According to an analysis by OPEN MINDS, funding for behavioral health in general, and spending by Medicaid in particular, has increased significantly in the past decade. The challenge for providers is how best to invest the additional money to address the myriad challenges that helped spur the increases. According to U.S. Behavioral Health Spending: A … Read more
In March, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) updated the certification criteria for Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinics (CCBHCs), with a particular focus on suicide and crisis care, the opioid epidemic, and health equity. The complete criteria update is available on the SAMHSA website, as is a summary of the changes. SAMHSA … Read more
From increased demand and provider mergers to the expansion of Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinics (CCBHCs) and growth of whole person and hybrid care, the Behavioral Health market is experiencing a significant increase in the size and complexity of providing services, requiring providers to adapt to fast-changing conditions. As Behavioral Health Gets Bigger… The growth … Read more
Telehealth, also known as remote or virtual care, grew out of necessity during the COVID-19 Pandemic for both physical and behavioral health care, but due to a number of important factors, it has had remarkable staying power for behavioral health services. While the use of telehealth for physical healthcare has declined since the Pandemic peak, … Read more
Evidence has been mounting for years that treating behavioral health conditions has a positive impact on physical health, and now a recently updated study quantifies the physical health cost savings for individuals who receive outpatient mental health care. Unfortunately, adequate access to behavioral health treatment remains a huge hurdle. Behavioral Health Treatment Reduces Physical Health … Read more
CMS Works to Reduce Barriers to Accessing Behavioral Health Services and Integrating Care As evidence of the effectiveness of whole person care mounts at the same time that an estimated 35% of adults with mental health issues don’t receive care, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) continues to work to eliminate barriers to … Read more
2022 Behavioral Health Recap Part 2: 4 Key Growth Areas Last year was a notable one for behavioral health. The previous blog post covered high-level trends, including rising demand for care, workforce shortages, and increased government spending. This post highlights key areas that saw continued growth in 2022: Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinics (CCBHCs), integrated … Read more
2022 Behavioral Health Recap Part 1: Demand Up, Supply Constrained, Big Funding Increases Approved Last year was a notable one for behavioral health. At the highest level, demand for care continued to increase far faster than the supply of those qualified to offer care, which contributed to more than one in four people reporting unmet … Read more
Report: Mental Health Parity at a Crossroads as 1-4 Have Unmet Behavioral Health Needs “More than 25 years after the first federal mental health parity protections were put in place, adequate coverage for behavioral health care – including both mental health and substance use conditions –remains elusive for many consumers with health insurance.”That’s the conclusion … Read more
A recent study by health care analytics firm Trilliant Health titled “2022 Trends Shaping the Health Economy” reports a continued increase in demand for Behavioral Health services but predicts an ongoing shortage of professionals, and it provides a host of interesting insights related to demographics, geography, payers and other factors for behavioral health and healthcare … Read more