increase in the… Read MorePrompt Outpatient Behavioral Health Treatment Helps Reduce Total Cost Of Care Over Subsequent Two Years
Article December 27, 2021Evernorth consumers diagnosed with behavioral health conditions who received from three to 19 outpatient treatment visits within 90 days after diagnosis had fewer visits to the emergency department and fewer… Read MoreBehavioral Health Referrals In The Time Of COVID
Article December 20, 2021One of the consistent themes in discussions with executives of behavioral health treatment programs is that there is more demand for services in this era of COVID – and the… Read MoreStill A Ways To Go
Article December 20, 2021Treatment of serious mental illnesses has improved over the course of time—but there is still a long way to go. For consumers with schizophrenia, only 14.3% received care that could… Read MoreMental Health Rehospitalizations At Acute Care Children’s Hospital Within 90 Days Are 26% More Likely Among Black Children
Article December 20, 2021Following children’s hospitalizations at acute care non-psychiatric children’s hospitals for a mental health diagnosis, the likelihood of rehospitalization within 90 days was 26% higher among Black children than among non-Hispanic… Read MoreNew Intensive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation Is Nearly 80% Effective In Treating Depression
Article December 13, 2021A new, intensive, individualized type of transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) is nearly 80% effective in treating depression. After five days of treatment, 78.6% of the participants in the treatment group… Read MoreNearly 60% Of Health Systems Aim To Become ‘Payviders’ In 2022
Article December 13, 2021Nearly 60% of health systems surveyed plan to become “payviders” in 2022. A “payvider” is an organization that both delivers services and accepts financial risk for health benefits. These plans… Read MoreCalifornia To Spend Up To $4.6 Billion On Enhanced Medicaid HCBS
Article December 13, 2021On September 3, 2021, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) partially approved California’s Department of Health Care Services’ (DCHS’) $4.649 billion proposed home- and community-based services (HCBS) “California… Read More49% Of Long-Term Care Recipients Require Family Caregiver Help In ‘Most’ Aspects Of Daily Living
Article December 6, 2021About half (49%) of people receiving long-term care assistance from a family caregiver in 2021 need help with “most aspects of daily living.” About 8% need only minor assistance. In… Read MoreAll California Health Insurance Plans Required To Cover Screening For Adverse Childhood Experiences, Starting January 1, 2022
Article December 6, 2021A California bill signed on October 7, 2021, requires all health insurance plans to screen children for Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) if the plan provides coverage for pediatric services and… Read MoreCDC Adds Bipolar Disorder & Schizophrenia To High-Risk COVID-19 List
Article November 29, 2021On October 14, 2021, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) added bipolar disorder and schizophrenia to the list of high-risk underlying medical conditions that are associated with… Read MoreNumber Of Health Care Apps Integrating With EHRs Grew 20% During 2020
Article November 29, 2021The number of digital applications that could integrate with an electronic health record (EHR) increased by 22% during 2020, from 600 in 2019 to 734 in 2020. Some of the… Read MoreChildren’s Mental Health National State Of Emergency Declared By Associations For Pediatricians, Child Psychiatrists & Children’s Hospitals
Article November 22, 2021On October 19, 2021, the American Academy of Pediatrics, American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, and Children’s Hospital Association declared a national state of emergency in children’s mental health… Read MoreFew State Medicaid Plans Have Evaluated The Effects Of Tele-Behavioral Health Provided Through Managed Care On Access & Costs
Article November 22, 2021Of the 37 state Medicaid plans that, in January and February 2020, covered Medicaid behavioral health services via telehealth through managed care organizations (MCOs), few have formally evaluated the effects… Read MoreIn-Depth Review Of The Australian Guidelines For Mood Disorders: Part 2
Interview November 19, 2021Managing mood disorders is challenging across the world. Following on from a robust discussion on international perspectives of mood guidelines with Drs. Gin Mahli from Australia, Dr. Sagar Parikh from… Read MoreIn-Depth Review Of The Australian Guidelines For Mood Disorders: Part 1
Interview November 17, 2021Managing mood disorders is challenging across the world. Following on from a robust discussion on international perspectives of mood guidelines with Drs. Gin Mahli from Australia, Dr. Sagar Parikh from… Read MoreUnderstanding Integration, Identifying Top Models, & Knowing The Future Of Its Role In Health & Human Services
On-Demand Webinar November 17, 2021Integration is changing the competitive advantage for health and human service provider organizations—and with it, changing the parameters of financial sustainability. Integration brings with it value-based reimbursement, consolidation, and leverage… Read MoreViruses, Vaccines, & Long-Term Consequences: Panel Perspectives
Interview November 16, 2021SARS-CoV-2 has impacted our health, wealth, and lives on a global scale, the extent to which will not be fully appreciated for years to come. As we re-establish ourselves after… Read MoreMajor Depressive & Anxiety Disorders Prevalence Rose Worldwide By More Than 25%
Article November 15, 2021The worldwide prevalence of major depressive disorder and anxiety disorders rose by more than 25% from January 1, 2020, and January 29, 2021. During this time, the prevalence of major… Read MoreNew York Governor Signs Order Allowing Temporary Use Of Out-Of-State Telehealth Provider Organizations During Health Care Staffing Emergency
Article November 15, 2021On September 27, 2021, New York Governor Kathy Hochul signed an executive order (EO) that declared a state-wide disaster emergency related to health care staffing shortages due to both the… Read MoreViruses, Vaccines, & Long-Term Consequences: Perspectives On SARS-CoV-2 ‘Mythbusters’ Edition
Interview November 10, 2021SARS-CoV-2 has impacted our health, wealth, and lives on a global scale, the extent to which will not be fully appreciated for years to come. As we begin to re-establish… Read MoreADHD Interview With Dr. Newcorn: Part 1
Interview November 9, 2021It is estimated that ~6 million children have been diagnosed with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) in the US with a large proportion having another mental or behavioral disorder1. Additionally,… Read MoreViruses, Vaccines, & Long-Term Consequences: An Update On SARS-CoV-2
Interview November 3, 2021SARS-CoV-2 has impacted our health, wealth, and lives on a global scale, the extent to which will not be fully appreciated for years to come. As we begin to re-establish… Read MoreSevere Mental Health Disorders Increase Risk Of Death In Men With Heart Failure
Article November 1, 2021Men with heart failure have worse long-term survival rates if they have severe mental illness (SMI) defined as severe depression, bipolar disorder, or schizophrenia. Seven years after heart failure, men… Read MoreThe 12 Steps To Inclusivity In Mental Health Services (Part IV)
Interview October 25, 2021From the 2019 Pew Research Center survey of over 25 countries on people’s view of diversity in their country, most people around the world believe their country has become more… Read MoreInnovations Stemming The Rising Tide Of Substance Use Disorders
Article October 25, 2021The statistics on substance use disorders in the United States continue to cause alarm. Overdose deaths in the United States rose 29.4% in 2020 to an estimated 93,331, including 69,710… Read MoreIncreasing Medicare LTSS Benefits Could Cost Between $1 Billion & $13 Billion Per Year
Article October 25, 2021Increasing access to long-term services and supports (LTSS) through the Medicare program for beneficiaries aged 65 and older could cost the federal government from $1.1 billion to $12.8 billion per… Read MoreMissouri Department Of Social Services Begins Processing Enrollment For MO HealthNet Medicaid Expansion Population
Article October 25, 2021The Missouri Department of Social Services (DSS) began processing applications from the Medicaid expansion population of low-income, non-disabled adults ages 19 to 64 with income below 133% of the federal… Read MoreThe 12 Steps to Inclusivity in Mental Health Services (Part III)
Interview October 18, 2021From the 2019 Pew Research Center survey of over 25 countries on people’s view of diversity in their country, most people around the world believe their country has become more… Read MoreMaking Integration Work – Think Change Management
Article October 18, 2021Management thought leader John Kotter wrote in his book, Sense of Urgency, “More than 70% of needed change either fails to be launched, even though some people clearly see the… Read MoreChildren In Poverty More Likely To Have Smaller Brain Volume & Slower Growth, Linked To Cognitive & Behavioral Difficulties
Article October 18, 2021Children living below the federal poverty level (FPL) are more likely to have cognitive and behavioral difficulties than their better-off peers due in part to differences in brain volume and… Read MoreThe 12 Steps To Inclusivity In Mental Health Services (Part II)
Interview October 11, 2021From the 2019 Pew Research Center survey of over 25 countries on people’s view of diversity in their country, most people around the world believe their country has become more… Read MorePeople With MS & Depression More Likely To Die Over A 10-Year Period Than People With Neither Condition
Article October 11, 2021People with multiple sclerosis (MS) and depression are more likely to die over a 10-year period than those with neither condition. As compared with controls without depression, the 10-year hazard… Read MoreThe 12 Steps to Inclusivity In Mental Health Services (Part I)
Interview October 4, 2021From the 2019 Pew Research Center survey of over 25 countries on people’s view of diversity in their country, most people around the world believe their country has become more… Read MoreFlorida Ends Certificate Of Need Requirements For Specialty Medical, Rehabilitation & Psychiatric Hospitals
Article October 4, 2021On July 1, 2021, the Florida Agency for Health Care Administration (AHCA) stopped requiring a certificate of need (CON) review for specialty medical, rehabilitation, and psychiatric and addiction treatment hospitals.… Read MoreMissouri Passes Reforms To Benefit & Assist Juvenile Inmates
Article October 4, 2021On July 14, 2021, the state of Missouri passed measures to benefit and assist juvenile inmates. Senate Bill (SB) 26 offers parole to life-sentence juveniles, SB 53 keeps certain juveniles… Read MoreIntegrated Treatment For Heart Failure & Depression Improves Quality Of Life
Article October 4, 2021A telephone-delivered ‘blended’ model of collaborative care strategy that combined heart failure care management with depression treatment improved quality of life and mood. When evaluated using the Mental Component Summary… Read MoreDo You Have The Data? Can You “Adapt?”
Article September 27, 2021The executive team with the better data can make better decisions, assure better outcomes for consumers, improve staff and customer satisfaction, and deliver more value to payers. But how? We’ve talked about… Read MoreManaging The 5%
Article September 27, 2021There is a lot of investment money going into the mental health field—in fact, $14.7 billion in the first half of this year. Much of that investment is focused on… Read MoreSchizophrenia Cost The U.S. $281.6 Billion In 2020; $62 Billion In Direct Costs
Article September 27, 2021During 2020, the costs of schizophrenia in the United States was estimated at $281.6 billion. About 22% ($62.0 billion) of the total cost was due to direct health and human… Read MoreDuring 2020, Overweight & Obesity Among Children Ages 5 Through 17 Rose To Over 40%
Article September 27, 2021Between March 2020 and January 2021, the incidence of overweight and obesity among children ages 5 to 17 rose to over 40%. The increase was particularly pronounced among younger children,… Read MoreIllinois Enacts Medicaid Mental Health Network Adequacy Law
Article September 27, 2021On July 23, 2021, Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker signed legislation to require health insurers to ensure network adequacy for mental health and addiction treatment services. They must ensure that beneficiaries… Read MoreRhode Island To Pilot Safe Injection Sites
Article September 27, 2021Rhode Island is planning to pilot harm reduction centers, also called overdose prevention sites or supervised consumption sites. This two-year pilot program will establish “harm reduction centers” to prevent drug… Read MoreNew Hampshire Medicaid To Cover Inpatient & Residential Treatment For Adults With SMI
Article September 20, 2021The New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) is planning to provide Medicaid coverage for short-term inpatient and residential treatment services for adult beneficiaries ages 21 to 64… Read MoreChildren & Adolescents Experiencing Double The Rate Of Depression & Anxiety Due To COVID-19
Article September 20, 2021During 2020, about 25.2% of youth globally experienced clinically elevated depression symptoms and 20.5% experienced anxiety. These rates are double the estimates developed prior to the start of coronavirus disease… Read MoreAverage Signing Bonus For Psychiatrists Is $33,000
Article September 20, 2021The average signing bonus for U.S. psychiatrists in 2021 is $33,000. Bonuses for psychiatrists range from $1,000 to $75,000. Across all physician specialties, signing bonuses in 2021 average $29,656, up… Read MoreUtah To Merge Departments Of Health & Human Services With Goal Of Integrating Physical & Behavioral Health
Article September 20, 2021The Utah Department of Health (DOH) and the Department of Human Services (DHS) are planning to merge to become the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) effective July 1,… Read MoreManaging Long Haul Burnout
Article September 13, 2021In the midst of the current wave of COVID cases from the delta variant, there are many questions. Will the variant—and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) full approval of… Read MoreBridging Gaps in Behavioral Health Treatment: A Narrative Summary
Article September 10, 2021Introduction The Lancet Commission on Behavioral health and Sustainable Development called for a global partnership of governmental agencies, development agencies, non-profits, and private industry to come together to transform mental… Read MorePeer Supports? There’s An App For That
Article September 6, 2021A few new developments around peer supports have caught everyone’s attention. Not surprisingly, the pandemic has changed the role and the work of peer support specialists—and like all of health… Read MoreBehavioral Health Disorders Among Top Five Causes Of Hospital Admissions In Adults Ages 18 To 44
Article September 6, 2021Behavioral health disorders were among the top five causes of U.S. hospital admissions in adults aged 18 to 44, more so than for any other age group. In males age… Read MoreDose Tapering Of Long-Term Opioid Pain Relief Linked To Rise In Overdose Events & Mental Health Crisis
Article September 6, 2021Among people prescribed long-term high-dose-opioid treatment for chronic pain control who had been forced to taper down their doses, the rate of overdoses and mental health crises increased. The incidence… Read MoreIdaho To Launch Implementation Of Nine Behavioral Health System Improvements, Full Details Expected By October 1, 2021
Article September 6, 2021The state of Idaho planning to implement nine behavioral health care system improvements over the next three years to improve the state’s public behavioral health infrastructure, add new treatment and… Read MoreIntegrated Care Gets A Leg Up With Virtual First
Article August 30, 2021Plugging into systems for integrated “whole person” care is increasingly an imperative for all provider organizations—whether they offer primary or specialty care and whether they provide digital, in-person, or hybrid… Read MoreWhat’s Next For Consumers & Therapists? Less Choice, Fewer Offices, More Tech…
Article August 30, 2021The pandemic has brought many changes that are top of mind for executive teams of health and human service organizations—new technology, more competition, changing consumer and payer expectations, increased workforce… Read MoreAnnual U.S. Deaths Due To Alcohol, Drugs Or Suicide Exceeded 156,000 In 2019
Article August 30, 2021In 2019, 156,242 Americans died due to alcohol, drugs, or suicide, an average of 45.7 deaths per 100,000 individuals. This is a 3% increase over 2018 deaths from these causes… Read MoreBehavioral Health Telehealth Visits Increased 6,500% During The COVID-19 Public Health Emergency; Total Claims Up Slightly
Article August 30, 2021Claims for behavioral health evaluation and management (E&M) telehealth visits increased by 6,500% from January 2020 to February 2021 in the United States. However, during this period, which coincided with… Read MoreBehavioral Health HEDIS® Measures: An Annual Update From NCQA©
On-Demand Webinar August 25, 2021The National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA) collects information on the performance of health care service delivery from health plans covering more than 191 million people using its proprietary Healthcare… Read More2021 Trends In Behavioral Health: A Reference Guide On The US Behavioral Health Financing & Delivery System, 3rd Edition
Downloadable Resource August 23, 2021The Third Edition of Trends in Behavioral Health: A Reference Guide On The US Behavioral Health Financing & Delivery System (The Guide) provides information and insights into the multi-layered United… Read MoreLong-Acting Injectable Antipsychotics Now Easier To Find Closer To Home
Article August 19, 2021During their 2021 legislative sessions, both Maryland and North Carolina enacted bills to allow pharmacists to administer long-acting injectable antipsychotics (LAIA) and other injectable drugs to consumers with a doctor’s… Read MoreQuality Standards & Performance Measures Infographic
Downloadable Resource August 17, 2021California Now Requires Health Plans To Base Medical Necessity & Utilization Review For Behavioral Health Services On ‘Generally Accepted Standards Of Care’
Article August 9, 2021A new California law to strengthen mental health and addiction parity in the state requires health plans to base their medical necessity and utilization review criteria for behavioral health services… Read MoreConnecticut, New Mexico, New York & Virginia Legalized Recreational Use Of Marijuana In 2021
Article August 9, 2021During their 2021 state legislative sessions, Connecticut, New Mexico, New York, and Virginia legalized recreational adult use of marijuana and abolished criminal penalties for possession of amounts deemed “personal use.”… Read MoreIllinois Medicaid To Cover New Behavioral Health Services
Article August 9, 2021Under legislation, Senate Bill 2294, signed on July 6, 2021, the Illinois Department Healthcare and Family Services (HFS) will expand the Medicaid program to cover new behavioral health services, and… Read MoreBehavioral Health Network Adequacy Analysis Rate Is Lower Among Regional Health Plans Than National Plans
Article August 9, 2021Regional health plans and behavioral health management organizations (BHMO) are least likely to regularly analyze their provider organization networks to determine adequacy for behavioral health services, compared to other payer… Read MoreTransforming Mental Health Care In The US: A Discussion On The RAND Corporation Report
On-Demand Webinar August 4, 2021The United States is at a time of promise for historic transformation in mental health care. For decades, systemic problems have persisted — including high levels of unmet need, underdevelopment… Read MoreMetrics & Improvement In Quality Outcomes: Pharmacist’s Corner Section Advisor Interview On PsychU’s Theme For August
Interview August 4, 2021In this interview, Dr. Megan Ehret, Pharmacist Corner Section Advisor, discusses metrics and quality outcomes. Find out what types of metrics exist for a pharmacist to participate in. Featuring:… Read More22 States Changed Laws Or Policies During The COVID-19 Emergency To Require More Robust Insurance Coverage Of Telemedicine
Article August 2, 2021During the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) public health emergency 22 states changed laws or policies to require more robust insurance coverage of telemedicine. The changes focused on three key areas:… Read MoreOver One-Third Of Americans Live In Areas Lacking Mental Health Professionals
Article August 2, 2021About one-third of Americans, 121 million as of June 30, 2021, lived in an area with a shortage of mental health professionals. To eliminate the shortage, an additional 6,406 mental… Read MoreSAMHSA Seeks To Increase Use Of CBT For Psychosis From Current 1% To Standard Treatment
Article August 2, 2021Standard treatment for schizophrenia disorders should include cognitive behavioral therapy for psychosis (CBTp), according to the federal Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). Currently, only about one percent… Read MoreKansas Establishes Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinics
Article July 26, 2021On May 3, 2021, Kansas Governor Laura Kelly signed legislation, Senate Substitute for House Bill 2208, to establish the Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinic (CCBHC) as a new model for… Read MoreBehavioral Health Prevalence Up 50% & Claims Drop By 8%
Article July 26, 2021The number of individuals with behavioral health needs in 2020 and 2021 was about 50% higher compared to 2019, before the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) public health emergency. Total claims for… Read MoreTarrant County, Texas To Create A Mental Health Jail Diversion Center
Article July 19, 2021On May 11, 2021, the Tarrant County, Texas Commissioners Court voted to create a mental health jail diversion center (MHJDC) by October 1, 2021. The goal is to avoid detaining… Read MoreHHS Announces $14.2 Million In American Rescue Plan Funding For Pediatric Mental Health
Article July 19, 2021On May 20, 2021, the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services (HHS) announced a $14.2 million funding opportunity to expand Pediatric Mental Health Care Access (PMHCA). The funding is… Read MoreMaryland & North Carolina Implementing New Laws To Permit Pharmacists To Administer Long-Acting Injectable Antipsychotics
Article July 19, 2021During their 2021 legislative sessions, both Maryland and North Carolina enacted bills to allow pharmacists to administer long-acting injectable (LAI) antipsychotics and injectable drugs to consumers with a prescription. In… Read MoreDigital Technologies For Substance Use Disorder
Video July 6, 2021Arturo C. Taca, MD, Psychiatrist & Medical Director, INSynergy Treatment Center, describes the unmet treatment needs in addiction and mental health, and reviews the role of digital technologies for the… Read More58% Of Americans Cite Cost & In-Network Status As Important Factors In Behavioral Health Provider Selection
Article July 5, 2021A total of 58% of Americans say the cost of the provider organization, and whether a provider organization is in their network, are very important considerations when choosing a behavioral… Read MoreThe Number Of U.S. Behavioral Health Service Locations Increased 34% Over The Past Decade
Article July 5, 2021Between 2011 and 2019, the number of “specialty behavioral health establishments,” defined as mental health and/or addiction treatment service locations. increased by 34% from 17,183 in 2011 to 23,038 in… Read MoreBaltimore To Pilot 911 Diversion Program For Mental Health Crisis
Article July 5, 2021In June 2021, the City of Baltimore will launch a pilot 911 diversion program for mental health crisis calls for people with suicidal ideation and without weapons or plans to… Read MoreWashington State To Launch Prison Alternatives For Non-Violent Felony Offenders With Serious Mental Illness
Article June 28, 2021The Washington Department of Corrections is launching alternatives to prison for felony offenders diagnosed with serious mental illness (SMI) under a new law signed on May 10, 2021. Under the… Read MoreNational Surveys Reveal Disconnect Between Employees & Employers Around Mental Health Need
Article June 28, 2021Two national surveys reveal a disconnect between employees and employers regarding mental health need. Overall, 65% of employers report that employee mental health is supported well or very well; while… Read MoreHomeless Consumers With Chronic Mental Illness Have 32% Higher Health Costs Than Those Supportive Housing
Article June 28, 2021In Maricopa County, Arizona, individuals with chronic mental illness (CMI) who experienced chronic homelessness have a 32% higher average health care cost per-person per-year (PPPY) ($54,978), compared to those in… Read MoreHamilton Anxiety Rating Scale (HAM-A)
Downloadable Resource May 27, 2021Administration time: 10–15 minutes Main purpose: To assess the severity of symptoms of anxiety Population Adults, adolescents and children The HAM-A was one of the first rating scales developed to… Read MoreMental Wellness Across The Lifespan: Dr. Mojgan Makki On Accessing Care In Child & Adolescent Psychiatry
Interview May 24, 2021Listen in as Mojgan Makki, MD, DFAACAP provides thoughts on accessing care for families in need of child and adolescent psychiatry services. She speaks to the role that school systems,… Read MoreDoes More Anxiety & Depression = More Consumers & Revenue?
