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Intensive outpatient and partial hospitalization or day treatment programs can provide more intensive levels of care with multiple types of therapy, more frequent sessions with mental health professionals, and clinically informed care coordination and case management. This observation on residential treatment is included in a new white paper released this month by the National Association for Behavioral Healthcare (NABH). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Observing that the transition to the 988 National Suicide and Crisis Lifeline offers an opportunity to grow crisis response services along a continuum, the National Association of State Mental Health Program Directors (NASMHPD) and the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) last month released a series of 10 technical assistance collaborative papers providing important resources for stakeholders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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]

Boldly proclaiming to Congress that it's time to redesign the U.S. mental and behavioral health system, Senate lawmakers last month released a white paper outlining a national strategy to integrate mental health care, enhance delivery within local communities and improve how federal funds and other resources are planned for and allocated to increase the nation's investment through better mental and behavioral health outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article offers information on mental health education to be taught in schools. Topics discussed include white paper "Mental Health Education in New York Schools: Review of Legislative History, Intent and Vision for Implementation" has been issued by Mental Health Association of New York State'; New York state schools teach about alcohol, tobacco and cancer screenings; and the views of Glenn Liebman, MHANYS chief executive officer, on curriculum development.

The article reports that the U.S. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) has released three overview papers detailing approaches to treating individuals with co-occurring mental health and substance abuse disorders. The overview papers were titled "Services Integration," "Systems Integration," and "The Epidemiology of Co-Occurring Substance Abuse and Mental Disorders."

Although there have been numerous integrated care models introduced for well over a decade now, some organizations have been unable to find one that fits their capabilities and goals. Additionally, it may be harder to adopt a comprehensive model without a good road map, according to the National Council for Mental Wellbeing (National Council), which recently released a new resource for better physical health and behavioral health integration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The life experience that the Treatment Advocacy Center's (TAC's) first DJ Jaffe advocate has brought to her role is summarized in her installment of the organization's "Our Stories Are Powerful" email fundraising campaign: "For Black families and other families of color, keeping our loved ones safe involves additional challenges." [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The year ended on a high note for the mental health field with the release of the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2023 (also known as the "Omnibus"). The omnibus appropriations funding package, which passed Dec. 23, 2022 by the House of Representatives and earlier in the week by the U.S. Senate, contains key mental health provisions, including significant increases for the Community Mental Health Services Block Grant and for Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinics (CCBHCs). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Results of a new study suggest that the accountable care organization (ACO) model of care that has grown substantially in the Medicare program since the adoption of the Affordable Care Act has not dramatically altered the provision of mental health services for patients with serious mental illness (SMI). The small savings in total health care spending that the study found in its examination of data for the SMI population is attributed mainly to savings in spending for chronic medical conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Could earmarking recreational marijuana taxes for investments in mental health offset the potential health consequences of marijuana legalization, while retaining its benefits to communities?, NYU News reported April 1. "If more and more states are passing recreational marijuana laws and adding excise taxes, then it would make sense that at least some of this is earmarked for mental health," says NYU School of Global Public Health's Jonathan Purtle, an associate professor of public health policy and management and the author of a new JAMAHealth Forum paper arguing that the earmarked taxes have the potential to help millions. Right now, most states don't earmark marijuana tax revenue for mental health. Just six states — Connecticut, Illinois, Montana, New York, Oregon, and Washington — mention mental health in their recreational marijuana tax codes, but only in combination with substance use, providing no guarantee that any revenue will be spent on mental health in addition to substance use services. "We found that earmarking a quarter of marijuana tax revenue is not nominal — it's a lot of money, and could help a lot of people," said Purtle. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Can bird‐watching improve mental health? A new study has found that people who have nature‐based experiences report better well‐being and lower psychological distress than those who do not, a North Carolina State University news release stated. Bird‐watching in particular yielded promising results, with higher gains in subjective well‐being and more reduction in distress than more generic nature exposure, such as walks. Because bird‐watching is an easily accessible activity, the results are encouraging for college students, who are among those most likely to suffer from mental health problems, the news release indicated. "Bird‐watching is among the most ubiquitous ways that human beings interact with wildlife globally, and college campuses provide a pocket where there's access to that activity even in more urban setting, said Nils Peterson, corresponding author of the study and a professor of forestry and environmental resources at North Carolina State University. The paper, "Birdwatching linked to increased psychological well‐being on college campuses: A pilot‐scale experimental study," was published in Environmental Psychology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Leading advocates and researchers in the mental health field published new data in JAMA showing that state medical board license applications do not follow national recommendations to protect the mental health of physicians, The Emotional PPE Project reported May 18. Physicians have high rates of burnout and consistently report they do not have adequate support for their emotional wellness. Despite this context, physicians infrequently seek mental health care, often fearing that it will result in loss of their medical license. In 2018, the Federation of State Medical Boards (FSMB) published recommendations to limit medical license application questions regarding mental health to only what is necessary and relevant, and to provide language supportive of mental health treatment seeking. The findings in JAMA show that as of July 2020, these recommendations have not been widely adopted. Only 1 of 54 US state and territory medical licensing applications evaluated in the study fully adopted the FSMB recommendations (North Carolina), and five states were not consistent with any of the recommendations. This latest paper is one in a series of publications over the past year that have brought awareness to the multitude of barriers that physicians face when seeking mental health care. Advocacy organizations such as The Emotional PPE Project and the National Alliance on Mental Illness have emerged as some of the leaders in the effort to lift these barriers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Reports that the National Association of State Mental Health Program Directors Research Institute Inc. is seeking paper topics for its 12th annual Conference on State Mental Health Agency Services Research Program Evaluation and Policy in Washington D.C. Title of the conference; Topics for paper proposals; Guidelines.

