On Friday, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) awarded a five-year grant to the National Council for Mental Wellbeing to operate a national center for technical assistance for Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinic (CCBHC) grantees. The National Council for Mental Wellbeing will be given $3 million every year for five years and […]
National Council for Behavioral Health
In order for the shortened 988 suicide hotline to be a success when it rolls out in 2022, community stakeholders at various levels must do a better job helping individuals experiencing behavioral health crises, according to a new report published by the National Council for Behavioral Health. The 209-page report, which was authored by the […]
President Joe Biden has signed into law the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021, a $1.9 trillion COVID-19 relief bill that will boost unemployment benefits, provide stimulus checks to most Americans, ramp up the coronavirus vaccine roll out and set aside funding for small businesses and schools. More importantly for behavioral health providers — 40% […]
Behavioral health providers have long struggled with low reimbursement rates and slim margins, and the coronavirus only compounded those problems. As a result, a large number of American mental health and addiction treatment organizations could be forced to shut their doors if they don’t get more federal relief, the National Council for Behavioral Health found […]
Behavioral health providers lament the problem all the time: There just aren’t enough workers to keep up with the growing demand for services. Low reimbursement rates and slim operating margins are a big part of the problem because they hinder providers’ ability to pay competitive wages. The consensus among providers is that higher reimbursement rates […]
Study after study has shown that behavioral health treatment leads to better overall health outcomes and lower total care costs. But typical fee-for-service reimbursement models don’t account for services’ long-term impact. As such, most behavioral health providers grapple with meager reimbursement rates and slim margins. But the coronavirus could finally change that, mainstreaming value-based care […]
Centerstone Illinois adds MAT director Centerstone has hired a new medication-assisted treatment (MAT) medical director for its Illinois region. Wayne O. Wells stepped into the position Feb. 1. He brings more than 35 years of experience as a physician to the role, in addition to a slew of executive experience. In the past, he was […]
The number of certified community behavioral health clinics (CCBHCs) nationwide just skyrocketed thanks to a slew of newly released grants from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). This week SAMHSA awarded CCBHC grants to 134 clinics, bringing the total number of CCBHCs nationwide up to 340 — an increase of nearly 50% […]
Congress has passed a new $2.3 trillion stimulus bill, which includes billions in funding for behavioral health programs and initiatives. The legislation, which passed Monday night, is now headed to President Donald Trump, who is expected to sign it into law. The new relief package includes $4.25 billion in funding for the Substance Abuse and […]
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has put out its initial COVID-19 vaccine distribution recommendations. While the guidelines are good news for most health care workers, it’s unclear what they mean for behavioral health care providers. The CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices voted on Tuesday to make the recommendations, which will guide […]