Article May 24, 2021The fact that the pandemic has increased the prevalence of mental health disorders and substance abuse has been widely reported. Between February and July 2020, nearly a quarter of consumers… Read MoreOklahoma Law Limits Use Of Antipsychotic Drugs In Assisted Living Communities
Article May 24, 2021On April 19, 2021, Oklahoma Governor Kevin Stitt signed legislation to limit the use of antipsychotic drugs for residents of assisted living communities. The legislation is designed to slow the… Read MoreThose With A Recent History Of Homelessness & Mental Illness Who Declined Housing First Individual Placement & Support Services Had Lower Odds Of Obtaining Employment
Article May 17, 2021Those with a recent history of homelessness and mental illness who declined Housing First individual placement and support services had lower odds of obtaining employment than those who accepted program… Read MorePerspectives On International Guidelines For Depression: Follow-Up Question & Answer Discussion With Dr. Sagar Parikh
Interview May 11, 2021In April, PsychU brought you our first global panel event focusing on perspectives surrounding international depression guidelines. As a follow-up to this dialogue, Dr. Sagar Parikh shares insights on the… Read MoreTransforming Care Delivery: Implementing Integrated Behavioral Health Care In The Real World
On-Demand Webinar April 21, 2021In October 2020, nine key thought leaders representing disparate sectors of the health care system—from advocacy, primary care, criminal justice, and academia— gathered online over two days in a “Bridging… Read MoreThe Current State Of Women’s Mental Health
Interview March 8, 2021During this discussion, our panelists engage in a dialog reflecting on the research which underscores how women may be disproportionately affected by the current state as compared to men. They… Read MoreAPA Releases New Evidence-based Practice Guideline for Patients with Schizophrenia
Article March 3, 2021Patients with schizophrenia should have documented, comprehensive, and person-centric treatment plans that include evidence-based nonpharmacologic and pharmacological treatments, according to a new practice guideline on the treatment of schizophrenia developed… Read MoreTransforming Mental Health Care in the United States-RAND 1/11/2021 Mental Health Systems Solutions Explorer
Downloadable Resource February 12, 2021Through a series of interviews of mental health experts across the US, including government officials, public administrators, health system executives, and academicians, the RAND research team published recommendations to transform… Read MoreMedicare Launching ‘Value In Opioid Use Disorder Treatment’ Demonstration In April 2021
Article January 25, 2021The Medicare Value in Opioid Use Disorder Treatment demonstration is slated to launch in April 2021. The Value in Treatment initiative will create two new payments for opioid use disorder… Read MoreWill Investing In Social Determinants Pay Off?
Article December 7, 2020We’ve heard the stats many times in the past decade—health care services account for only 20% of health outcomes, while health-related behaviors and socioeconomic factors—housing, food, environment, employment—can drive 80% of… Read MoreAddressing Racial Bias In Health Care: Practice & Organizational Perspectives
On-Demand Webinar November 17, 2020Racial bias is evident at both the health delivery system level and educational/organizational level. Addressing racial bias in health care is important in achieving health equity. In this panel discussion,… Read MoreFederal Court Reinstates Florida ‘Pay-To-Vote’ Rules For People With Past Felony Convictions
Article November 16, 2020People in Florida with a past felony conviction and who have returned to the community must pay outstanding fines, legal fees, and restitution before they can register to vote, according… Read MoreTechnology Update: Impacts On Treatment
On-Demand Webinar November 4, 2020Technology’s impact on mental health care service delivery is often lauded, but what’s the evidence thus far? Artificial intelligence, machine learning, neuro-linguistic programming therapy, and blockchain: What have they done… Read MoreAfter A Natural Disaster Or Tragedy: Influence Of Media On COVID-19 Experience
Interview October 12, 2020In her 2018 interview on mental health around 9/11, Dr. Kelly Stein-Marcus’ closing comments were on the effect of media and mental health. Today, PsychU returns to talk with Dr.… Read MoreIntegration Of Behavioral Health Care & Primary Health Care: The Past, The Present & The Future
On-Demand Webinar October 8, 2020The integration of behavioral health care into primary care is one approach to bridging the care continuum and increasing access to mental health treatment. In this webinar, speakers John Kern,… Read MoreVaccines & Vaccine Development (Part 3 Of 3-Part Viruses, Vaccines & Inflammation: Neurological Perspectives Series)
On-Demand Webinar October 6, 2020Adaptive immune responses and/or effective vaccines are required to safeguard mankind from many viruses that rely on a human host for survival and propagation as a species, without which we… Read MoreFuture of Health Care Beyond 2020 Series: Interview With Kathy Day, MPA, BA, AA
Interview September 28, 2020In this interview, Kathy Day, MPA, BA, AA, PsychU Patient and Caregiver Section Advisor, discusses the future of health care beyond the COVID-19 pandemic with Elizabeth DiNapoli, PhD, Medical Science… Read MoreAre You Where Your Consumers Are? Being Social On Social Media
Article September 28, 2020How about some social media Jeopardy? It was the first social media network site born in 1997 (hint: It wasn’t Facebook). What is SixDegrees.com? One million users set up profile… Read MoreFuture Of Health Care Beyond 2020 Series: Interview With C. Brendan Montano, MD
Interview September 25, 2020In this interview, C. Brendan Montano, MD, PsychU Primary Care Provider Section Advisor, discusses the future of health care beyond the COVID-19 pandemic with Roland Larkin, PhD, NP, Medical Science… Read MoreFuture of Health Care Beyond 2020 Series: Interview With Terence Ketter, MD
Interview September 25, 2020In this interview, Terence Ketter, MD, PsychU Bipolar Disorder Section Advisor, discusses the future of health care beyond the COVID-19 pandemic with Dri Wang, PharmD, BCPP, Medical Science Liaison, of… Read MoreFuture of Health Care Beyond 2020 Series: Interview With Sara Jones, PhD, APRN, PMHNP-BC, FAANP
Interview September 25, 2020In this interview, Sara Jones, PhD, APRN, PMHNP-BC, FAANP, PsychU Nurses Corner Section Advisor, discusses the future of health care beyond the COVID-19 pandemic with Kimberly Lonergan, RN, MSN, Senior… Read MoreFuture of Health Care Beyond 2020 Series: Interview With Jim Kenney, RPh, MBA
Interview September 25, 2020In this interview, Jim Kenney, RPh, PsychU’s Payer Section Advisor, discusses the future of health care beyond the COVID-19 pandemic with Jane Guo, PharmD, MBA, Managed Market Liaison for Otsuka… Read MoreFuture Of Health Care Beyond 2020 Series: Interview With Sloan Manning, M.D.
Interview September 22, 2020In this interview, Sloan Manning, M.D., PsychU Primary Care Provider Section Advisor, discusses the future of health care beyond the COVID-19 pandemic with Michelle Jacobs, PharmD, BCPS, BC-ADM, CDE, RPh,… Read MoreFuture Of Health Care Beyond 2020 Series: Interview With Dwayne Mayes
Interview September 22, 2020In this interview, Dwayne Mayes, PsychU Patient and Caregiver Section Co-Advisor, discusses the future of health care beyond the COVID-19 pandemic with Heather Davidson, PhD, Medical Science Liaison, of Otsuka… Read MorePANSS-6: A Tool For Measure-Based Care In Schizophrenia
Video September 21, 2020Medical science relies in great part on quantifying states of health. But effective tools have not always been available to psychiatrists and other mental health care providers. In this presentation,… Read MoreHHS Extends COVID-19 Public Health Emergency Declaration
Article September 14, 2020The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has extended the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) public health emergency declaration for an additional 90 days. Secretary Alex Azar endorsed the renewal… Read MoreTwo-Thirds Of Adults With High Deductible Health Plans Have A Health Savings Account; Most Do Not Contribute
Article September 14, 2020About 67% of adults ages 18 to 64 enrolled in a high deductible health plan (HDHP) have a health savings account, but 55% do not contribute. About one-third of HDHP… Read MoreDriving Better Outcomes With A ‘Whole Life’ Approach
Article September 14, 2020The U.S. has historically “separated” the health of an individual from their social circumstances. “Clinically appropriate” was added to the payment criteria to address level of care—the least restrictive level… Read MoreAmerican Foundation For Suicide Prevention Announces Diversity As Priority Focus Area For Research Funding
Article September 14, 2020The nation’s largest private funder of suicide prevention research, the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP) announced the research priority areas for the 2020-2022 grant funding cycles. The new research… Read MoreWhy Unemployment Matters To Health Care Organizations
Article September 14, 2020Since the start of the pandemic, 53 million Americans have filed for unemployment, close to 16% of the adult population. For many of these people, the loss of their job… Read MoreCDC Changes COVID-19 Guidance On Length Of Isolation For Those With COVID-19
Article September 14, 2020People who have been confirmed with mild to moderate COVID-19 can leave their isolation without receiving a negative test, according to recently revised guidance from the Centers for Disease Control… Read MoreNIH Launches Clinical Trials Network To Test COVID-19 Vaccines & Other Prevention Tools
Article September 14, 2020The National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), has established a new clinical trials network that aims to enroll thousands of… Read MoreNecessity Is The Mother Of Invention: Innovation In A Crisis
Article September 14, 2020“If we think what we are doing today will serve us tomorrow, then we will not be here tomorrow.” This comment, made at The OPEN MINDS 2020 Strategy & Innovation… Read MoreShatterproof Launches Addiction Treatment Platform ATLAS
Article September 11, 2020Shatterproof, a non-profit organization dedicated to reversing the addiction crisis in the United States, announced a free, first-of-its-kind tool to connect those in need with high-quality and appropriate addiction treatment. … Read MoreInflammation & Neurological Sequelae (Part 2 of 3-Part Viruses, Vaccines & Inflammation: Neurological Perspectives Series)
On-Demand Webinar September 8, 2020Viruses have represented a significant threat for many years and have received increased focus as we navigate the COVID-19 pandemic. In part 2 of the Viruses, Vaccines & Inflammation: Neurological… Read MoreWithin Kaiser Health System, 14% Of Appointments Took Place Via Phone Or Video Telemedicine Visits Between 2016 & 2018
Article September 7, 2020Following the 2016 rollout of self-scheduling of video and phone visits at Kaiser Permanente Northern California, 14% of appointments took place via phone or video telemedicine visits during 2016, 2017,… Read MoreSigma Mental Health Urgent Care Expands Telehealth Statewide In Texas
Article September 7, 2020As a result of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, Sigma Mental Health Urgent Care is expanding access to mental health care across the state of Texas through their proprietary,… Read MoreCenter On Addiction Rebrands As ‘Partnership To End Addiction’
Article September 7, 2020Center on Addiction has changed its name to Partnership to End Addiction. In tandem, it has launched a new brand identity and redesigned website at drugfree.org. The changes are part… Read MorePerformance Of Humana ‘Bold Goal’ Social Determinants Program Continues To Improve At Five-Year Mark
Article September 7, 2020On June 18, 2020, Humana announced that its “Bold Goal” initiative focused on social determinants of health continues to show improvement in population health five years after its introduction. The… Read MoreWhy Value-Based Purchasing For Medications Matters
Article September 7, 2020The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) made big news once again. On June 17, CMS issued a proposed rule to grant state Medicaid programs and other payers flexibility… Read MoreWithin Kaiser Health System, 14% Of Appointments Took Place Via Phone Or Video Telemedicine Visits Between 2016 & 2018
Article September 7, 2020Following the 2016 rollout of self-scheduling of video and phone visits at Kaiser Permanente Northern California, 14% of appointments took place via phone or video telemedicine visits during 2016, 2017,… Read MoreBlue Cross Of North Carolina Launches Program To Pay Primary Care Practices To Switch To Value-Based Model
Article September 7, 2020On June 24, 2020, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina (Blue Cross NC) launched Accelerate to Value, a comprehensive program to help independent primary care practices deal with… Read MoreThe Present & The Future May Be Virtual—But What Are The Rules?