The article discusses the report "Responding to the Newtown Tragedy: A White Paper on Behavioral Health as a Partner in the Solution," published by the National Association of Psychiatric Health Systems (NAPHS). Recommendation to the U.S. Congress and the national government on behavioral health service by NAPHS include ensuring essential health benefits in the Affordable Care Act (ACA), passage of the Behavioral Health Information Technology Act in Congress and issuance of a final parity rule.

Observing that frontline health care workers are still experiencing stress, burnout, grief, fatigue, anxiety and trauma from the impact of COVID‐19, Mental Health America (MHA) worked with five affiliates across five states to pilot culturally responsive, evidence‐based projects to serve these workers and their families. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article reports that the U.S. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration's Co-Occurring Center for Excellence has released three papers for treatment professionals, including counselors, administrators and primary care providers. The papers include "Overaching Principles to Address the Needs of Persons with Co-Occurring Disorders," "Definitions and Terms Relating to Co-Occuring Disorders" and Screening Assessment and Treatment Planning for Persons with Co-Occuring Disorders."

Creating work environments that give staff members a sense of belonging and fulfillment proves critical to organizations' success in the face of a behavioral health workforce shortage, a human services leader said this month during a National Council for Mental Wellbeing webinar. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Many Medicaid‐eligible children are not receiving recommended timely follow‐up care in the community after a mental health‐related visit to a hospital emergency department, a newly published study suggests. The study's numbers paint an especially disappointing picture for Black children, likely reflecting a number of conditions ranging from a lack of diversity in the behavioral health workforce to limited access to school‐based services. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The realization that faith communities have been an underutilized resource in healing individual and community trauma has fueled a fast‐growing initiative co‐led by the National Association of State Mental Health Program Directors (NASMHPD). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article reports that the legislation introduced in the California Assembly would need licensed health care practitioners to screen mothers for mental health conditions at least once during pregnancy and once during the postpartum period. The case management program would have to meet standards and would need plans and insurers to notify providers of the availability of the program.

