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Health care payments continue to evolve and shift away from fee‐for‐service payment systems that typically reward volume and move to value‐based payment (VBP) models that incentivize high‐quality, cost‐effective care. While this is happening more for physical health services, there's more uncertainty about the role of behavioral health. A new white paper aims to tackle that question with information about existing models that have been implemented along with recommendations for federal and state policymakers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Medicare Advantage plans have become an increasingly attractive insurance option for older Americans, but results of a new study suggest that in many cases the cost savings they bring could come at the expense of access to psychiatric services. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article reports that Whole Health Campaign (WHC) released series of policy papers outlining the need to include mental illness and substance use as health care policy priority in the health reform process in the U.S. It notes that the papers center on access, quality, and choice and cost of care for people with these disorders and their family. It adds that the paper depicts the reason why mental illness and substance use research is an important part of America's health care system.

Observing a way to provide support to help patients experiencing depression, anxiety and burnout, an online mental health provider is working with insurers, such as Cigna, to provide its members with smartphone‐based treatment and access to licensed therapists and psychiatrists. Meru Health's digital therapeutic program provides remote clinician support, cognitive behavioral therapy and evidence‐based care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses the Treat First model of care program led by the New Mexico Behavioral Health Services Division for clinical practice improvement. Topics discussed include reactions of medical service provider on proposed cuts in Medicaid payment rates and fragmented service system, assessment related to patient's paper work and views of program coordinator Betty A. Downes on the same.

The article reports on the planned expansion by the Centerstone of America's service base in the U.S. It mentions that Centerstone of Indiana and the Dunn Center have approved an affiliation wherein its operations will be integrated under the Centerstone name. It adds that the latest affiliation added 1,800 employees and 128 service locations in Tennessee and Indiana. Moreover, it states that the affiliation will also enhance the mental health and substance abuse services.

Features the products related to medical care. Release of the CD-ROM presentation "Universal Screening for Domestic Violence"; Development of the evaluation and management service products by the American Health Information Management Association and the American Hospital Association.

The article reports on Medical College of Georgia consultants and their specific recommendations for improving the quality of care in public mental hospitals in Georgia. It states that the policy includes more experience for psychiatrists, improved training for all staff and better pay for non-medical workers. It mentions that the state previously attempted to improve care by decreasing demand at state hospitals.

Access to physicians in all health care categories poses a problem for Medicaid beneficiaries, but a research letter published this month highlights the disproportionate challenge in identifying psychiatric services for this population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article presents news related to mental health services. According to a congressional investigation recently made public, the government pays for prescription Medicaid. Thera-Tech LLC, acknowledging the unique business needs of private mental health practices, has launched a new industry-specific web site to help independent practitioners market and manage their practices online. Value Options was awarded an eHealthcare Leadership Award at the Eighth Annual Healthcare Internet Conference.

The article offers information on significance of educating health care providers on trauma-informed care. Topics discussed include integration of trauma-informed approaches into primary care practices; core domains of trauma-informed primary care, as well as identifying, outlining; and the views of Karen Johnson, director of trauma-informed services for the National Council, on change package content development activities.

Discloses that representatives from managed behavioral health care companies, hospital-based psychiatric systems and behavioral health group practices met in January 1997 to identify and discuss their differences and common goals in the midst of health care restructuring. Focus on the creation of integrated delivery systems; Major organizations that attended the event; Participation of medical group practices.

The article focuses how mental health advocates are building a momentum urging consumers and families to speak up against the U.S. Congress who is taking legislative action on repealing the U.S. Affordable Care Act (ACA) by letting them know how important the reform is for them.

The article discusses the highlights of the 29th annual Rosalynn Carter Symposium on Mental Health Law that was held on November 7-8, 2013 in Atlanta, Georgia. According to the author, the symposium attracted about 200 mental health professionals, providers, consumers, and field leaders to address important components for the field in working for consumers with mental health issues and service delivery.

The article reports on the utilization of Avatar suite of products from Netsmart Technologies Inc., a provider of enterprise-wide software for health and human services organizations by AtlantiCare Behavior Health under the Netsmart Technologies, Inc. in the U.S. Avatar will also function ad the integrated behavioral health component of AtlantiCare's electronic health record system.

The article discusses medical care to cover brain scans for Alzheimer' s disease. Medicare officials have announced that the Medicare program will begin covering brain scans to help diagnose patients who are showing signs of Alzheimer's disease. Medicare will pay for positron emission tomography for patients who show signs of Alzheimer' s disease but whose diagnosis is uncertain.