Article September 7, 2020There is a lot of telehealth going on. Medicare has temporarily increased access through the Medicare 1135 waiver, which covers all office visits provided via telehealth in any setting throughout… Read MoreNorth Carolina Selects Provider Organizations For COVID-19 Testing & Contact Tracing
Article August 31, 2020On July 17, 2020, the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services (NCDHHS) announced it has selected 39 vendors, among them health and human service provider organizations, to conduct… Read MoreCOVID-19 Case Rate Among Prisoners Was 5.5 Times Higher Than U.S. Population Case Rate; Death Rate Was 1.3 Times Higher
Article August 31, 2020Cases of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) were 5.5 times higher among prisoners compared to the general population from March 31 to June 6, 2020. Overall, the prison case rate was… Read More17% Of ACOs Developing New Home Visit Programs
Article August 31, 2020About 17% of accountable care organizations (ACOs) are developing new home visit programs, according to topline results of a recent survey of 163 ACOs. About 26% of ACOs already have… Read MoreHorizon New Jersey Health Completes Expansion Of ‘Neighbors In Health’ Program To Address Social Determinants Of Health
Article August 31, 2020On June 2, 2020, Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey (Horizon BCBSNJ) announced it had expanded its Horizon Neighbors in Health (HNIH) demonstration project that addresses social determinants… Read MoreMeasurement-Based Care In Psychiatry
Video August 31, 2020In this presentation, Becky Wong, PharmD, MBA, provides an overview of measurement-based care, how measurement-based care may be used to improve quality in psychiatry, shares a fictional case example of… Read MorePsychiatric Resident Perspective Of The Impact Of The COVID-19 Pandemic From The U.S. Epicenter
Interview August 31, 2020In this podcast, Dr. Pallavi Joshi discusses COVID-19’s impact on her residency training and clinical practice with Jehan Marino, PharmD, BCPP, of the Otsuka Medical Affairs team. Social distancing has… Read MoreConnecticut Sued For Failure To Reduce COVID-19 Risk At Mental Health Facilities
Article August 31, 2020On April 20, 2020, a lawsuit was filed against the state of Connecticut alleging that the state failed to sufficiently protect residents of two state psychiatric hospitals from contracting and… Read MorePrimary Care Practices Could Lose Over $15 Billion In Revenue Due To COVID-19
Article August 31, 2020Over the 2020 operating year, primary care practices in the United States could lose a total of $15.1 billion in revenue due to coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). This equals a… Read MoreBehavioral Health HEDIS® Measures: An Annual Update From NCQA©
On-Demand Webinar August 25, 2020The National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA) collects information on the performance of health care service delivery from health plans covering more than 191 million people using its proprietary Healthcare… Read MoreMaximizing Revenue Amid The Crisis—Resources For Recovery
Article August 24, 2020“You can’t cut your way to prosperity.” One of the challenges for executive teams in managing to the end of a crisis—especially an extended crisis like this one—is addressing the… Read MoreValue-Based Reimbursement: Are You Walking In Your Customer’s Shoes?
Article August 24, 2020Despite the significant upset to the health and human service system caused by the pandemic crisis, the move to value-based reimbursement (VBR) seems to be moving along. On June 3,… Read MoreRobots As A Staffing ‘Force Multiplier’
Article August 24, 2020The increased use of virtual therapies during this pandemic crisis will likely make a permanent change in how consumers receive services in the future. But another form of technology, also… Read MoreMolina Healthcare To Acquire Certain Assets Of Passport Health Plan
Article August 24, 2020Passport Health Plan (Passport) announced that Molina Healthcare (Molina), Evolent Health, and Passport have entered into a definitive agreement for Molina to acquire certain assets of Passport Health Plan. Molina… Read MoreMeasurement-Based Care In Psychiatry
Interview August 24, 2020Research has shown that when adding measurement-based care tools to usual care, including psychiatric care, significant improvement in patient outcomes can result. In this podcast, Dwayne Mayes provides his peer… Read MoreSAMHSA Publishes Final Rule Amending Addiction Treatment Records Privacy
Article August 24, 2020The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) announced the adoption of the revised Confidentiality of Substance Use Disorder Patient Records regulation, 42 CFR Part 2. The adoption of… Read MoreU.S. Department Of Veterans Affairs & Department Of Defense Launch National Telehealth Projects For Critical Care
Article August 24, 2020Federal officials are partnering with several health systems and telehealth companies to develop a nationwide telecritical care network, including a separate telemedicine platform for the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA).… Read MoreEpidemics & Pandemics: An Ongoing Threat To Public Health
Video August 24, 2020This presentation features Dr. Mirza I. Rahman, Senior Vice President & Chief Global Pharmacovigilance Officer, Otsuka Pharmaceutical Company, discussing the history of epidemics and pandemics, vaccines and their roles in… Read MoreIntroducing PsychU Nurses Corner Section Advisor Sara Jones, PhD, APRN, PMHNP-BC, FAANP
Interview August 24, 2020Julleah Johnson, PhD, and Sara Jones, PhD, APRN, PMHNP-BC, FAANP, discuss the PsychU Nurses Corner and the role of nurses in the future of health care. As the PsychU Nurses… Read MoreCentene & Quartet Health Expand Partnership Nationwide To Help Ensure Members Have Access To Critical Behavioral Health Care During COVID-19 Pandemic & Beyond
Article August 24, 2020Centene Corporation and Quartet Health announced a nationwide expansion of their existing partnership to help members quickly and easily access the behavioral health care they need. The nationwide expansion will… Read MoreUber Launches Service To Help With COVID-19 Contact Tracing
Article August 24, 2020Ridesharing company Uber has rolled out a service to give public health officials quick access to user data to track coronavirus cases. The contact tracing service will be provided for… Read MoreManaging Your Service Portfolio Is Key To Crisis Recovery
Article August 24, 2020Most executives are big fans of metrics-based service line analysis and the portfolio management framework that it provides for executive teams. It is one of the best ways for provider… Read MoreRed Cross Offers Virtual Care For Families Struggling With Loss & Grief
Article August 17, 2020The American Red Cross is launching a Virtual Family Assistance Center to support families struggling with loss and grief due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. People can visit redcross.org/VFAC to… Read MoreTorchlight Offers ‘Caregiving In Times Of Crisis Toolkit’ For Businesses & Individuals Grappling With COVID-19
Article August 17, 2020Torchlight, an employee-caregiver support solutions provider organization, announced the release of the first installment of its “Caregiving in Times of Crisis Toolkit.” The Toolkit is designed for organizations, businesses, individuals,… Read MoreMeditation App Headspace Adds $48 Million In Funding
Article August 17, 2020Headspace Inc. has added another nearly $48 million to its offerings during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) public health crisis. The new financing was disclosed in a filing with the… Read MoreChestnut Health Systems Awarded $100,000 Grant To Benefit Persons Impacted By COVID-19
Article August 17, 2020The Illinois COVID-19 Response Fund (ICRF) has awarded Chestnut Health Systems $100,000 in its most recent round of funding. In all, ICRF awarded $6.95 million to 42 non-profit organizations around… Read MoreWalgreens To Open Up To 700 In-Store Primary Care Clinics In $1 Billion Deal With VillageMD
Article August 17, 2020On July 8, 2020, Walgreens Boots Alliance, Inc. (WBA) and VillageMD entered a $1 billion investment agreement that will result in opening 500 to 700 in-store full-service primary care clinics… Read MoreMindstrong Announces $100 Million Funding Round To Scale Its Virtual Mental Health Care & Digital Symptom Measurement Offering
Article August 17, 2020Mindstrong, a healthcare company dedicated to transforming mental health through innovations in virtual care models and digital measurement, today announced it has secured $100 million in Series C fundraising. Mindstrong’s… Read MoreCDPHP, Valera Health Expand Tele-Mental Health Services To Support Members In Need
Article August 17, 2020Capital District Physicians’ Health Plan, Inc. (CDPHP) announced the expansion of its provider organization network to include tele-mental health services provided by Valera Health. Members can receive care in their… Read MoreConsumers With Psychological Distress Reported Low Levels Of Personal Recovery After Receiving Mental Health Treatment
Article August 17, 2020Consumers with clinically significant psychological distress who used mental health services over the past 12 months reported achieving lower levels of personal recovery than a comparison group who did not… Read MoreToo Much Health Care?
Article August 17, 2020The volume of health care services is down. Since the start of the pandemic, in many states, non-emergency health care services other than virtual care have not been available to… Read MoreAddus HomeCare Announces Acquisition Of A Plus Health Care
Article August 17, 2020Addus HomeCare Corporation (Addus), comprehensive home care provider organization, announced the acquisition of A Plus Health Care, Inc. Based in Kalispell, Montana, A Plus Health Care provides home care services,… Read MoreNational Institutes Of Health Launches Rapid Innovation Initiative To Develop COVID-19 Home Or Point-Of-Care Tests By Fall 2020
Article August 17, 2020The National Institutes of Health (NIH) is facilitating a national rapid innovation initiative to speed delivery of accurate, easy-to-use, scalable home or point-of-care tests for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) before… Read MoreThe Leader’s Role In Managing The Stress Of The Essential Professional
Article August 17, 2020Health care has always been a stressful profession. Even before the pandemic, we knew that over half of physicians had at least one sign of burnout, including 59% of emergency… Read MoreCedar Gate Technologies Acquires Citra Health Solutions
Article August 17, 2020Cedar Gate Technologies (Cedar Gate), a leading value-based care performance management company, announced its acquisition of Citra Health Solutions (Citra), a capitation management software solutions provider organization. By acquiring Citra,… Read MorePaul G. Allen Family Foundation Announces Opening Of Housing & Homeless Services Facility In Seattle
Article August 17, 2020The Paul G. Allen Family Foundation announced the opening of a new housing and homeless services facility in Seattle, Washington. The Gardner House is a community center with 95 family-sized… Read MoreWolf Administration Announces Strategy To Ease Long-Term Care Facility Restrictions Through Gradual Three-Step Process To Protect Vulnerable Populations
Article August 17, 2020The Pennsylvania Department of Health and Department Human Services issued updated guidance to ensure a safe return to activities, visitation, and other events for residents in nursing homes, personal care… Read MorePA Clinical Network & Geisinger Health Plan Announce Value-Based Contract Agreement
Article August 17, 2020The PA Clinical Network and Geisinger Health Plan (GHP) announced a new, value-based contract to achieve better health outcomes and lower costs for GHP members. According to Jaan Sidorov, MD,… Read MoreHumana To Offer LabCorp At-Home COVID-19 Test Collection & Drive-Thru Testing
Article August 17, 2020Health and well-being company Humana Inc. announced a pilot home-testing program that will enable at-home COVID-19 test collection for members, making Humana the first insurer to offer LabCorp’s at-home test-collection… Read MoreKindred Healthcare Completes Acquisition Of Two Behavioral Health Hospitals In Texas
Article August 17, 2020Kindred Healthcare, LLC (Kindred) announced it has completed its acquisition of the WellBridge Greater Dallas and WellBridge Fort Worth behavioral health hospitals. WellBridge Greater Dallas and WellBridge Fort Worth provide… Read MoreJudge Rules Against Hospitals In Price Transparency Lawsuit
Article August 17, 2020On June 23, 2020, a federal district court judge upheld a federal rule that requires hospitals to publish their negotiated prices for services as part of a price transparency initiative.… Read MoreSummit BHC Acquires West Virginia’s Highland Hospital
Article August 17, 2020Summit BHC, an addiction treatment and behavioral health service provider organization, announced the acquisition of Highland Hospital, a 131-bed psychiatric facility in Charleston, West Virginia. This is Summit’s second acquisition… Read MoreHighmark, Kaiser & Humana Medicare Advantage Plans Rank Highest In Member Satisfaction
Article August 17, 2020Three Medicare Advantage insurers—Highmark, Kaiser, and Humana—received member satisfaction scores higher than the industry average, as ranked by J.D. Power. Across 10 Medicare Advantage plan sponsors, member satisfaction scores averaged… Read MoreNavigating Telepsychiatry In Mental Health Care: A Discussion With A Peer Specialist & A Caregiver
On-Demand Webinar August 13, 2020On average, in the United States there is one mental health provider for every 536 individuals, and providers are not evenly distributed throughout the country.1 Technological advances in mental health… Read MoreFact Sheet: Measurement Based Care (MBC) In Mental Health
Downloadable Resource August 10, 2020Hawaii Cancels New Medicaid Contracts Due To COVID-19, Will Rebid In Fall 2020
Article August 10, 2020On May 29, 2020, the Hawaii Department of Human Services (DHS) announced that it intended to rescind the Medicaid Med-QUEST managed care organization (MCO) contracts awarded in January 2020, and… Read MoreeHome Counseling Group Expands Innovative Virtual PTSD Treatment Program
Article August 10, 2020eHome Counseling Group announced the expansion of the virtual eHome post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) treatment program. The program combines mental health counselors with 24/7 technology to treat those impacted by… Read MorePriority Health & Cigna Form Strategic Alliance To Make Quality Health Care More Affordable & Accessible For Michigan Employers & Customers
Article August 10, 2020Priority Health and Cigna announced they have formed a strategic alliance and will partner to make comprehensive health care coverage more affordable and accessible to Michigan employers, their employees and… Read MoreUniversity Of Washington Medicine To Permanently Close Psychiatric Facility
Article August 10, 2020University of Washington Medicine (UW Medicine) announced the permanent closure of its psychiatric facility, with lay-offs of 23 staff members effective in mid-July. The announcement follows the temporary closing of… Read MoreOptum, Wider Circle & Helping Hands Community Partner To Deliver Food To Vulnerable People In Los Angeles County During COVID-19 Pandemic
Article August 10, 2020Optum, a leading health services company, and Wider Circle, a tech-enabled community-based health care services company that drives better health for older adults and other vulnerable communities, have partnered with… Read MoreThe Data-Driven Leader
Article August 10, 2020In an unfamiliar environment, the leader with the best data has a distinct advantage. That is a frequently heard adage, but I was really struck by the concept at one… Read MoreWalmart Announces Opening Of Walmart Health In Arkansas Adding To Its ‘Healthcare Supercenters’
Article August 10, 2020After the successful opening of three Walmart Health centers in Georgia, Walmart is opening the newest location in Northwest Arkansas at the Supercenter. With the new Walmart Health located at… Read MorePopulation Density & Genetic Risk For Schizophrenia
Article August 10, 2020A functional magnetic resonance imaging study in 2011 showed greater activation of the stress-processing pathways in study participants who hailed from urban vs. rural locales, leading study authors to propose… Read MoreCenterstone Introducing New Zero Suicide Initiative
Article August 10, 2020Centerstone, a national leader in behavioral health care, is introducing a zero-suicide initiative at its locations in Illinois. While Centerstone has long had a focus on crisis and suicide prevention… Read More$15 Billion HHS Relief Fund For Medicaid & CHIP Provider Organizations Is Open For Applications
Article August 10, 2020On June 9, 2020, the federal Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced a $15 billion Provider Relief Fund allocation for provider organizations that participate in state Medicaid and… Read MoreMatchmaker, Matchmaker, Why Do I Need To Find A Match?