It is an exciting year for the National Association of State Mental Health Program Directors (NASMHPD) as we recognize and celebrate our 60th anniversary. We have been working on many issues to improve the mental health of persons in our country. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An integrated behavioral health model is providing the strongest evidence base to effectively treat the needs of the country's mental health care system, especially for children and adolescents; however, its uptake among health systems and primary care providers has been slow, especially in pediatric practices, according to the authors of a new report by the Meadows Mental Health Policy Institute. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article reports on the move by mental health (MH) stakeholders to support the adoption of digital mental health treatments (DMHT) within the U.S. health care system. Among the stakeholders is The Banbury Forum for Digital Mental Health Treatment. Also cited are the barriers of MT treatments like stigma and shortage of mental health providers, as well as the comment of SilverCloud Health's Derek Richards on DMHTs.

Reports that the Mental Health in Corrections Consortium is seeking presentations for its sixth annual Mental Health Corrections Symposium on June 13-15, 1996 in Kansas City, Missouri. Criteria.

More than a year's worth of discussions of a "brand refresh" at the National Council for Behavioral Health has led to an organizational name change, to the National Council for Mental Wellbeing. The National Council's president and CEO told MHW last week that the change in large part reflects the perspectives of recipients of its members' services, a group of patients that never warmed up to the "behavioral health" terminology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents the call for proposals by the Research and Training Center for Children's Mental Health (RTC). RTC will hold its 18th annual research conference, "A System of Care for Children's Mental Health: Expanding the Research Base," from March 6 to 9 in Tampa, Florida. RTC is accepting applications for presentations and is especially interested in proposals that address research and evaluation related to system transformation; federally supported initiatives. The center is also interested in projects representing strong partnerships with family members. Presentation formats include symposia, paper presentations, topical discussions and poster presentations.

Editor's note: We asked Mental Health Weekly readers how COVID has changed the way their agency or organization operates and about the challenges and opportunities that await them in the new year. Here are some comments we received. More to come next week. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article reports that Kentucky officials are proposing to redesign the state's Medicaid program to address a $675 million shortfall in fiscal 2006. The redesign process includes improved coordination of mental health and substance abuse services and physical health services, to address the current fiscal crisis affecting the program. Faced with a $675 million budget shortfall in fiscal 2006, officials are planning to submit a Medicaid waiver proposal outlining their vision for a transformed Medicaid program to the U.S. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services officials on September 7, 2005. INSET: Kentucky Medicaid officials point to integrated care delivery..

The article offers information on the significance of the name changing of the American College of Mental Health Administration (ACMHA) on the mission and vision of the association in the U.S. According to ACMHA, the new name would center on mental health and substance abuse leadership programs. Along with the announcement of the name change, ACMHA also highlighted its plan for the implementation of the Critical Issues Series.

The article provides an answer to a question on why humans are more terrified of rare poisonous spiders that common reckless driver.

The article reports on the group, Florida Partners in Crisis, which is calling for increased funding for mental health programs in Florida. It mentions that the group is asking legislators to renew the 2007 Criminal Justice, Mental Health and Substance Abuse Reinvestment Act. The group proposes that the additional funds would improve community-based treatment through a matching grant program.

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.

The article reports on the increase in the number of psychiatrists who practice telemedicine in the U.S. The report denied the notion that psychiatry is best practice in person. Most of the states are now recognizing psychiatry as one of the most promising expressions of telemedicine. The technology is beneficial to patients with trauma or who have been abused.

The article offers information on congresses and conventions related to mental health in the U.S. A conference titled "2006 National Conference on Women, Addiction and Recovery: News You Can Use" will be held in Anaheim, California on June 12 to 13, 2006. The Professional Risk Management Services will hold a full day seminar on June 3, 2006. The 2006 convention of the National Alliance on Mental Illness will be held June 28, 2006 in Washington D.C.

The article discusses the impact of virtual violence on mental health. The American Psychological Association (APA) urged a reduction in the violence found in so many video games available to children and adolescents. The APA cited 20 years of research as well as a recent paper analyzing dozens of studies, reported the "New York Times." The data show that those children who play video games containing violence and bloodshed show greater "short term" increases in antagonism toward their friends, parents and other authority figures, compared with those kids who play more benign games.