The article reports on the lack of coordination, poor research support and inadequate quality in the approach of the U.S. government in meeting the mental health needs of American military service personnel and their families, according to a report by the American Psychological Association (APA). The APA Task Force on Military Deployment Services for Youth, Families and Services Members provides support for the active-duty military members who experienced wartime strains.

Reports on the nationwide forums by the Children and Adults with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (CHADD) addressing discrepancies in care particularly Afro-Americans in the U.S. Discussions regarding attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder; Designs of the forum in coordinating the efforts of various national disability organizations; Contact number of CHADD.

The article offers information on the models for community-level work discussed during a dinner meeting in Washington, D.C. on December 4, 2012. The event was sponsored by the African-Caribbean Mental Health Association. DMA Health Strategies Chief Executive Officer Richard H. Dougherty made a note about intervening at the community level. South Carolina Professor Carolyn Jenkins talked about how diabetes programs in the state have lowered adverse outcomes for African-Americans.

The article reports on the association between the mental health status and service utilization as stated in the Mental Health America (MHA) report in the U.S. Access to care and higher treatment utilization improves societal rates of depression and lowers suicidal risk. MHA Chief Executive Officer (CEO) David Shern emphasized on the need of the mental health community to work together to continue the progress that has been made to ensure equitable and appropriate access to professional care.

Discusses the concerns raised by advocates regarding specific details lacking in a proposal to overhaul TennCare, the healthcare program of Tennessee for about 1.3 million poor, disabled and uninsured citizens.

The article presents information about the 2003 State Survey, that is a part of the Health Care Reform Tracking Project (HCRTP): "Tracking State Managed Care Systems As They Affect Children and Adolescents With Behavioral Health Disorders and Their Families." The survey, based on 39 managed care systems in 37 states, found that while cost containment has always been a goal of managed care systems, more states are focusing on cost issues compared to HCRTP's last survey in 2000. Concurrently, there has been a decline in states focusing on other types of goals, such has expanding services and improving quality.

Reports developments related to mental health as of March 2004. Access to treatment among Afro-Americans with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder; Increase in the number of college students seeking mental health services; Opposition to the plan for daytime drop-in facility for people with mental illness.

Reports on the disagreement between Washington state mental health officials and federal officials of Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services(CMS) over the state's proposed mental health managed care plan as of October 10, 2003. Reason for the disagreement; Significance of the final rules for the mental health managed care plan; Impact of demands of CMS on state's public mental health.

Reports on the mixed reactions of U.S. mental health advocates to the 2004 fiscal budget proposed by President George W. Bush. Budget increases for some discretionary programs; Decreased funding for regional programs; Level-funding of the mental health block grant.

Reports on the plan of New York governor, George E. Pataki to increase surveillance of the state's adult-care facilities. Improvement of residents' living conditions and quality of life; Promotion of consumer participation within the homes; Recommendations of New York chapter of National Alliance for the Mentally Ill on the plan.

The article discusses a collaboration between software vendor Netsmart and electronic medical records organization Epic (Electronic Privacy Informatiion Center) to accelerate clinical information interoperability and improve coordination across all modalities of care for people with mental illness. The collaboration aims to use existing national interoperability standards such as the Continuity of Care Document (CCD) to demonstrate a working model for exchanging information for behavioral use.

The article offers information on readers' insights regarding the challenges that U.S. health services will be facing in 2010 According to Vicker V. DiGravio III, president at the Association for Behavioral Healthcare (ABH), Massachusetts is facing a budget deficit of about three billion dollars. Virna Little from the Institute for Family Health, says that health centers expect to face same day billing exclusions and disparity of treatment of behavioral healthcare by insurers.

The article features several reader responses concerning the U.S. state budgets for 2009. John A. Creek argues that all wholly state-funded services should be eliminated. Cindy E. Ostrowski insists on careful consideration cuts with a preparation of more dramatic cuts list. Janice Wilson urges that enough behavioral health consultants and medical providers should be provided to care for the additional uninsured clients.

The article focuses on the participation of Carlsbad Mental Health Center in New Mexico with the National Council for Community Behavioral Healthcare's Access and Retention project. This initiative is designed to help community mental health centers reduce consumer wait times and serve more people with less resources. Through this participation, the center's capacity for outpatient and medical services has increased. It also enable them to provide immediate access to services.

The article provides updates related to medical care in the U.S. The Bazelon Center for Mental Health Law urges advocates to participate in the public comment period regarding the final regulations on the case management services under Medicaid by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). The Food and Drug Administration is necessitating drug makers to incorporate a comprehensive suicidal risk factor assessment in its clinical trials.