Article August 10, 2020“No one wants to give a significant contribution to an organization that is circling the drain.” This comment was made by a board member of a community foundation in a… Read MoreLeadership Resources For Real-Time Crisis Recovery
Article August 10, 2020Martin Luther King Jr. once said, “Every crisis has both its dangers and its opportunities. Each can spell either salvation or doom.” This is exactly how it has been for… Read MoreAbleTo Launches Full Suite Of Mental Health Solutions To Address Growing Demand For Care
Article August 10, 2020AbleTo, Inc., a leading virtual mental health provider organization, announced an integrated suite of solutions for payers to address the growing mental health needs across their populations with AbleTo’s care… Read MoreSeven Steps To Go From Crisis Management To Crisis Recovery
Article August 10, 2020Martin Luther King Jr. once said, “Every crisis has both its dangers and its opportunities. Each can spell either salvation or doom.” This is exactly how it has been for… Read MoreThe Pandemic Provides A New Urgency For The Integrated Care Issue
Article August 10, 2020There is a lot we don’t know about coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). The death rates, the incidence in the population, and the effect of antibodies are still big questions. But… Read MoreLeadership Is Adaptability In The Face Of Uncertainty
Article August 10, 2020“The most important factor in survival is neither intelligence nor strength but adaptability”—Charles Darwin What can we say about leadership during this pandemic crisis? We have a health crisis that… Read MoreStarbucks Begins Mental Health Training
Article August 10, 2020In its latest move to address mental health in the workplace, Starbucks is making mental health training available for all U.S. assistant store managers, store managers, and above, in addition… Read MoreNew Service Lines, New Measures
Article August 10, 2020As executive teams look to diversify, there is one challenge that comes with every new service—identifying and managing new performance measures. The range of performance measures—and how to set up… Read MoreHHS Eliminates Protection From Health Care Discrimination Based On Gender Identity
Article August 10, 2020On June 12, 2020, the federal Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) finalized changes to a section of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) to eliminate protections… Read MoreLos Angeles To Provide 6,700 New Shelter Beds To Clear Homeless Camps Near Freeways
Article August 10, 2020On June 18, 2020, Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti said the city will provide 6,700 new shelter beds to clear homeless camps near freeways. The city will create 6,000 new… Read MoreA Digital Leader Living In A Digital World
Article August 10, 2020The Madonna hit from the ‘80s, “I am a material girl living in a material world” crept into my subconscious when I was thinking about how we are each called… Read MoreNew Aegis Treatment Center Opens In California
Article August 10, 2020Aegis Treatment Centers, a California-based outpatient treatment provider organization owned by Pinnacle Treatment Centers, has opened an opioid treatment program in Ceres, California. The facility is the 36th Aegis location… Read MorePromedica Makes Bid To Take Over Operations Of UTMC
Article August 10, 2020Toledo, Ohio-based ProMedica has made a bid to assume the day-to-day operations of University of Toledo Medical Center (UTMC). Under the proposal, the University of Toledo would maintain ownership of… Read MoreCMS Extends Deadline For Direct Contracting Letters Of Intent
Article August 10, 2020The Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation (CMMI) will accept Letters of Intent from hospices and other provider organizations that seek to participate in the professional or global Primary Care… Read MoreCOVID-19 Pandemic In U.S. Could Cost Health Plans Up To $547 Billion Over The Next Two Years
Article August 10, 2020The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic could cost private health plans from $30.0 billion up to $547 billion over the next two years, according to an estimate by America’s Health… Read MoreAmerican Addiction Centers Files For Bankruptcy
Article August 10, 2020AAC Holdings Inc., the publicly traded parent of American Addiction Centers (AAC), filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. The Brentwood, Tennessee-based company listed debt of $517.4 million and assets of… Read MoreFor Crisis Recovery, The Best Defense Is A Good Offense
Article August 10, 2020While the adage “The best defense is a good offense” is typically associated with military combat and sports (and is often attributed to Michael Jordan), it was first said by… Read MoreSt. Luke’s University Health Network To Acquire Easton Hospital
Article August 3, 2020St. Luke’s University Health Network (SLUHN) will acquire Easton Hospital on July 1, 2020, including affiliated physician practices and two physician residency programs with 36 physician residents. This acquisition will… Read MoreFollow-Up Mental Health Visits Lower Among Those With Substance Addiction
Article August 3, 2020Follow-up mental health visits, within 14 days after emergency department contact, are lower among those with substance addiction than those with other mental health diagnoses. Approximately 40.2% of 57,797 individuals who… Read MoreUplift Family Services Awarded $4 Million Grant From SAMHSA
Article August 3, 2020Uplift Family Services announced the receipt of a two-year $4,000,000 grant from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), a federal agency with a mission to reduce the… Read MoreLandmark Health Launches HIPAA-Compliant Telemedicine App
Article August 3, 2020Landmark Health and its affiliated medical groups in 46 U.S. communities announced the launch of its proprietary telemedicine app. The Landmark Health app was developed to securely connect individuals with… Read MoreLos Angeles County Homelessness Up Nearly 13%, Despite Sustained Increase In Number Of People Rehoused
Article August 3, 2020Homelessness in Los Angeles County, California increased approximately 12.7%, from 58,936 in January 2019 to 66,433 in January 2020. This increase happened despite a sustained increase in the number of… Read MoreUnite Us Acquires Staple Health
Article August 3, 2020United Us announced that Staple Health will join its growing data analytics team through the recent acquisition of the company. Founded in 2017, Staple Health combines in-house predictive analytics and… Read MoreSpero Health Opens Ohio Clinic Offering Addiction Treatment With Telehealth Services
Article August 3, 2020Spero Health has announced plans to open a new addiction treatment clinic in Warren, Ohio as part of the organization’s quick response to the growing need for expanded services as… Read MoreWellCare To Invest In Critical Mental Health Resources In New Jersey
Article August 3, 2020WellCare of New Jersey, a subsidiary of Centene Corporation, announced a plan to provide additional mental health resources to New Jersey residents impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. Through a series… Read MoreKindred Healthcare & Landmark Medical Center Announce Definitive Agreement Forming Joint Venture To Acquire Rehabilitation Hospital Of Rhode Island
Article August 3, 2020Kindred Healthcare, LLC (Kindred) and Landmark Medical Center, a subsidiary of Prime Healthcare, announced a definitive agreement to create a partnership that will own and operate the Rehabilitation Hospital of… Read MoreMassachusetts Emergency Department & Outpatient Data During COVID-19 Crisis Indicate Fewer Assessments Of Psychiatric Symptoms
Article August 3, 2020During the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic emergency, Massachusetts emergency departments and outpatient settings conducted fewer psychiatric assessments per week in late March compared to January and February. The share… Read MoreUnderstanding Second Victim Syndrome In Healthcare Providers
Interview August 3, 2020It is not uncommon for a health care provider to experience extreme distress after medical error or after an adverse event occurs to a patient. Dr. Albert Wu has coined… Read MoreAddcounsel Launches Orchestrate Health, At-Home Mental Health Care Service In UK
Article August 3, 2020Addcounsel Chief Executive Officer Paul Flynn announced a new service, Orchestrate Health, to treat clients with complex mental health needs from the comfort of their home. Mr. Flynn designed the… Read MoreMedication Adherence During The COVID-19 Pandemic
Podcast August 3, 2020Medication adherence has proven challenging for many individuals during the coronavirus pandemic. For all the convenience offered by virtual visits, they make it more difficult to administer injections or assess… Read MoreUS Pharmacists Can Now Test For Coronavirus – They Could Do More If Government Allowed It
Article July 27, 2020The following is a summary of Chen, Steven W; US Pharmacists Can Now Test for Coronavirus – They Could Do More If Government Allowed It, The Conversation (April 13, 2020),… Read MoreBack To The Office? The Testing Dilemma
Article July 27, 2020There are a few interesting observations about ‘reopening’ of health care service operations after the pandemic crisis closures, based on discussions during last week’s virtual 2020 OPEN MINDS Strategy & Innovation Institute.… Read MoreCollect The Data, Connect The Dots To Value
Article July 27, 2020One key tool for executive teams planning for recovery after this crisis period is having the metrics to make the right decisions – think of this data in three domains.… Read More24 Provider Organizations Receive Over $100 Million In CARES Act Provider Relief; New York & Presbyterian Hospital Tops The List
Article July 27, 2020As of June 9, 2020, 24 health care provider organizations each received over $100 million in relief funding from the federal Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Provider Relief… Read MoreLeveraging Virtual Capacity & Moving To Use Cases Beyond Therapy
Article July 27, 2020Crises of any kind are known to increase mental health and addictive disorders. This pandemic crisis is no exception. The initial estimates are sobering. An early April poll by the… Read MoreLeadership—The Key For Moving From Crisis To Recovery
Article July 27, 2020Plans of any type—including plans for crisis management and financial recovery—are only as good as their implementation. For most organizations, success of new plans depends on the leadership team that… Read MoreTips For Protecting Community Pharmacists & Pharmacy Staff From COVID-19
Downloadable Resource July 22, 2020Pharmacists, pharmacy technicians, student pharmacists, and other pharmacy staff are frontline responders to the COVID-19 pandemic. Staying protected and healthy while caring for patients is a top priority. Consider the… Read MoreProtecting Yourself, Your Patients & Your Family
Downloadable Resource July 22, 2020As an essential healthcare provider, taking appropriate steps to protect yourself, your staff, your patients, and your family is a top priority. We all do our part to provide care… Read MoreManaging Suspected Cases of COVID-19 In Ambulatory Care & Community Pharmacy Settings
Downloadable Resource July 22, 2020Pharmacists and pharmacy staff working in ambulatory care/community pharmacy settings may encounter patients who are displaying symptoms of the novel coronavirus disease, COVID-19. All pharmacies should have an action plan—and… Read MoreCOVID-19 Basics: What Pharmacy Personnel Need to Know During the COVID-19 Crisis
Downloadable Resource July 22, 2020As an essential healthcare provider, being informed on the most current information about the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic is critically important. There are steps you can take to make sure… Read MoreFor Better Or Worse? Bridging The Care Continuum For Mental Health Services In Our New Reality
On-Demand Webinar July 22, 2020Navigating the health care system, particularly mental health services, is a daunting task during “normal” times. Facing the fluidity and uncertainty of a global pandemic presents many new unique challenges… Read MorePopulation Health: Clinical & Administrative Implications
On-Demand Webinar July 21, 2020Optimizing both population health and individual patient care will require major changes in how health care is delivered, starting with a systemic focus. In this webinar, three expert panelists from… Read MoreNew Roles For A Pharmacist Near You
Article July 20, 2020We are 13 weeks into the pandemic crisis. For executives of health and human service organizations, the question is how to make the “crisis normal” work and pivot to a… Read More81% Of U.S. Physicians Report Drop In Visit Volume During COVID-19 Pandemic In April 2020
Article July 20, 2020About 81% of physicians in the United States reported a drop in consumer visit volume during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak, according to a survey conducted from April 3… Read MoreReopening Is Not Recovery
Article July 20, 2020There is some confusion about where we are—economically—in the midst of the crisis caused by the coronavirus pandemic. We are in a recession and likely on the front edge of… Read MoreNCQA Adjusts HEDIS Quality Measures Due To COVID-19 Pandemic-Driven Telehealth Surge
Article July 20, 2020On June 5, 2020, the National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA) announced adjustments to 40 Healthcare Effectiveness Data and Information Set (HEDIS) measures to support the use of telehealth during… Read MoreGetting To Whole Person Addiction Treatment
Article July 20, 2020Our coverage of primary care physicians’ views of addiction treatment and medication assisted treatment (MAT) brought quite a few comments. A recent study found that even though two thirds of… Read MoreCMS Proposes Regulatory Changes To Promote Medicaid Value-Based Drug Purchasing
Article July 20, 2020On June 19, 2020, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) issued a proposed rule to grant state Medicaid programs and other payers flexibility to enter value-based purchasing (VBP)… Read MoreEmergency Department Visits Down 42% During Early COVID-19 Pandemic
Article July 20, 2020Weekly emergency department visit volume was 42% lower in April 2020 than in April 2019; the decline was attributed to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic in the United States.… Read MoreAlmost Half Of ACOs Led By Physicians In 2018
Article July 20, 2020Physician-led accountable care organizations (ACOs) represented approximately 45% of all ACOs (about 549 of 1,221 total ACOs included in the study), as of December 2018. During this year, hospital-led ACOs… Read More20% Of Health Care Personnel Have Tested Positive For COVID-19
Article July 20, 2020As of June 6, 2020, about 20% of 383,159 health care personnel tested positive for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). In total, there have been 77,528 confirmed cases of COVID-19 among… Read MorePaddling Four Canoes To Steer Through The Crisis
Article July 16, 2020So much discussion of canoes these days. Until 12 weeks ago, executives of specialty provider organizations had to balance “two canoes”—operating in a fee-for-service (FFS) or cost-based environment, with operating… Read MoreMaking Your Clinical Programs VBR-Ready
Article July 16, 2020The adoption of value-based reimbursement (VBR) has been inconsistent over the past few years. But the consensus is that the recession that is upon us and the likely reduced federal/state… Read MoreInnovations In New Payment Models: A Look At State Examples Of Value-Based Payments
On-Demand Webinar July 14, 2020The health care economy continues to shift from the fee-for-service model that has been in existence for decades to value-based payment. While many forms of value-based models are being trialed… Read MoreInteracting With First Responders Webinar: Follow-Up Q&A Podcast
Interview July 8, 2020Elizabeth DiNapoli sits down with Kathy Day to respond to unanswered questions from PsychU’s Interacting with First Responders webinar. Their conversation covers discussions among patients, family members, and law enforcement… Read MoreTake A Stand On Racial Injustice: Perspectives From Mental Health Experts In Advocacy & Psychiatric Health Care
On-Demand Webinar July 7, 2020This timely and deeply affecting webinar features distinguished mental health thought leaders sharing the impact of racism and its trauma on their professional and personal lives. William Lawson, MD, PhD,… Read MorePrior To COVID-19, Primary Care Physician Salaries Increased 2.5% From 2019; Specialist Salaries Increased 1.5%
Article July 6, 2020Prior to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, the average primary care physician compensation rose by 2.5%, from $237,000 in 2019 to $243,000 in 2020. Between October 4, 2019 and… Read MoreTexas To Test All Residents & Staff In State-Run Homes For People With Disabilities & Psychiatric Hospitals
Article July 6, 2020On May 21, 2020, Texas Governor Greg Abbott directed the Texas Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC) to expand testing for coronavirus disease of 2019 (COVID-19) to the approximately 4,700… Read MoreKentucky Awards Medicaid MCO Contracts To Aetna, Humana, Molina Healthcare, UnitedHealthcare & WellCare
Article July 6, 2020On May 29, 2020, the Kentucky Cabinet for Health and Family Services (CHFS) awarded five Medicaid managed care contracts with an aggregate value of about $8 billion. The five companies… Read MoreMedicare Will Require Hospitals To Adopt The Hybrid Hospital-Wide 30-Day Readmission Measure By 2023
Article July 6, 2020The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) will require hospitals to adopt the Medicare Hybrid Hospital-Wide 30-Day Readmission (HWR) measure by 2023, and will begin a mandatory measurement period… Read MoreAfrican Americans Overrepresented In March 2020 COVID Hospitalizations In Atlanta
Article June 29, 2020During March 2020, among 305 people in Atlanta, Georgia who were hospitalized with laboratory-confirmed coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), about 83% were African American, a higher than expected share based on… Read MoreText-Based Internet CBT For Health Anxiety As Effective As Face-To-Face CBT
Article June 29, 2020Symptom reduction for people with health anxiety who were treated with internet-delivered, text-based cognitive behavior therapy (CBT) was similar to outcomes for people who received face-to-face CBT. Health anxiety, sometimes… Read More240,000 Physician Practice Staff Laid Off In April 2020 Due To Pandemic; 1% Of Total Layoffs
Article June 29, 2020Between March 13 and April 30, 2020, 1.4 million health care workers had been laid off due to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, and about 17% (243,000 workers) had… Read MoreFacebook To Pay $52 Million To Settle Psychological Trauma Complaint By Content Moderators Who Developed PTSD
Article June 29, 2020Facebook, Inc. will pay $52 million to settle a class action lawsuit filed by more than 10,000 current and former social media content moderators who allege that their task of… Read More14% Of Physicians Used Telemedicine Video Visits Weekly Pre-COVID-19
Article June 29, 2020About 14% of internal medicine physician members of the American College of Physicians (ACP) used telemedicine technologies every week to conduct video visits with consumers, according to a survey in… Read MoreAbout 90% Of Physicians Worldwide Are Treating Consumers Remotely
Article June 29, 2020About 90% of physicians in nine countries, including the United States, said that they or a colleague are participating in video or telephone visits with consumers. About 47% of physicians… Read MorePrivacy & Security Considerations During The Pandemic
Video June 29, 2020In this presentation, Dr. Mona Sobhani, PhD, Director of Research and Operations USC Center for Body Computing, Los Angeles, California, addresses privacy and security considerations during the Covid-19 pandemic. Dr.… Read MoreFDA Publishes First Validation Results Of 12 COVID-19 Antibody Tests
Article June 29, 2020The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has posted initial validation results of 12 antibody tests for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), or SARS-CoV-2. During March and April 2020, the FDA… Read MoreNew York Orders Long-Term Care Facilities To Communicate Consumer COVID-19 Test Results & Deaths To Families
Article June 29, 2020All New York long-term care facilities must communicate coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) test results and deaths to residents’ families, according to an executive order issued by New York Governor Andrew… Read MoreRole Of Pharmacogenetics Testing In Psychiatry
On-Demand Webinar June 23, 2020Joseph Goldberg, MD, and Lisa Goldstone, PharmD, MS, discuss the benefits and limitations of pharmacogenetics testing on current psychiatric practice based on recent evidence from clinical trials as well as… Read MorePsychological First Aid By Nurses, For Nurses: A Conversation With Alan “Tony” Amberg
Video June 22, 2020Nurses are incredibly resilient, but the COVID-19 pandemic has imposed significant challenges to those in the profession. Alan “Tony” Amberg, MS, MSN, APRN, PMHNP-BC, PsychU’s Nurses Corner Section Advisor, proposes… Read MoreOutpatient Prescription Opioid Expenses For Adults Totaled $7.7 Billion In 2017