This article presents news related to mental health services. Magellan Health Services Inc. has updated and simplified its schizophrenia treatment guidelines, adopting the American Psychiatric Association's Practice Guideline for the Treatment of Patients with Schizophrenia and expanding on it with a summary of recently published research. The Boston Bar Association has published the "How-To Guide," to Children's Mental Health Services in Massachusetts, with support from Children's Hospital Boston.

Reports on the upgrade of the web site of Menninger Clinic. Offer of information to mental health professionals and mental people with mental illness; Expansion of the treatment program section, papers and books; Provision of data on Menninger training programs and a Newsroom section for the media.

Current state Medicaid and commercial health insurer payment policies do not fairly reimburse for services to promote children's mental health — a failure that violates federal law, states a new report released this month that takes note of the increased rates of mental health problems experienced by children during the pandemic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This pandemic represents a moment in history when suicide prevention must be prioritized as a serious public health concern, the chief medical officer of the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP) stated in a new JAMA Psychiatry article. The commentary represents a call to action for policymakers, health system leaders, organizational leaders and the community to mitigate suicide risk during and after the pandemic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A statewide student mental wellness initiative that the administration of New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy is touting as the first effort of its kind nationally is not winning universal acclaim in the state. Leaders in some school districts where students have been served in a smaller‐scale program said they are worried that momentum gained from that program will be lost under the announced change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Reports on `Administration and Policy in Mental Health' periodical's search for manuscript submissions. Contact information.

Announces the call for research applications by Florida-based Research and Training Center for Children's Mental Health to be presented at its eight annual conference on service systems scheduled for March 6-8, 1995 in Tampa, Florida. Possible topics; Contact information.

The article discusses the report from the National Association of Mental Health Program Directors and Treat Advocacy Center in the U.S. which outline a program to improve the mental health treatment system. The report reportedly offered recommendations for an improved system which provides a continuum of care. These recommendations include emergency treatment practice, pyschiatric beds, and partnerships.

The article reports on the guidelines to be provided by the advisory board regarding clinical practice issues in the sectors like behavioral health, psychotropic medications, and substance use disorders. Topics include views of Joseph Parks, from the National Council for Behavioral Health, on behavioral health care; health care plans to be managed by the representatives from community mental health centers (CMHCs); and management of controlled prescriptions for substance use disorders.

Systematic information about how psychiatric services have been used by children and young people with mental health issues during the pandemic is imperative, according to researchers of a recent systematic review that investigated the global impact the COVID‐19 pandemic has had on how the general population have used broader health care services, including visits, admissions, diagnostics and therapeutics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The majority of Americans agree that mental health support should be provided for incarcerated people in this country, according to the latest Healthy Minds monthly poll commissioned by the American Psychiatric Association (APA) and conducted by the global market research firm, Morning Consult. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article offers news briefs in the U.S. related to mental health. An online survey of adults' views on mental health treatment has been conducted by Harris Interactive Inc. and American Psychological Association. A paper from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration has studied mental illness at substate level. Another corporate-sponsored study suggests that obsessive-compulsive disorder is under-treated.

The article reports on the paper "Care of Adults with Mental Health and Substance Abuse Disorders in U.S. Community Hospitals, 2004," released by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. According to the report, about 1.9 million of the 7.6 million hospital stays were for patients hospitalized for mental health or substance abuse problem. With this, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration administrator Terry Cline calls for increased mental illness intervention effort.

The article reports on developments related to mental health in the U.S. The four counties in Sacramento, California are poised to collect the windfall from Proposition 63 of the Mental Health Services Act. The Food and Drug Administration has announced the approval of the first drug for the prevention of major depressive episodes in patients with a history of Seasonal Affective Disorder. GlaxoSmithKline PLC has warned healthcare professionals regarding a possible increased risk of suicide attempts in young adults taking the antidepressant drug Paxil.