The article reports on the practice guidelines for youth mental health services released by the Tennessee Department of Mental Health and Developmental Disabilities. The report says that the "Best Practice Guidelines: Behavioral Health Services for Children and Adolescents" will be used by psychiatrist, primary care physicians, nurse practitioners, psychologists, health service providers, nurses and social workers throughout the state.

The article presents several leader responses on the journal's question about the most pressing challenges will be in the mental health care industry in 2007. Nancy Widdoes, managed care system administrator at Delaware Division of Child Mental Health Services/Department of Children, Youth and their Families said that the most challenging will be the development of resources/strategies to make more effective services.

The article offers medical news briefs. The Food and Drug Administration has warned health professionals and patients about the new drug called Paxil, which is said to cure depression, can caused to an increased risk of birth defects when taken for the first 3 months during pregnancy. Ernest Amory Codman Award was given to Pikes Peak Mental Health Care Center in Colorado. The Department of Veterans Affairs has reveal their plan of building three Mental Health Centers of Excellence.

The article focuses on the integration of behavioral health and primary care services in the United States. There are many reasons why integration is important. The safety net population in every community served by the Community Mental Health Centers (CMHC) and Community Health Centers (CHC) has seamless access to both behavioral healthcare and physical healthcare. Every state has clear policies in place that describe the behavioral health services delivered in CMHC and CHC settings. The federal government has aligned policies between the HRSA, SAMHSA and CMS regarding clinical and reimbursement models for behavioral health/primary care integration.

The article reports that the access to specialty mental health care has increased over the past decade for the most seriously mentally ill, though people with other mental illnesses or just a perceived need for services saw their access decline. Ironically, however, people with other mental illnesses who reported a need for help accessed less specialty mental health care in HCC2 than those without mental illness who perceived a need for care.

Ensuring that the behavioral health workforce keeps pace with rapid research advances, pharmaceutical developments, shifts in managed care and changing treatment protocols ranks among the field's most urgent challenges. Few would dispute that the gap between what the nation's up-and coming counselors, psychiatrists, nurses and psychologists are taught and what they encounter in the real world of practice is huge. Enter a group that is making determined strides in closing that gap the Annapolis Coalition on "Behavioral Health Workforce Education." It's mission is to promote consensus on the nature of the workforce crisis and to promote improvements in the quality and relevance of education and training by identifying and implementing change strategies.

The article focuses on the report "Behavioral Health for the Vulnerable: Can HMOs Deliver?" released by the West Virginia Behavioral Health Care Providers Association, which recommends on the need for the Department of Health and Human Services to test whether the new system of Medicaid shift will deliver what is promised.

The article reports that an association of leading European research organizations along with GE Healthcare and VIT Technical Research Centre of Finland are collaborating on a research project called PredictAD. The said project aims to develop a new diagnostic procedures for patients with Alzheimer's disease. Moreover, it reports that the project which will work and operate for three years will be funded by the European Union.

The article reports on the proposal of the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) to change guidelines to the Community Support (CS) program. These guidelines are aimed at strengthening the effectiveness of CS, a widely used mental health service. CS intends to serve consumers in their home communities and avoid the need for costly inpatient care.

The article presents information about the launching of a new Web site by Geriatric Mental Health Foundation on late-life mental health issues. The site provides information and resources on mental health care for older adults. It includes information on late-life depression, dementia and Alzheimer's disease, care giving and other mental health topics. The site also has a find-a-doctor feature that searches a database of clinicians across the country that is members of the American Association for Geriatric Psychiatry.

The article reports on a commission appointed by Oregon governor Ted Kulongoski which has recommended that the state invest in community-based services for the mentally ill, the Associated Press reported. In its draft report the Governor's Mental Health Task Force said that it believes the state should invest in community facilities rather than operate a large centralized mental hospital. The draft report calls for more funding for community-based mental health programs and recommends an overhaul of Oregon State Hospital, a state-run psychiatric facility in Salem that houses more than 700 patients.

The article reports on Angela Bowers, a Scottsdale, Ariz.-based psychologist, has launched two compact discs (CDs) that utilize a technique called guided imagery to help lower anxiety. The CDs, "Embracing Healing: Guided Imagery for Surgical Patients" and "Transforming Anxiety: Guided Imagery for Anxiety, Panic Attack or Chronic Stress," are available to both physicians and patients. Bowers is a licensed clinical psychologist who has been in private practice for over 20 years. She teaches guided imagery to patients with cancer and other illnesses.

Presents news updates on the health care industry in the U.S. as of March 31, 2003. Appointment of Jeff Emerson as chief information officer of Magellan Health Services Inc.; Naming of David Stone as member of the Mental Health Corp. of America board of directors; Hiring of Jesse Williams as senior vice-president of Youth Services International Inc.