Article June 22, 2020During 2017, the total costs for outpatient prescription opioid expenses for adults were $7.7 billion for 110.4 million prescription fills. Of the $7.7 billion for prescription opioid expenses, Medicare paid… Read More51% Of North Carolina Adults At Higher Risk For Severe COVID-19 Illness Due To Age Or Underlying Health Condition
Article June 22, 2020About 51% of adults in North Carolina are at higher risk for severe illness from coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) because they are age 65 or older and/or have an underlying… Read MoreGoogle, Facebook & Twitter Partner To Expand Access To Online Addictions Treatment & Recovery Resources During COVID-19
Article June 22, 2020On April 10, 2020, a new online addiction treatment platform, Tech Together, was launched. The platform is a partnership between Google, Facebook, and Twitter, along with the Center for Safe… Read MoreVirginia DOC To Release More Inmates As COVID-19 Cases Rise In State Prisons
Article June 22, 2020On May 12, 2020, the Virginia Attorney General’s office, the American Civil Liberties Union, and a Charlottesville attorney reached a pre-hearing stipulated settlement agreement with the Virginia Department of Corrections… Read MoreNon-Fatal Overdose Emergency Visits Up 4.3% For All Drugs & 3.1% For All Opioids Between 2016 & 2017
Article June 22, 2020New York behavioral health provider organizations are delivering 82% of programs via telehealth during the COVID-19 public health emergency, according to a member survey conducted by the Coalition for Behavioral… Read MoreThe Global Impact Of The Novel Coronavirus Pandemic On Mental Health & Suicide
On-Demand Webinar June 18, 2020In this webinar, psychiatrist Roger S. McIntyre discusses with Senior Medical Science Liaison Kimberly Lonergan the psychological impact of COVID-19 on those with and without psychiatric illnesses. Dr. McIntyre speaks… Read MoreAbout 87% Of Medicare Inpatient Psychiatric Facility Claims With Outlier Payments Failed To Meet Medicare Requirements
Article June 15, 2020About 87% of Medicare inpatient psychiatric facility (IPF) claims with outlier payments during 2014 and 2015 failed to meet the medical necessity or documentation requirements set by Medicare. During fiscal… Read MoreOne-Third Of Primary Care Physicians Doubt Effectiveness & Long-Term Safety Of MAT For Opioid Treatment
Article June 15, 2020One-third of primary care physicians (PCPs) doubt that medication assisted treatment (MAT) for opioid use disorder (OUD) is more effective than non-medication-based treatment; they also doubt that MAT is safe… Read MoreFew MLTSS Program Contracts Assess Or Reassess The Well-Being Of Their Members’ Family Caregivers
Article June 15, 2020According to a recent analysis, few managed long-term services and supports (MLTSS) program contracts assess or reassess the well-being of their members’ family caregivers. Of the 31 programs evaluated, seven… Read More43% Of Addiction Treatment Provider Organizations In North Carolina Report Only 30 Days Cash On Hand With Lost Revenue & Higher Expenses Due To COVID-19
Article June 15, 2020As of mid-April 2020, about 43% of community-based addiction treatment provider organizations in North Carolina lacked sufficient cash on hand to remain in business for the next 30 days due… Read MoreFDA Guidelines Temporarily Expand Access To Low-Risk mHealth & Telemental Health Devices
Article June 15, 2020On April 14, 2020, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued guidance that temporarily expands availability of digital health devices intended to aid treatment for metal heath disorders. The… Read More19% Of Inmates Found Positive With COVID-19 Testing At Montgomery County, Pennsylvania Jail
Article June 15, 2020On April 29, 2020, officials at the Montgomery County, Pennsylvania Correctional Facility (MCCF) reported that 18.7% of the facility inmates (177 of the total 948 tested) tested positive for coronavirus… Read MoreWhite House Announces Plan To Expand COVID-19 Testing To 2 Million Tests Per Week
Article June 15, 2020On April 27, 2020, the White House announced a plan to expand testing for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) that would increase aid to states with the goal of expanding nationwide… Read MoreHumana & National Quality Forum Say New Value-Based Payment Models Should Include Social Risks
Article June 15, 2020As payers move toward population-based payment models, the National Qualify Forum (NQF) and Humana believe that the models should evaluate both social risk and clinical risk to acknowledge the interdependence… Read MoreLos Angeles County COVID-19 Antibody Testing Finds Prevalence Rate At Least 28 Times Higher Than Confirmed Cases
Article June 15, 2020About 4.1% of the population in Los Angeles County, California, had already had coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) as of April 20, 2020, based on the preliminary results of a study… Read MoreCMS Continues Efforts To Expand Access To Telehealth Services
Article June 8, 2020On April 30, 2020, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) issued regulatory changes to further expand beneficiary access to telehealth services in their homes for the duration of… Read MoreHospital Executives Report Key Pandemic Crisis Challenges In Testing & Post-Acute Care Discharge
Article June 8, 2020At the end of March 2020, administrators from 323 hospitals and health systems responding to a federal survey about their challenges addressing the coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic said limited testing… Read MoreU.S. Hospital Margins Down 11 Percentage Points From February To March 2020
Article June 8, 2020Between February and March 2020, median hospital operating margins fell from 4% to -8%, about 11 percentage points, in one month. Median operating margins in March were more than 170%… Read More9% Of Long-Term Care Residents Receive Less Medication Than Needed Due To Inadequate Prescription Coverage
Article June 8, 2020About 8.9% of Medicare beneficiaries residing in long-term care facilities during 2011 to 2013 paid for all medications out-of-pocket (OOP). Long-term care Medicare enrollees without drug coverage or with private… Read MoreAbout 10% Of Medicaid Beneficiaries With Behavioral Health Disorders Made Telehealth Visits In 2017
Article June 8, 2020About 10% of adult Medicaid beneficiaries ages 18 to 64 with mental health and/or addiction disorders made telehealth visits for behavioral health services in 2017. Telehealth visits were more prevalent… Read More35% Of Primary Care Professionals Believe A Majority Of Independent Practices Could Close By End Of COVID-19 First Wave
Article June 8, 2020About 35% of primary care professionals believe that a majority of independent primary care practices will have closed by the time the first wave of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19)… Read MoreCMS Approves Washington State 1115 Medicaid COVID-19 Emergency Waiver, Will Allow Higher HCBS Rates To Maintain Capacity
Article June 8, 2020On April 21, 2020, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) approved a Washington State Medicaid 1115 waiver that will allow the state to pay higher rates to home-… Read MoreBehavioral Health Provider Organizations Can Accept Donations Of Devices & Data Plans To Facilitate Telehealth During The COVID-19 Outbreak
Article June 8, 2020During the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) national public health emergency, behavioral health provider organizations can accept donations of mobile devices and data plans to facilitate telehealth treatment, according to the… Read MoreIntegrating Behavioral Care At A Nurse-Led Clinic: An Interview With Kent Alford
Interview June 8, 2020In this webcast, Kent Alford discusses an initiative in which a nurse-led primary care clinic located in an underserved urban locale in the Midwest folded in behavioral health care. The… Read MoreNew Jersey Creates Regional Health Hubs To Replace Medicaid Accountable Care Organizations
Article June 8, 2020The New Jersey Medicaid program, NJFamilyCare, is creating Regional Health Hubs (RHHs) to replace its Accountable Care Organization (ACO) Demonstration Project. The four existing ACOs—the Healthy Greater Newark ACO; the… Read MoreA Call For Change: The Nurse Leader’s Role In Interprofessional Teams
Article June 8, 2020For centuries, the nursing profession’s overarching mission has been to make patients feel safe, heard, comfortable, and holistically cared for. But in the modern health care system, many nurses aren’t… Read MoreSkilled Nursing Facilities Treating COVID-19 Have Experienced 1,064% Increase In Costs For Required Personal Protective Equipment
Article June 1, 2020As of April 6, 2020, skilled nursing facilities (SNFs) and assisted living centers caring for people with COVID-19 have experienced an estimated 1,064% increase in costs for required personal protective… Read MoreIowa Inadequately Monitored Its Medicaid Health Home Provider Organizations
Article June 1, 2020Between January 2013 and December 2016, the Iowa Medicaid program may have failed to adequately document about half of claims paid to health home provider organizations. Iowa’s health home provider… Read MoreDigital Endpoints & Medication Optimization
Video June 1, 2020In this presentation Dr. Timothy Aungst, Associate Professor of Pharmacy at the Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, discusses the importance of medication optimization and digital technology. Dr. Aungst… Read MoreThe Nurse’s Role In Integrating & Improving Behavioral Care
Article June 1, 2020Nurses are the cornerstone of health care delivery and as such are poised to take a lead role in forwarding the integration of behavioral care into primary care. This is… Read MorePresident Signs Bill To Allocate More Funding To CARES Act Loan & Relief Programs
Article June 1, 2020On April 24, 2020, President Trump signed the $484 billion Paycheck Protection Program and Health Care Enhancement Act, (House Resolution 266) to allocate additional funding for programs created by the… Read More75% Of Correctional Facilities Report Staff Have Adequate Personal Protective Equipment For COVID-19
Article June 1, 2020As of April 23, 2020, about 75% of correctional facilities in the United States report that their staff had adequate personal protective equipment (PPE) for COVID-19, up from 60% on… Read MoreSocial Determinants Of Health & Peer Support: Playing A Role In Mental Health Treatment & Recovery During The COVID-19 Pandemic
On-Demand Webinar May 28, 2020Living and working during pandemic is stressful—the uncertainty, the anxiety, the isolation. All take a toll on physical and mental health. But also exerting an effect are the social determinants… Read MoreFeds Will Not Enforce Use Of HIPAA-Compliant Telehealth Platforms During The Pandemic Crisis
Article May 26, 2020On March 17, 2020, the federal Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Office of Civil Rights (OCR) announced that during the COVID-19 public health emergency, penalties would not be… Read MoreHHS Finalizes Strategies To Reduce Regulatory & Administrative Burden Of Using EHRs
Article May 25, 2020On February 21, 2020, the federal Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Office of the National Coordinator for Information Health Technology (ONC) issued its final strategies to reduce the… Read MoreManaging Mental Health During & In The Aftermath Of A Pandemic
On-Demand Webinar May 21, 2020The COVID-19 pandemic has exerted significant effects on mental health. The prescription of anti-anxiety and antidepressant medications has increased, as have calls to the National Suicide Prevention hotline. In this… Read MoreFDA Guidance Update: Digital Health Devices For Treating Psychiatric Disorders During COVID-19 Public Health Emergency
Video May 18, 2020The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has played a critical role in protecting the United States during the COVID-19 pandemic and has provided numerous guidance documents to support rapid response… Read MoreNational Quality Forum Endorses Four Behavioral Health Measures
Article May 18, 2020National Quality Forum recently endorsed four behavioral health quality measures. The measures address maximum hours of physical restraint use or seclusion, and separately address timeliness of follow-up after an emergency… Read MoreThe Role Of Nurses In Reducing Stigma Associated With Mental Health Conditions
On-Demand Webinar May 12, 2020Nurses are uniquely qualified to educate and inform others, provide support, and take specific action to reduce stigmatizing practices and attitudes. In this webinar, Alan “Tony” Amberg, MS, MSN, APRN,… Read MoreFighting Loneliness In Social Distancing: A Conversation With Dr. Gaurava Agarwal
Interview May 4, 2020Dr. Gaurava Agarwal discusses the effect of social distancing, including loneliness, which he breaks down into three categories. He also shares his thoughts on creating a No-Corona Zone so as… Read MoreMental Health & COVID-19: Managed Care Perspective
Interview May 4, 2020Jim Kenney discusses how managed care organizations are impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, in both positive and challenging ways. How are payers’ allowances and restrictions changing? What are the pros… Read MoreUse Of Telemedicine & Technology In The Treatment Of Mental Health During The COVID-19 Crisis
On-Demand Webinar April 29, 2020The COVID-19 crisis has increased the use of telemedicine to adapt to new social distancing guidelines. Transitioning to digital health care may be stifled by state telemedicine regulations, HIPAA, and… Read MoreBalancing Act: Preventing Burnout For Health Care Professionals During The Coronavirus Pandemic & Times Of Crisis
Interview April 27, 2020In this interview, Dr. Gaurava Agarwal discusses the balancing act we all face to perform at our highest level, both personally and professionally, while avoiding the obstacle of burnout. He… Read MoreSouth Carolina Updating Qualified Provider Organization List For Community Beds For People At High Risk For Hospitalization
Article April 27, 2020The South Carolina Department of Mental Health (SCDMH) is updating its qualified provider organization list of community residential care facilities (CRCFs) available for people with mental illness who are at… Read MoreVA Proposes Expanding The Program Of Comprehensive Assistance For Family Caregivers
Article April 27, 2020The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) recently proposed standardizing eligibility criteria for its Program of Comprehensive Assistance for Family Caregivers (PCAFC). Specifically, the VA seeks to expand the definition of… Read MoreLaw Enforcement Using Electronic Health Data To Aid In Physician Investigations
Article April 27, 2020Law enforcement requested consumer electronic health data from a software vendor in 2019 to aid investigations against physicians who had allegedly inappropriately prescribed controlled substances for alleged “pill mills.” Search… Read MoreStates Use Multiple Legal Authorities To Use Medicaid To Pay For Behavioral Health Treatment In IMDs
Article April 27, 2020The Medicaid and CHIP Payment and Access Commission (MACPAC) found that most state Medicaid programs use one or more legal authorities to use Medicaid funds to pay for residential or… Read MoreCMS Denies New York’s Request For $8 Billion In Medicaid Waiver Funds To Continue The DSRIP
Article April 27, 2020On March 31, 2020, federal approval expired for the New York Medicaid Delivery System Reform Incentive Payment Program (DSRIP). The New York Department of Health (DOH) had asked the Centers… Read MoreCDC Issues Interim Workplace Safety Practices For Critical Infrastructure Workers Exposed To COVID-19
Article April 27, 2020On April 8, 2020, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued interim workplace safety practices for critical infrastructure workers with potential exposure to a person with suspected or… Read MoreCalifornia Launches Project Roomkey Initiative To Secure Hotel & Motel Rooms To Protect Homeless Individuals From COVID-19
Article April 27, 2020On April 3, 2020, California launched Project Roomkey, an initiative to use hotel and motel rooms to isolate homeless individuals deemed extremely vulnerable to COVID-19 in an effort to limit… Read MoreFederal 2021 Budget Proposal Includes Provisions To Expand Behavioral Health Services
Article April 27, 2020The President’s 2021 budget proposal for the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) includes five provisions intended to expand behavioral health services. However, overall, the HHS budget request of… Read MoreNurses’ Role In Behavioral Health During The Crisis Of COVID-19
Interview April 23, 2020Anxiety, fear, and trauma can be rampant during times of natural disaster. Kimberly Lonergan, RN, MSN, interviews Tony Amberg to hear his perspectives on nurses’ role during a pandemic, including… Read MoreDOJ Finds Maine Violates ADA By Limiting Access To HCBS
Article April 20, 2020The federal Department of Justice (DOJ) concluded Maine’s system of services for people with intellectual/developmental disability (I/DD) violates the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) because it limits access to home-… Read MorePrimary Care Physician Practices Needed A Median Of 8.2 Months To Report Electronic Clinical Quality Measures
Article April 20, 2020Primary care physician (PCP) practices reporting on electronic clinical quality measures (eCQM) for an evidence-based cardiovascular care approach took a median of 8.2 months to submit data. The practices participated… Read MoreReentry Interventions Are More Successful When They Address Dynamic Risk Factors
Article April 20, 2020Community reentry following incarceration is more likely to be successful if the reentry interventions address dynamic factors that affect the overall success of reentries, according to a study by The… Read MoreNew ADHD Clinical Guidelines Recommend Psychosocial Supports As Essential Treatment, In Addition To Medication
Article April 20, 2020New clinical guidelines for treating attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) recommend psychosocial supports, in addition to medication, as essential treatment for children and adolescents with ADHD. Treatment for children with complex… Read MoreSuicide Accounted For 31% Of Jail Deaths & 6% Of Prison Deaths In 2016
Article April 20, 2020In 2016, suicide accounted for 30.7% of all deaths in local jails (333 of 1,071 deaths), and 6.2% of all deaths in state and federal jails (255 of 4,117 deaths). Between… Read MoreAlmost 50% Of Hospitals Use Information Received Electronically From Outside Their Health System
Article April 20, 2020In 2018, about 46% of hospitals reported engaging in all four domains of interoperability (sending, receiving, querying and integrating data from external sources). The percentage of hospitals nationally engaging in… Read More‘Built For Zero’ Has Rockford, Illinois On Track To End Homelessness By End Of 2020
Article April 20, 2020The city of Rockford, Illinois is on track to end homelessness by the end of 2020 through its participation in the “Built for Zero” initiative, by Community Solutions. In 2010,… Read MoreCalifornia DHCS Reorganizes Behavioral Health Functions
Article April 20, 2020On February 17, 2020, the California Department of Health Care Services (DHCS) announced it had completed the reorganization of its Behavioral Health functions, that were formerly called Mental Health/Substance Use… Read MoreBlueCross BlueShield & Value Network Partner To Start Behavioral Health Value-Based Payment In Western New York
Article April 20, 2020On February 27, 2020, BlueCross BlueShield of Western New York (BCBSWNY) announced that it entered into a value-based reimbursement (VBR) arrangement with Value Network, LLC, IPA, a network of behavioral… Read MoreConsumers Struggle To Use Health Portals & Obtain Digital Records
Article April 20, 2020About one-third of consumers have never used a ‘patient portal’ to view their medical records, despite provider organizations’ widespread adoption of the tools. According to an online survey by DrFirst,… Read MoreMichigan Ceases Enforcing Community Engagement Requirements On Medicaid Expansion Members
Article April 20, 2020Due to a legal ruling issued on March 4, 2020, the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) has ceased enforcing the state’s Medicaid Healthy Michigan community engagement participation… Read MoreCannabis: Potential Risks & Benefits In Mental Health
On-Demand Webinar April 20, 2020How might the use of marijuana or its components affect behavioral or physical health? During this webinar, Joseph McEvoy, MD, and Heather Davidson, PhD, discuss with Nichole Neugebauer, PhD, the… Read MoreSan Francisco Reports 16% Rise In Overdose Deaths Between 2017 & 2018
Article April 13, 2020Overdose deaths in San Francisco, California, rose by 16% between 2017 and 2018. In 2017, there were 222 overdose deaths, and there were 259 overdose deaths in 2018. During the… Read MoreVeterans’ Long-Term Care Expenses Rose 33% From 2014 To 2018
Article April 13, 2020According to the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO), the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) spending on long-term care services rose by 33%, from $6.8 in 2014 to $9.1 billion in… Read MorePrivate Equity Firms Acquired 355 Physician Practices From 2013 To 2016
