Anorexia nervosa has among the highest mortality rates of any psychiatric disorder. This trend is leading some behavioral health providers to strengthen collaborations with hospices in an effort to improve quality outcomes. Research shows that more than 5% of patients die within four years of a diagnosis from a variety of medical causes. Clinicians and […]
Kaiser Permanente
Kaiser Permanente has agreed to pay a record-setting fine over its mismanagement of behavioral health benefits. In total, Kaiser Permanente must pay $200 million. This includes a $50 million fine, the largest the California Department of Managed Health Care (DMHC) has ever issued, as part of a settlement agreement. Kaiser Permanente has also committed to […]
Editor’s note (Feb. 2, 2023): A majority of Resilience Lab clinicians voted in favor of unionization. The mail-in vote was counted by the National Labor Relations Board on Feb. 1. The clinicians will be represented in collective bargaining efforts by District Council 37 of the American Federation of State, County & Municipal Employees. Unprecedented changes […]
Mental health services platform SilverCloud Health is rolling out a suite of offerings to address family health concerns, which comes in the wake of the pandemic and global events. The six-course suite features programs, content and interactive tools that incorporate integrated cognitive behavioral therapy. The suite was piloted through Fountain Valley, California-based MemorialCare, a Los […]
Amwell acquires two virtual health care companies After hinting last year at its intentions of acquiring a behavioral health startup, Amwell (NYSE: AMWL) has acquired two virtual care providers, one of which specializes in mental health. The Boston-based telehealth company announced that it has purchased SilverCloud Health and Conversa Health for a combined $320 million. […]
Telehealth has been vital in helping behavioral health providers navigate the COVID-19 pandemic. Regulatory flexibilities and payer leniency are largely to thank for that, but it’s unclear which of those freedoms will remain in place post-pandemic. Behavioral stakeholders from some of the health care industry’s largest organizations believe that data and provider input should ultimately […]
On-demand mental health care startup Ginger has raised $50 million in Series D funding, the company announced Thursday. The funding round was led by Advance Venture Partners and Bessemer Venture Partners, with contributions also coming from big names such as Cigna Ventures, Kaiser Permanente Ventures and Jeff Weiner, the executive chairman of LinkedIn. The new […]
Patients recovering from eating disorders may benefit when traditional treatment is supplemented with the use of apps, a new study reports. The results, which were published by the American Journal of Psychiatry, could be of interest to eating disorder recovery providers looking for assistance in delivering better patient outcomes. For the study, researchers followed 225 […]
The demand for behavioral health services nationwide these days is strong, with more than half of Americans seeking assistance for themselves or loved ones. However, the supply of clinicians is not keeping up with the demand for services. In California, where a shortage of behavioral health care workers has made national news in recent years, […]
About 4,000 Kaiser Permanente mental health workers in California are striking this week in what they say is an effort to shorten wait times for patients and reduce caseloads for therapists. The psychologists, therapists, psychiatric nurses and other healthcare professionals involved are members of the National Union of Healthcare Workers (NUHW). The weeklong strike was […]