Article April 13, 2020From 2013 to 2016, private equity firms acquired 355 physician practices. This breaks down to 59 practices in 2013, 72 practices in 2014, 88 practices in 2015, and 136 practices… Read MoreDenver Strategic Framework For Improving Behavioral Health Calls For Greater Use Of Data To Guide Policy
Article April 13, 2020The city of Denver’s new strategic framework for improving behavioral health calls for a greater use of data to guide policy to ensure that communities promote well-being, broadly improve access… Read MoreOut-Of-Network Primary Care Associated With Higher Medicare ACO Costs
Article April 13, 2020Out-of-network (OON) primary care is associated with higher median quarterly costs for Medicare beneficiaries attributed to a Medicare Shared Savings Plan (MSSP) accountable care organization (ACO). Median per-beneficiary spending for… Read MoreWell Being Trust Urges Changes To U.S. Behavioral Health Policy To Improve Assessment & Access To Care
Article April 13, 2020To improve behavioral health in the United States, Well Being Trust recommends that policymakers adopt a new framework with five engagement points to increase the frequency of behavioral health assessments… Read MoreImpact Of COVID-19 On Mental Health Care: Perspectives From A Psychiatrist & Primary Care Provider On Access & Treatment
On-Demand Webinar April 8, 2020The COVID-19 pandemic will permanently change mental health treatment, agree Drs. Madhukar Trivedi and Sloan Manning, a psychiatrist and a primary care physician, respectively. Whether that treatment occurs in a… Read MoreTelemedicine In The Treatment Of Substance Use Disorder: Clinical & Payer Implications
Article April 7, 2020Telemedicine in the Treatment of Substance Use Disorder: Clinical and Payer Implications PsychU interviewed Deborah Adler, senior associate at OPEN MINDS, for her take on the clinical and payer implications… Read MoreOregon Launches Family Connects Program To Improve Infant & Maternal Health
Article April 6, 2020On February 13, 2020, the Oregon Health Authority (OHA) launched Family Connects to offer universal home visiting services to all families with newborns up to six months of age, including… Read MoreCircuit Court Rebukes HHS Approval Of Medicaid Work Requirements
Article April 6, 2020On February 14, 2020, a federal circuit court in Washington, D.C., ruled that the federal Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) acted capriciously when it approved Medicaid waivers submitted… Read MoreTexas DFPS Adult Protective Services Caseworker Turnover Drops From 25% To 20%
Article April 6, 2020On February 3, 2020, the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services (DFPS) reported that turnover for its Adult Protective Services (APS) caseworker fell from 25.2% in fiscal year 2018,… Read MoreNumber Of Nurse Practitioners Doubled Between 2010 & 2017
Article April 6, 2020A recent report revealed that from 2010 to 2017, the number of nurse practitioners (NPs) increased from about 91,000 to 190,000, which resulted in the RN workforce contracting by as… Read MoreA Snapshot Of Telemedicine In One State: Clinical & Payer Implications
Article March 30, 2020Jane Guo, MBA, PharmD, is a Managed Market Liaison, Northeastern Region, with Otsuka. Her career started in retail pharmacy. She then moved over to managed care at Express Scripts as… Read MoreDeals In U.S. Health Care Service Sector Down 1.5% From 2018
Article March 30, 2020During 2019, merger and acquisition volume within the United States health care sector dropped by 1.5%, from 1,239 in 2018 to 1,221 in 2019. Total deal value was $91.2 billion… Read MoreBehavioral Health Care M&A Volume Slowed 21% Between Third & Fourth Quarter Of 2019
Article March 30, 2020The number of announced behavioral health acquisitions slowed by 21% between the third and fourth quarters of 2019, from 19 in the third quarter to 15 in the fourth quarter.… Read MoreSarpy County, Nebraska Planning New Jail With Space For Mental Health Resources
Article March 30, 2020Sarpy County, Nebraska is planning to open a new 400-bed jail in 2022 that will include space for mental health resources and programs for those about to leave jail. The… Read More14.6% Of Adult Emergency Department Visitors In 2016-2017 Were Prescribed Opioids At Discharge
Article March 30, 2020A recent biennial data analysis found that approximately 14.6% of adult emergency department visitors were prescribed opioids at discharge during the 2016 to 2017 time period. This is a 6.9%… Read MoreColorado Proposes Bill To Reimburse Behavioral Health Peer Support Professionals
Article March 30, 2020The Colorado legislature is considering a proposal that would have the state’s Medicaid program reimburse for behavioral health peer support professional services. The legislation, House Bill (HB) 20-1139, was introduced… Read MoreCalifornia Prisons Roll Out Integrated Addiction Treatment Programs
Article March 30, 2020On January 21, 2020, the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR) and the California Correctional Health Care Services (CCHCS) began screening inmates at all 35 state institutions for an… Read MoreImpact Of Novel Coronavirus Pandemic On Mental Health
On-Demand Webinar March 25, 2020The COVID-19 pandemic isn’t affecting physical health only; it has an impact on mental health as well. In this webinar, Paul Gionfriddo, President of Mental Health America, and Christine Moutier, MD,… Read MoreAdherence & The Role For New Technologies
On-Demand Webinar March 24, 2020Nonadherence to medication is a serious problem in mental health care. In this webinar, Dawn Velligan, PhD, and Craig Chepke, MD, will discuss the current state of adherence and the… Read MoreIntegrating Behavioral Care At A Nurse-Led Clinic
Article March 23, 2020What is the ideal way to provide behavioral health care in a locale where stigma against it runs deep? Integrate behavioral health care into primary care, collocate its delivery with… Read MoreOklahoma Announces SoonerCare 2.0 Medicaid Plan, An Alternative Medicaid Expansion
Article March 23, 2020On January 30, 2020, Oklahoma Governor Kevin Stitt announced SoonerCare 2.0, a plan to revamp the state’s Medicaid program by implementing an alternative Medicaid expansion. The plan calls for the… Read MoreResidential Care Will Need To Fill 1.2 Million Direct Care Jobs Over A Decade
Article March 23, 2020Residential care settings such as assisted living communities will need to fill more than 1.2 million direct care jobs between 2018 and 2028. This includes filling new jobs, as well… Read MoreLos Angeles Launches Pilot Entrepreneurship Program For People With Housing Insecurity Or Homelessness
Article March 23, 2020On February 6, 2020, the City of Los Angeles launched a pilot entrepreneurship program for people with insecure housing or who are homeless. The program, LA: EnterpRISE, will provide entrepreneurship… Read MoreVigo County, Indiana To Build New 500-Bed Jail To Resolve Litigation About Overcrowding & Poor Conditions
Article March 23, 2020In December 2019, officials in Vigo County, Indiana signed closing documents to allow the construction of a new 500-bed jail facility. Construction of the jail began on December 2, 2019,… Read MoreNew York Excellus Blues Finds Behavioral Health Accounts For One-Third Of 2019 Telemedicine Claims
Article March 23, 2020Behavioral health services delivered via telemedicine now account for nearly one-third of all telemedicine visits for Excellus BlueCross BlueShield (BCBS), according to a review of the company’s 2019 claims data.… Read MoreHospitals Spent $2.5 Billion On Social Determinant Programs From 2017 To 2019
Article March 23, 2020Seventy-eight unique programs, involving 917 hospitals nationwide, spent $2.5 billion on programs focused on social determinants of health (SDOH) between January 1, 2017 and November 30, 2019. SDOH is defined… Read MoreNew Mexico Settles With Final Five Behavioral Health Organizations Over 2013 Medicaid Fraud Allegations
Article March 23, 2020On December 4, 2019, the New Mexico Human Services Department (HSD) announced it had settled with the last five of the 10 behavioral health provider organizations that sued the state… Read MoreTelepsychiatry-Enabled Perinatal Integrated Care Improves Consumer Access & Engagement With Behavioral Health
Article March 23, 2020The first-known telepsychiatry-enabled model of perinatal integrated care resulted in a 100% perinatal/postpartum depression screening rate, and a higher than expected treatment engagement rate. About 19% of the mothers screened… Read MoreNew Federal Coronavirus Bill Waives Medicare Telehealth Restrictions
Article March 16, 2020Federal legislation signed into law on March 6, 2020 to address national preparation and response to 2019-Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) includes provisions that waive Medicare restrictions on telehealth for care related… Read MoreBlue Cross NC Launches New Value-Based Payment Model For Behavioral Health
Article March 16, 2020On January 1, 2020, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina (Blue Cross NC), in collaboration with Quartet Health, launched a new value-based payment model called Blue Premier Behavioral… Read MoreAssisted Living Administrator Salary Averaged $100,000 In 2019
Article March 16, 2020During 2019, salaries for assisted living community administrators averaged $100,622, up 3.6% over the 2018 average salary of $97,126, according to a year-to-year trend analysis for facilities that participated in… Read MoreArizona Medicaid & Health Plans Launch Initiative To Build Long-Term Care Workforce
Article March 16, 2020The Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System (AHCCCS) and the three Medicaid managed care organizations (MCOs) for the Arizona Long Term Care System (ALTCS) are implementing initiatives to increase the… Read MoreTexas HHS Expands Pilot Program To Provide Resources For Opioid Overdose Survivors
Article March 16, 2020The Texas Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC) is expanding its Texas Targeted Opioid Response (TTOR) Emergency Medical Service (EMS) Emergency Response pilot program into the Austin area. TTOR uses… Read MoreEHR Vendor, Epic & 60 Health Systems Urge HHS To Modify Proposed Interoperability Rule
Article March 16, 2020On February 3, 2020, Epic, an electronic health record (EHR) vendor, asked its health system clients to sign on to a letter urging the federal Department of Health and Human… Read MoreGeorgia Submits Medicaid Expansion Waiver With Mandatory 80-Hour Per Month Community Engagement Requirements
Article March 9, 2020On December 23, 2019, the state of Georgia submitted the Georgia Pathways 1115 Demonstration Waiver and the Georgia Access 1332 State Relief and Empowerment Waiver to the federal government. The… Read More16 States Allow Home Care Aides Only 40 Hours Per Week To Avoid Violating The DOL Home Care Rule
Article March 9, 2020Sixteen U.S. states allow home health care aides to work only 40 hours per week to avoid violating the Department of Labor (DOL) Home Care Rule. These states include Arkansas,… Read MoreFormer Outcome Health Employees Charged In Alleged $1 Billion Fraud
Article March 9, 2020On November 21, 2019, the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) indicted four former employees of Outcome Health—including the two co-founders and two former executives—for defrauding the company’s clients, lenders, and… Read MoreSubstance Abuse, Mental Illness The Largest Predictors Of Frequent ED Use
Article March 9, 2020The Affordable Care Act (ACA) OF 2010 was the largest expansion of health services in the United States in more than 50 years. Twenty million adults obtained health insurance under… Read MoreVA Proposes Rule For Faith-Based Organizations
Article March 9, 2020On Jan. 17, 2020, the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) proposed a rule that will ease compliance requirements for faith-based organization social service contractors. Currently, faith-based organization contractors are required… Read More2% Of Eligible Clinical Professionals Participating In MIPS In 2018 Received A Negative Rate Adjustment
Article March 2, 2020For 2020, about 2% of eligible clinical professionals participating in the Medicare Merit-based Incentive Payment System (MIPS) earned a negative payment adjustment ranging from -0.01% to -5.00%. The remaining 98%… Read MoreLong-Acting Injectable Antipsychotics (LAIs) Fact Sheet
Downloadable Resource March 2, 2020This fact sheet provides an overview of long-acting injectable antipsychotics and the advantages/disadvantages associated with this treatment option. Read MoreCan Early Intervention’s Effect On Lifetime Costs Of Serious Mental Illness Be Measured?
Article March 2, 2020Serious mental illness (SMI) is a disabling condition—and because it develops early in life, it brings with it a lifetime of costs. But while researchers have long believed that early… Read MoreCascadia Behavioral Healthcare’s Integrated Model Cut Potentially Preventable Emergency Department & Inpatient Utilization By 18%
Article March 2, 2020The year after Cascadia Behavioral Healthcare (Cascadia) implemented a certified Community Behavioral Health Clinic (CCBHC) integrated care model, the number of emergency department (ED) visits was reduced by 18% and… Read MoreCigna Reports Combined Medical, Pharmacy & Behavioral Benefits Reduces Annual Costs By More Than $207 Per Covered Life
Article March 2, 2020Cigna reports its commercial members with integrated medical, pharmacy, and behavioral benefits had annual medical costs of averaging $207 less per covered life than members enrolled in non-integrated plans. For… Read MoreA Prescription For Pharmacist Intervention
Article March 2, 2020Despite the well-known prevalence of mental health conditions, they are woefully undertreated. Consider this: About one in five Americans has a behavioral condition, but fewer than half—only 41%—receive treatment of… Read MoreOptimizing Clinical & Mental Health Provider Performance
On-Demand Webinar February 26, 2020Mental health providers may detect a small portion of their patients who experience increased symptom severity.1 Implementing symptom-rating scales to monitor outcomes helps promote communication and may provide objective data… Read MorePsychU National Forum: Future Of Technology & Mental Health
Interview February 25, 2020For 2019, PsychU’s annual theme was data and technology to improve mental health. In keeping with PsychU’s goals of improving mental health care… together, PsychU hosted a National Forum: Future… Read MoreBCBS Of Michigan & Seven Provider Networks Announce Plan To Share Health Care Financial Risk
Article February 24, 2020On December 11, 2019, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan (BCBSM) announced a new “Blueprint for Affordability” payment model. Under the model, seven preferred provider organizations (PPOs) that provide care… Read MoreGeorgetown Home Care Hospital Collaboration Program Reduces Readmissions by 44%
Article February 24, 2020A pilot collaboration program between Georgetown Home Care (GHC) and Medstar Georgetown University Hospital reduced preventable readmissions by 44% among people who had spinal surgery. Within two months, the readmission… Read More87.8% Of Workers With Disabilities Had Health Insurance In 2017
Article February 24, 2020Approximately 87.8% of workers with disabilities had health insurance in 2017. This was a 7.9 percentage point increase from 79.9% in 2009, prior to the implementation of the Patient Protection… Read MoreIndiana Medicaid To Reimburse For Short-Term IMD Services
Article February 24, 2020On January 1, 2020, Indiana implemented a Medicaid waiver amendment that will allow the state to receive reimbursement for short-term services for people age 19 to 64 with serious mental… Read MoreMore Than A Third Of People Who Completed Abstinence-Based Addiction Treatment Remained Abstinent For Six Months
Article February 24, 2020Six months after attending abstinence-based addiction treatment, 35.6% of more than 1,400 consumers reported that they had been abstinent for the past 30 days. The 35.6% includes consumers who reported… Read MorePursueCare Launches Telehealth Addiction Treatment Programs For Rural Populations In Kentucky & West Virginia
Article February 24, 2020On December 11, 2019, PursueCare announced the launch of new telehealth addiction treatment programs for rural populations in Kentucky and in West Virginia. The programs provide telehealth counseling via a… Read MorePharmacist Corner Flyer
Downloadable Resource February 20, 2020PsychU 360 Magazine
Downloadable Resource February 17, 2020PsychU 360 – January 2020 Despite vast improvements in diagnosis and treatment over the last half-century, mental illness is underdiagnosed and undertreated. The reasons are many and varied. Among them:… Read MoreLeveraging Digital Technology For Better Mental Health Care
Article February 17, 2020Despite vast improvements in diagnosis and treatment over the last half-century, mental illness is underdiagnosed and undertreated. The reasons are many and varied. Among them: a lack of access for… Read MoreInteracting With First Responders
Podcast February 10, 2020Approximately 15% of men and 30% of women jailed have a serious mental illness (SMI).1 Educated first responders can potentially safely de-escalate situations involving a behavioral health crisis. Crisis Intervention… Read MoreChallenges Evaluating Engagement In Mental Health Mobile Apps
Article February 3, 2020Smartphones are nearly ubiquitous features of modern American life. Findings from a January 2018 Core Trends Survey from the Pew Research Center illustrates this fact: 78% of the American adults… Read MoreInnovations In Mental Health Service Delivery & Implications For Providers
Podcast January 28, 2020New technologies, changing reimbursements, and corporate consolidations are amongst the many drivers evolving the health care landscape.1 During this webinar archive, the speakers discuss strategies for future sustainability in an… Read MoreInnovations In Mental Health Service Delivery & Implications For Providers
On-Demand Webinar January 28, 2020New technologies, changing reimbursements, and corporate consolidations are amongst the many drivers evolving the health care landscape.1 During this webinar archive, the speakers discuss strategies for future sustainability in ever-changing… Read MoreTelepsychiatry: Implementation & Best Practices
Article January 20, 2020Dr. Mehdi Qalbani discusses his experience providing telepsychiatry in the Information Age. Topics include regulatory concerns, practice guidelines, and web-side manner when working remotely. Mehdi Qalbani, MD, MSPH, is the… Read MoreBCBS To Launch National ‘High Performing’ Provider Organization Network In 2021
Article January 6, 2020The Blue Cross Blue Shield Association (BCBSA) is creating a national provider organization network composed of health care provider organizations and professionals who routinely offer high quality care at lower… Read MoreAbsence of Major Depression & Substance Use Disorder More Likely After Recovery From Eating Disorder
Article December 23, 2019Those with an eating disorder (ED) frequently have psychiatric comorbidities; estimates range between 56% and 98%. Such comorbidities contribute to longer periods of illness and poorer outcomes. Major depression and… Read MoreSocial Cognition Treatment In Schizophrenia: Status & Opportunities
Article December 23, 2019Individuals with schizophrenia struggle to interact with others due to impaired social cognition. Four capabilities in particular are compromised: 1.) the ability to recognize emotion in others, for instance by… Read MoreHealth Plan Innovations In Population Health Management For Complex Consumers
On-Demand Webinar December 18, 2019Following-up to the 2019 Trends In Behavioral Health: A Population Health Manager’s Reference Guide On The U.S. Behavioral Health Financing & Delivery System, 2nd Edition, Deb Adler and Paul Duck… Read MoreHealth Plan Innovations In Population Health Management For Complex Consumers
Podcast December 18, 2019Following-up to the 2019 Trends In Behavioral Health: A Population Health Manager’s Reference Guide On The U.S. Behavioral Health Financing & Delivery System, 2nd Edition, Deb Adler and Paul Duck… Read More8 Health Plans Earn Top NCQA Rating For 2019
Article December 2, 2019Eight health plans earned the highest 5.0 rating from the National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA) for 2019. Five of the plans are operated by Kaiser Permanente. In 2018, 14… Read MoreAre You Ready For M&A?
Article November 25, 2019Mergers and acquisitions (M&A) continue in the health and human service field at a rapid pace. Future sustainability is the big driver of M&A with integrated care, value-based reimbursement, and… Read MoreRecovery After Initial Schizophrenic Episode – Early Treatment Program (RAISE-ETP) Interview With Dr. John Kane
Interview November 25, 2019John M. Kane provides commentary on the results of the Recovery After Initial Schizophrenic Episode – Early Treatment Program (RAISE-ETP) study. The trial compared coordinated specialty care to traditional care… Read MoreTerence Ketter – What Does PsychU Mean To You?
Interview November 25, 2019During this interview, Terence Ketter explains what PsychU means to him and its impact on the mental health community. Terence Ketter, MD, is the Bipolar Disorder Section Advisor of PsychU.… Read MoreEmergency Medicine Physician Sues Kaiser Permanente Over Opioid-Related Consumer Satisfaction Scores
Article November 25, 2019On September 18, 2019, a physician formerly employed by the Washington Permanente Medical Group, P.C. sued the organization for wrongful termination, alleging that its consumer satisfaction scoring methodology encourages physicians… Read MoreMedicare Beneficiaries In UHC Plans Who Saw High-Value Physicians Had 21% Lower Spending
Article November 25, 2019In 2018, Medicare beneficiaries over age 65 with UnitedHealthcare commercial insurance who saw high-value physicians for more than 75% of their care had about 21% lower risk-adjusted spending compared to… Read MoreThe Age Of Priceline Health Care
Article November 18, 2019There is great debate over whether consumers shop for health care services; like comparing prices and using performance and quality data to make decisions. A recent story about a man… Read MoreJames T. Kenney – What Does PsychU Mean To You?
Interview November 18, 2019During this interview, James T. Kenney, explains what PsychU means to him and how it can impact patients and health care professionals. James T. Kenney, RPh, MBA, is a PsychU… Read MoreSloan Manning – What Does PsychU Mean To You?
Interview November 18, 2019During this interview, Sloan Manning explains what PsychU means to him and how mental health professionals can collaborate with each other. Sloan Manning, MD, is the Primary Care Provider Section… Read MoreWhy Guidelines Matter
Article November 18, 2019OPEN MINDS last survey of health plans found a marked increase in the reported required use of professional guidelines – 59% in this year’s survey, compared with 41% in 2017… Read MoreMonica Oss – What Does PsychU Mean To You?
Interview November 13, 2019During this interview, Monica Oss explains what PsychU means to her and how mental health professionals can collaborate with each other. Monica Oss, M.S. is the founder of OPEN MINDS.… Read MoreRené Kahn – What Does PsychU Mean To You?
Interview November 11, 2019During this interview, René Kahn explains what PsychU means to him and how psychiatrists can learn and interact with each other. René Kahn, MD, PhD, is a Schizophrenia Section Advisor… Read MoreMadhukar Trivedi – What Does PsychU Mean To You?
Interview November 11, 2019During this interview, Madhukar Trivedi explains what PsychU means to him. Madhukar Trivedi, MD, is the Major Depressive Disorder Section Advisor of PsychU. Dr. Trivedi is the Director, Center For… Read MoreWhat Are Health Plans Doing About Access?
Article November 11, 2019Consumer access to care remains a ‘top of mind’ issue—from access to psychiatrists, waiting lists for treatment programs, and follow-up appointments with therapists. Executives realize that care delayed is often… Read MoreFederal Judge Rules Mississippi’s Mental Health System Discriminates Against People With Serious Mental Illness
Article November 11, 2019On September 3, 2019, a federal judge ruled that Mississippi’s mental health system discriminates against people with serious mental illness (SMI), despite the state’s efforts to develop its capacity to… Read MoreBlue Shield Of California & Lyft Roll Out ‘rideQ’ Non-Emergency Medical Transportation Platform
Article November 11, 2019On September 18, 2019, Blue Shield of California, in collaboration with the Blue Cross Blue Shield (BCBS) Institute and Lyft, began piloting the rideQSM non-emergency medical transportation program. Through this… Read MoreSurinder Singh – What Does PsychU Mean To You?
Interview November 4, 2019During this interview, Surinder Singh explains what PsychU means to him and how mental health professionals can collaborate with each other. Surinder Singh, PhD, MBA is a founding member of… Read MoreKaiser Reaches Tentative Agreement With Unions For Physical Health & Other Job Classes, But Not Union For California Behavioral Health Professionals
Article November 4, 2019On September 24, 2019, Kaiser Permanente reached a tentative four-year contract agreement with the Coalition of Kaiser Permanente Unions, which had voted to strike. The unions agreed to withdraw the… Read MoreMegan Ehret – What Does PsychU Mean To You?
Interview November 4, 2019During this interview, Megan Ehret explains what PsychU means to her and how mental health professionals can collaborate with each other. Megan Ehret, PharmD, MS, BCPP, is the Pharmacist Corner… Read MoreReza Moghadam – What Does PsychU Mean To You?
Interview November 4, 2019During this interview, Reza Moghadam explains what PsychU means to him and its impact on the mental health community. Reza Moghadam, PharmD, MBA, is the Senior Director of Population Health… Read MoreSleep In Behavioral Health
Interview November 4, 2019In this podcast, Sana Johnson-Quijada, MD, highlights the importance of sleep in overall behavioral health and discusses goals for better sleep quality. Sleep impacts hormones and neurotransmitters. Implementing and maintaining… Read MoreMarla Moses – What Does PsychU Mean To You?
Interview November 4, 2019During this interview, Marla Moses explains what PsychU means to her and how it impacts patients and health care professionals. Marla Moses, FNP, PMHNP, is the Primary Care Provider PsychU… Read MorePsychiatric Medication Group Best Practice For Pharmacists
Video November 4, 2019This podcast highlights pharmacist-run medication group sessions for patients with mental illness. Drs. Melissa Mitchell and Andrew Williams share their best practices from years of experience in working with patients… Read MoreTransforming Your Management Team: Cultivating Women Leadership
Article October 28, 2019At the 2019 OPEN MINDS Executive Leadership Retreat, one area of focus was “growing” women in leadership positions in health and human services. Interestingly, this year, 51% of the attendees… Read MoreThree Keys For Building The Next Generation Of Leaders
Article October 28, 2019It’s never too soon to think about growing the next generation of leaders if you’re in a specialty provider organization. In our recent national survey, Trends In Specialty Health &… Read MoreHow Many Strategies Actually Get Implemented?
Article October 28, 2019At The 2019 OPEN MINDS Executive Leadership Retreat in Gettysburg, one statistic was really surprising. How many strategic plans actually get implemented? The answer: 10%. Not just for health and… Read MoreLean Into Mindfulness
Article October 28, 2019What do mindfulness and organizational change have in common? More than you might think. At The 2019 OPEN MINDS Executive Leadership Retreat, Monica Oss closed the retreat with her keynote,… Read MoreNew Medicare, Medicaid & CHIP Fraud Prevention Rule Will Penalize For Prior Affiliations With Banned Provider Organizations & Individuals
Article October 28, 2019Starting November 4, 2019, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) will penalize provider organizations participating in Medicare, Medicaid, or the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) if the provider… Read MoreOne-Third Of Physicians Fail To Identify Consumer Chronic Condition Priorities
Article October 21, 2019Nearly one-third of general practice physicians asked to identify and rank their consumers’ top three chronic health conditions failed to pick the top condition listed by the consumers. Agreement was… Read MoreAverage Age-Adjusted Death Rates Vary Widely By State
Article October 21, 2019In 2017, the average age-adjusted death rate in the five states with the highest death rates nationwide was 49% higher than the rate for the five states with the lowest… Read MoreMaking Innovation Work—Think Past, Present, Future
Article October 21, 2019Innovation is on the top of strategy “to do” lists for most organizations and for good reason. I think the most fundamental challenge for the executives of most organizations serving… Read MoreIt Takes Courage
Article October 21, 2019At The 2019 OPEN MINDS Executive Leadership Retreat the session, The New Executive Strategy Role: Becoming The Agent Of Change For Your Organization, featured executive faculty members with three very… Read MoreMeet The Treatment Team: Physician Assistant
Interview October 8, 2019In this interview, Catherine Judd, MS, PA-C, CAQ-Psy, discusses the role a physician assistant plays in the mental health team. Physician assistants have a broad-base, primary care medical background in… Read MoreHow To Avoid Digital Culture Shock
Article October 7, 2019Change of any kind can be difficult, but any change that meets with resistance from any level of an organization can quickly become impossible—something we’ve written about before (see Challenges… Read MoreCMS Requiring Star Ratings Displayed For Health Plans Sold On 2020 Health Exchanges
Article October 7, 2019For the 2020 open enrollment period, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) will require that the federal and state insurance exchanges publicly display the five-star Quality Rating System… Read MoreSNF Nurse Practitioner-Led Medication Reconciliation Reduces Hospital Readmissions By 29.7%
Article September 30, 2019Nurse practitioner-led medication reconciliation of those being admitted to a skilled nursing facility (SNF) reduced hospital readmissions within 30 days by about 29.7%. The hospital readmission rate was 19.2% prior… Read MoreSuicide Stratification Risk Models & The Role Of Pharmacists In Suicide Education & Prevention
On-Demand Webinar September 25, 2019Traditionally, pharmacists provide medication education and monitor side effects of patients. In a recent study exploring pharmacist comfort in the area of suicide education, most pharmacists expressed an interest in… Read MoreCalifornia Medicaid To Pay For Trauma Screenings Beginning January 1, 2020
Article September 23, 2019California Medicaid (Medi-Cal) will begin reimbursing for trauma screenings for adult beneficiaries. Starting January 1, 2020, professionals who complete trauma training will be eligible to receive the supplemental payment for… Read MoreManaging Your Team To ‘Tech Savvy’
Article September 23, 2019Our team has written before about the importance of technology adoption to future competitive advantage and sustainability in the field. There is technology to facilitate better clinical decision making (see… Read MoreBuilding A Trauma-Informed Network—One Health Plan’s Approach
Article September 23, 2019The effects of trauma have been in the headlines too much over the past few weeks. Most recently, trauma from mass shootings to trauma from neighborhood gun violence. Likewise, the… Read MoreAddiction By The Numbers
Article September 23, 2019How should addiction treatment programs be evaluated? That was the focus of the session, Quality Measurement In Addiction Treatment: Advancing Adoption Of Best Practices, at The 2019 OPEN MINDS Management… Read MoreCurrent Insights Into Population Health Management Value-Based Models In Managing High Risk – High Cost Patients
On-Demand Webinar September 19, 2019In this webinar, Monica Oss, M.S., and Paul Duck from OPEN MINDS discuss the current state of population health in the United States. They also discuss how data analytics are utilized by… Read MorePennsylvania Executive Order Issued Focused On Reduction Of Institutional Care
Article September 16, 2019On July 31, 2019, Pennsylvania Governor Tom Wolf issued an executive order focused on developing further support for home- and community-based services (HCBS). The governor directed state agencies to pursue… Read MoreHow Do You Measure Access?
Article September 16, 2019Why is access such a major priority for health plans? Improving access to care promotes better consumer engagement, increases consumer satisfaction, and results in better positive clinical and financial outcomes.… Read MorePreventing Suicide in the Clinical Setting: Reasons for Hope
On-Demand Webinar September 10, 2019Worldwide, nearly 800,000 people die of suicide each year.1 In this webinar, effective suicide prevention strategies, such as placing a focus on more sensitively identifying when a patient’s suicide risk… Read MorePrivate Practices Less Likely To Invest In EHR Technology
Article September 9, 2019Private practices are less likely to invest in electronic health record (EHR) technology. As of 2016, about 49% of private practice health care professionals maintained EHR technology, while about 70%… Read MoreNursing Home Citations For Physical, Mental & Sexual Abuse Doubled From 2013-2017
Article September 9, 2019Between 2013 and 2017, the number of physical, mental, and sexual abuse deficiencies in nursing homes rose by 103.5%. The deficiencies cited by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services… Read More40 States & D.C. Have Expanded Telemedicine Coverage Or Reimbursement Since 2017
Article September 9, 2019Forty states and the District of Columbia (D.C.) have passed laws that expanded telemedicine coverage or reimbursement since 2017. Those states that have not expanded coverage include Alabama, Colorado, Idaho,… Read MoreReady To Collect More Cash?
Article September 9, 2019Copayments and deductibles used to be a small issue. The $1 here or $20 there. Not anymore. Consumers now pay 30% of total health care costs.1 There are now health… Read MoreBehavioral Health HEDIS® Measures: An Annual Update From NCQA©
On-Demand Webinar August 29, 2019The most-used tool in health care for improving performance is the Healthcare Effectiveness Data Information Set (HEDIS®). HEDIS® asks how often insurers provide evidence-based care to support more than 70… Read MoreBehavioral Health HEDIS® Measures: An Annual Update From NCQA
Video August 29, 2019The most-used tool in health care for improving performance is the Healthcare Effectiveness Data Information Set (HEDIS®). HEDIS® asks how often insurers provide evidence-based care to support more than 70… Read MoreAre You A Change Agent Leader? Take The Test
Article August 26, 2019A quick look at the health and human service field finds what I like to think of as a living laboratory for change management—from newly empowered consumers, to rapid turnover… Read MoreNew Jersey Limits Solitary Confinement In Prisons
Article August 26, 2019On July 11, 2019, New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy signed legislation to limit solitary confinement in state prisons. The Isolated Confinement Restriction Act, Assembly Bill 314, restricts the use of… Read MoreThe Complexity Challenge Keeping You Up At Night? Former Execs Advise. . .
Article August 26, 2019With all the changes facing the health and human service field from major mergers and acquisitions, new models for care delivery, and new payment models, managing change can be the… Read MoreHow To Build Effective Programs That Meet Payers’ Focus On Social Determinants Of Health: Will The New Codes Pave The Way? (SDoH Series Part 2)
On-Demand Webinar August 20, 2019The World Health Organization (WHO) defines Social determinants of health (SDoH) as “The conditions in which people are born, grow, live, work and age. Variability in the population health drivers… Read MoreAn Update On Pharmacogenetics Testing In Psychiatry With Dr. Joseph Goldberg
Interview August 19, 2019Listen in as Dr. Joseph Goldberg discusses pharmacogenetics testing in the field of psychiatry and how it is evolving from the bench to the bedside. Dr. Goldberg reviews the pros… Read More20% Of Medicare Emergency Department Claims For SNF Residents Indicate Potential Abuse Or Neglect
Article August 19, 2019About 20% of high-risk hospital emergency department Medicare claims for services provided in 2016 to beneficiaries residing in a skilled nursing facility (SNF) indicated potential abuse or neglect. SNFs reported… Read MoreVirginia Legislative Audit Recommends More Time To Effectively Deploy STEP-VA Mental Health Initiative
Article August 12, 2019The Virginia Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission (JLARC) recommends that the state allow more time to effectively deploy its System Transformation Excellence and Performance -Virginia (STEP-VA) mental health initiative,… Read More72% Of Health Care Executives Believe Their Organizations Have Capabilities To Support Increased Risk & Are Planning To Take On Additional Risk
Article August 12, 2019Approximately 72% of executives believe their organizations have the capabilities needed to support increased risk, and plan to take on additional risk in the next one to three years. About… Read MorePsychU Supporters: An Interview With Trinitas Regional Medical Center (TRMC)
Interview August 5, 2019We invite you to listen to our interview with James McCreath, Ph.D., LCSW, VP of Behavioral Health and Psychiatry at Trinitas Regional Medical Center (TRMC) and St. Joseph’s Health. Dr.… Read MoreTackling Health Care Workforce Challenges In The United States: Trends In NP Utilization In Primary Care
Article August 5, 2019Background & Purpose There are continuing challenges in both the primary care and mental health workforce that bar individuals from receiving the health care services they require in a timely… Read MoreAdjust Your Strategic Sails!
Article August 5, 2019So much happened in the past 90 days in the health and human market space. But what really matters? What are the “stop the presses” developments that executive teams need… Read MoreWalmart Selects Covera Health As National Radiology Centers of Excellence
Article August 5, 2019Walmart has selected Covera Health as a national provider of imaging and radiology services for Walmart’s employee health plan. Under this multi-year agreement announced on May 15, 2019, Walmart associates… Read MoreNursing Home Prices Rose Faster Than The Medical Inflation Rate, With The Lowest Rate In Texas
Article August 5, 2019Nursing home care prices are rising faster than other medical care and consumer prices, with the lowest average daily rate of $121.90. Across the study period, the cumulative inflation between… Read MoreIs ‘Harm Reduction’ On Your Radar?
Article August 5, 2019In 2016, when Donald Trump chose Indiana Governor Mike Pence as his running mate, it unexpectedly brought harm reduction to the forefront of the news. In 2014, the state of… Read MoreAddressing Social Determinants: Impacting Health & Wellness Beyond Traditional Medicine (SDoH Series Part 1)
On-Demand Webinar July 29, 2019Social determinants of health (SDoH) – like socioeconomic status, education, neighborhood and physical environment, employment, social support networks, and access to health care – can have drastic impacts on individual… Read MoreConsumers Participating In Medicare Bundled Payment Programs Report Positive Perceptions Of Care Quality
Article July 29, 2019Most respondents treated under Medicare bundled payment programs reported positive perceptions of care quality. While respondents participating in the Bundled Payments for Care Improvement (BPCI) initiative were significantly less likely… Read MoreOhio Medicaid RFI Seeks Public Comment In Advance Of Next MCO Procurement
Article July 29, 2019On June 13, 2019, the Ohio Department of Medicaid (ODM) released a request for information (RFI) seeking comments in preparation for its next Medicaid managed care organization (MCO) procurement, which… Read MoreNew Orleans To Renew Wellpath Contract For Jail Health Care
Article July 29, 2019On May 26, 2019, Wellpath, formerly known as Correct Care Solutions, announced that the City of New Orleans, Louisiana had renewed its contract for jail medical and mental health services… Read More2019 Trends In Behavioral Health: A Population Health Manager’s Reference Guide On The U.S. Behavioral Health Financing & Delivery System, 2nd Edition
Downloadable Resource July 28, 2019The Second Edition of Trends in Behavioral Health: A Population Health Manager’s Reference Guide on the U.S. Behavioral Health Financing & Delivery System (The Guide) provides information and insights into… Read MoreData & Decision Support For Suicide Assessment
Article July 15, 2019Suicide rates have increased by 33% between 1993 and 2017. It is the tenth leading cause of death in the United States, and the second leading cause of death among… Read More95% Of U.S. Prescriptions Handled By Six Prescription Benefit Management Organizations
Article July 15, 2019In 2018, 95% of prescriptions in the United States were handled by six prescription benefit management (PBM) organizations: CVS Health (including Caremark and Aetna), Express Scripts, OptumRx (including UnitedHealth), Humana… Read MoreNAATP Releases Addiction Treatment Quality Assurance Resources
Article July 15, 2019On April 29, 2019, the National Association of Addiction Treatment Providers (NAATP) announced the release of a foundational set of resources to raise the standards for addiction treatment. The 3… Read MoreImplementing Measurement-Based Care—From Idea To Action
Article July 15, 2019A couple of months ago, we wrote about the lack of measurement-based care or the use of decision support tools and data to inform how consumers receive care. Measurement-based care… Read MoreNorth Carolina DHHS Failed To Monitor LME-MCO Performance
Article July 15, 2019The North Carolina state auditor says that for the past seven years the state has not provided adequate oversight of the seven local management entity-managed care organizations (LME-MCOs) that manage… Read MorePsychiatrists Accepting Medicaid Declined From 48% To 35% Following Medicaid Expansion
Article July 15, 2019Following the 2014 Medicaid expansion, the share of psychiatrists who accepted Medicaid declined from 47.9% in 2010-2011 to 35.4% in 2014-2015, as weighted by the National Ambulatory Medical Care Survey’s… Read MoreBilling-Related Administrative Expenses In U.S. Health Care System At 8.3% Of Spending
Article July 15, 2019Billing-related administrative costs in the United States health care system are estimated at about 8.3% of the $3.36 trillion total health care spending in 2016. During 2019, billing-related administrative costs… Read MoreWhat’s In A Name? Self-Determination, Self-Direction, Self-Advocacy
Article July 15, 2019With all the discussion about “consumerism” in health and human services, there are many terms—old and new—floating around. We’ve covered the current thinking about customer service and consumer experience (see… Read MoreDo You Have A SDH Screening Tool?
Article July 15, 2019Depression, alcohol dependency, risk of suicide, childhood trauma — clinical professionals and provider organizations employ a variety of assessment tools and standardized questions to screen consumers for the drivers of… Read MoreUse Of Digital Health Activity Trackers Linked To Better Medication Adherence
Article July 8, 2019People who use digital health activity trackers tend to be more adherent in taking medications prescribed for chronic health conditions. Those who tracked their activity through wearable devices and health… Read MoreTelepsychiatry Improves Access To Mental Health Care In Rural Areas
Article July 8, 2019On average, mental health care consumers in non-metropolitan areas are seen seven days sooner, and are 34% more likely to have regular visits when telepsychiatry is combined with in-person care,… Read MoreCMS Final Rule Codifies Existing Policy On Step Therapy For Part D Protected Drug Classes
Article July 8, 2019The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has finalized a rule to maintain its existing 2006 policies on prior authorization and step therapy for Part D protected medication classes.… Read MoreIntegration Strategies For The Complex Consumer Market
Article July 8, 2019Many specialty provider organizations are facing formidable strategic challenges as the result of the growing payer preferences for integration. Health plans are looking for best practice models that take a… Read MoreU.S. Physician Shortage May Rise To 12.8% By 2032
Article July 1, 2019It is estimated that the United States will see up to a 12.8% shortage in physicians by 2032. Estimated physician demand in 2032 is about 953,100. This total equals approximately… Read More71% Of People In North Carolina SMI Housing Program Remain Housed After Two Years
Article July 1, 2019As of February 2019, about 71% of North Carolina Medicaid beneficiaries participating in a supportive housing program for people with serious mental illness (SMI) have remained in housing for two… Read MoreThe Most Common Program Innovations Among Specialty Provider Organizations
Article July 1, 2019Greetings from New Orleans, where on the first day of The 2019 OPEN MINDS Strategy & Innovation Institute; we had the opportunity to hear from a lot of great organizations… Read MoreAmerican Foundation For Suicide Prevention Project 2025
Article July 1, 2019Despite increasing efforts to raise awareness and prevention strategies across the globe, suicide rates are currently among the highest in history, with rates increasing over 30% in the United States… Read MoreCognitive Function & Neuroprotection In Schizophrenia
On-Demand Webinar June 26, 2019Schizophrenia has a worldwide prevalence of approximately 1%.1 Individuals living with the disease often experience neurocognitive deficits, as well as poor memory and attention, which are considered core symptoms for… Read MoreJoint Commission Standard Requires Behavioral Health Organizations to Use Valid Instrument To Track Progress During Treatment
Article June 24, 2019The Joint Commission requires accredited behavioral health organizations to adopt “measurement-based care” by assessing every consumer using a validated tool or instrument to track progress during treatment. The results of… Read MoreAnother Rating System—This Time For Addictions—Adds To The Search For Value
Article June 24, 2019A few weeks ago, we covered the announcement that the soon-to-launch Shatterproof Rating System for addiction treatment programs will go live in five states next year—Delaware, Louisiana, Massachusetts, New York,… Read MoreOnly Four States Have Essential Health Benefits Benchmark Plans That Meet PPACA Standards For Addiction Treatment
Article June 24, 2019Only four U.S. states (California, Minnesota, Oregon, and Rhode Island) have essential health benefits (EHB) benchmark plans that provide coverage for comprehensive addiction treatment that aligns with the parity standards… Read MoreOverdose Deaths In California Prisons Up 160% In Four Years
Article June 24, 2019Overdose deaths in California’s 36 correctional facilities increased by 160%, from 15 deaths in 2014 to 39 deaths in 2017. Emergency department visits and admissions for drug overdose increased 54%… Read MoreMedian Of Two Recovery Attempts Needed To Resolve Significant Drug Or Alcohol Problem
Article June 24, 2019Of individuals who have resolved a significant drug or alcohol problem in the United States, a median of two serious recovery attempts were needed for over half to achieve recovery.… Read MoreThe Role Of Digital Health In Pharmacy: Innovations, Opportunities, & Barriers
Interview June 24, 2019Digital health technology can be used in a variety of settings to increase adherence, engage patients, and measure outcomes. This includes within community, hospital, clinical, and retail pharmacies, where pharmacists… Read MoreMoving Health Care From Beds To Wellness
Article June 24, 2019One of the big cultural changes happening in health care is moving from “volume” to “value” in reimbursement. The volume of services is still the focus of provider organization management… Read MoreWashington State To Launch Behavioral Health System Transformation
Article June 17, 2019Washington Governor Jay Inslee signed four bills into law on May 9, 2019, launching a transformation in Washington’s behavioral health system. The package includes two bills that affect community behavioral… Read MoreVirginia Community Services Boards Reach STEP-VA Goal Of Same-Day Access
Article June 17, 2019As of March 2019, all 39 of Virginia’s local Community Services Boards (CSBs) and the Richmond Behavioral Health Authority (RBHA), which provide access to public mental health services had implemented… Read More92% Of Kaiser Permanente Members Report Satisfaction With Telemedicine Visits
Article June 17, 2019Approximately 92% of Kaiser Permanente members report satisfaction with the convenience and quality of telemedicine visits with their primary care provider. Overall, 93% of members saying that the telemedicine visit… Read MoreOpioid Use For Chronic Pain: Screening, Monitoring, & Interplay With Mental Health Conditions
Video June 17, 2019Hear from Jason Carter, Pharm.D., a Medical Science Liaison with Otsuka Pharmaceutical Development & Commercialization, Inc., as he explores the interrelation between chronic pain, opioid prescribing practices, and mental health… Read MoreLaw Enforcement Agencies Spend 10% Of Budgets Responding To & Transporting Persons With Mental Illness
Article June 17, 2019About 10% of law enforcement agencies’ total budgets in 2017 was spent responding to and transporting persons with mental illness. In total, law enforcement agencies spent an estimated $918 million… Read MoreThe Big Target For Specialty Provider Organizations—The Cost Of Comorbid Chronic Disease
Article June 10, 2019In creating proposed models for value-based reimbursement of specialty provider organizations, one of the goals of our team is to link specialty provider organization “performance” to the total cost of… Read MoreCapitated Payment Models For California Provider Organizations Increased Quality For Commercially Insured Consumers
Article June 10, 2019California-based provider organizations sharing financial risk through a capitated payment model had better health outcomes and performance on quality measures than provider organizations reimbursed using a fee-for-service (FFS) model. In… Read MoreMedicaid Expansion Results In Fewer Addiction-Related Deaths
Article June 10, 2019Medicaid expansion may have reduced the number of addiction-related deaths between 2014 and 2015. From 2002 through 2015, the national rate of addiction-related deaths was 21.15 per 100,000 population. During… Read MoreScreening Humana Medicare Advantage Members For Social Determinants Of Health Reduced ‘Unhealthy Days’ By 2.7%
Article June 10, 2019Humana’s Medicare Advantage members had an average 2.7% reduction in the number of “unhealthy days” during 2018, and the reduction was linked to an increase in screening for social determinants… Read MoreHow VBR Prioritizes Primary Care As The ‘Center’ Of Integration
Article June 3, 2019In March the California Department of Health Care Services (DHCS) released draft value-based payment (VBP) performance measures for the state’s Medicaid managed care program (in California, the Medicaid program is… Read MoreOrange County California To Launch Addiction Treatment Registry
Article June 3, 2019The Orange County, California Health Care Agency is preparing to launch an online addiction treatment registry by summer 2019; the system is currently in testing. The registry will require private… Read MoreOver Half Of Clinical Professionals Unprepared To Provide Behavioral Health Screening & Brief Interventions
Article June 3, 2019More than half of clinical health care professionals said they felt unprepared to provide behavioral health screening and brief intervention (SBI) during regular consumer visits. About 57% do not feel… Read MoreIllinois Considering Medicaid Health Plan Legislation
Article June 3, 2019The Illinois legislature is considering three bills to change the practices of managed care organizations (MCOs) operating under HealthChoice Illinois, the state’s Medicaid managed care program. The proposed legislation comes… Read MoreRural Emergency Department Visits Increased 50+% Since 2005
Article May 27, 2019Between January 2005 and December 2016, rural emergency department visit rates increased by more than 50%, from 36.5 to 64.5 per 100 persons. At the same time, there was a… Read MoreFive States To Pilot The Shatterproof Addiction Treatment Rating System
Article May 27, 2019On May 2, 2019, Shatterproof announced that West Virginia would be joining Delaware, Louisiana, Massachusetts, and New York as the fifth and final state to participate in a pilot of… Read MoreNew Consumer Rights To Data = New IT Challenges
Article May 27, 2019The good news: 84% of specialty provider organizations have an electronic health record (EHR). The bad? Hardly any specialty provider organizations have health information exchange (HIE) capabilities—at last count, less… Read MoreGiving Mental Illness A Voice: Patient Perspectives On Self-Disclosure & Stigma
On-Demand Webinar May 23, 2019Individuals living with mental illness often struggle with disclosing their mental health condition to others like friends, family, and employers, due to stigma. This stigmatization may impact the individual in… Read MoreState Of The Science 2019: REMS & Other Hot Topics In Bipolar Disorder Treatment
Interview May 22, 2019PsychU Section Advisor Dr. Terence Ketter takes a moment to share his insights into treatment and science advances in the field of bipolar disorder research. He touches on risk evaluation… Read MoreMetrics, Oversight, Politics, & Treatment Decisions: Studying The Interrelation Between Risk & Protective Factors For Burnout Among VHA PTSD Specialty Clinic Teams
Article May 20, 2019Background Burnout – measured in terms of emotional exhaustion, cynicism, and sense of professional efficacy – continues to be an issue among health care providers. Mental health providers are believed… Read MoreNational & State Behavioral Health Systems: Changes On The Horizon
On-Demand Webinar May 14, 2019Over the past two years, legislative changes have had a significant impact on the behavioral health industry landscape, particularly in how services are delivered to consumers. From the 21st Century… Read MoreCan MULTI Impact More Than Physical Health Outcomes Among An Inpatient Population With SMI?
Article May 13, 2019Background & Purpose Unfortunately, for many individuals living with serious mental illness (SMI), presentation of their illness may include experienced lethargy, leaving them less active than their otherwise healthy peers.… Read MoreThe Path Forward In Serving The Dual Eligible Population
Article May 13, 2019In December of last year, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) released guidance to state Medicaid programs on how to better serve consumers who are dually eligible for… Read MoreState Of The Science 2019: Where Are We With Depression Care In The United States?
Interview May 6, 2019Care for major depressive disorder (MDD) has come a long way. The mental health field continues to make new strides in the understanding of the underlying pathology and potential treatment… Read MorePsychiatric Facilities Spend Nearly $2 Billion Annually To Comply With Medicare Conditions Of Participation
Article May 6, 2019Psychiatric facilities in the United States spend about $1.7 billion annually to comply with Medicare Conditions of Participation (CoPs) set by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). The… Read MoreWhy Clinical Guidelines Matter More With Risk-Based Contracting
Article May 6, 2019Clinical practice patterns in the U.S. have always had great variance. Over the past 35 years, since The Dartmouth Atlas Study, research has documented great geographic variations in health care… Read MoreBenefits & Challenges Of Smartphone Use In Mental Health
On-Demand Webinar May 1, 2019Pew Research Center statistics indicate that 95% of Americans now own some type of cellphone, and that 77% are smartphones.1 Increases in digital adoption for residents in the U.S. certainly… Read MoreState Of The Science 2019: Advances In Understanding & Treating Schizophrenia
Interview May 1, 2019PsychU Section Advisor, Dr. René Kahn takes a moment to share his insights into the state of treatment and advances in research on schizophrenia. He touches on clinical trials on… Read MoreDenver Supportive Housing Social Impact Bond Program Sees 85% Success Rate
Article April 29, 2019Denver’s pay-for-success, supportive housing social impact bond (SIB) has seen an 85% success rate from its creation in January 2016 through December 2017. During that period, the five-year program had… Read MoreAfter A Natural Disaster Or Tragedy: Behavioral Health Response Immediately Following A Mass Shooting (Part 8 Of 9)
Interview April 29, 2019In this interview, Deborah Blalock describes the behavioral health services immediately provided following the mass shooting which occurred on June 17, 2015 at Mother Emanuel AME in Charleston, SC. She… Read MoreAfter A Natural Disaster Or Tragedy: Long-Term Behavioral Health Services In Response To A Mass Shooting (Part 9 Of 9)
Interview April 29, 2019In this interview, Deborah Blalock describes the long-term behavioral health services being provided in her community, to the congregation and first responders impacted, in response to the mass shooting on… Read MoreIs There Value In Staffing Ratios?
Article April 29, 2019Where do mandated staffing ratios fit in value-based care? Do lower staffing ratios for clinical professionals improve the quality of care? The data isn’t clear about the benefits of lower… Read MoreCalifornia Releases Proposed Medi-Cal Value-Based Payment Program Measures
Article April 29, 2019On March 7, 2019, the California Department of Health Care Services (DHCS) released draft Medi-Cal value-based payment (VBP) performance measures. The measures are grouped into four domains, and each domain… Read MoreVirtual Mental Health Delivery Systems Evolve
Article April 22, 2019I was reading a recent issue of a consumer health magazine—an article about mental health. What was interesting was the recommendation of the author. The recommendation was not to call… Read MoreMassachusetts Blues Foundation Report Identifies ER Use Caused By Behavioral Health Continuum Gaps
Article April 22, 2019A Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts Foundation report has identified emergency room use caused by gaps in the state’s behavioral health continuum. Between 2011 and 2016, the number of… Read MorePer Physician Annual Hospital Revenue Value At $2.4 Million
Article April 15, 2019Physicians generate an average of $2,378,727 (per physician) in annual revenue for hospitals. This includes $2,133,273 generated by each primary care physician; and $2,446,429 generated by each specialist physician. This… Read More35% Of Psychiatrists & 70% Of All Physicians Accept New Appointments For Medicaid Beneficiaries
Article April 15, 2019About 35.7% of psychiatrists accepted appointments for new consumers covered by Medicaid, compared to 70.8% of physicians overall. Psychiatrists accepted appointments for new consumers covered by Medicaid at a much… Read MoreNew Hampshire Medicaid Implements MCO Capitation Rates Linked To Performance
Article April 15, 2019On February 15, 2019, the New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) announced the next New Hampshire Medicaid Care Management (MCM) managed care organization (MCO) contracts with AmeriHealth… Read MoreOpioid-Related Emergency Department Visits By Older Adults Rose 217% Between 2006 & 2014
Article April 15, 2019Between 2006 and 2014, emergency department visits attributed to International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems, ninth edition (ICD-9) codes related to opioids rose 217% among those aged… Read MoreNew Jersey Horizon Blues Social Determinants Pilot Cut Total Cost Of Care By 25%
Article April 15, 2019During its first year, a social determinants of health pilot project in Newark cut the participants’ total cost of care by 25%. The “Newark Initiative” launched in 2017 as a… Read MoreCDC’s Opioid Guideline For Chronic Pain Often Misapplied
Article April 15, 2019Following the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issuance of its opioid prescribing guidelines in early 2016, payers, provider organizations, and physicians misapplied the guidelines to the detriment of… Read MoreSocial Services ROI Essential To Social Determinants Wave
Article April 15, 2019Over the past few years, payer and health plan interest in social support services—housing, transportation, nutriti - Resource Library
