Nearly 1 in 4 US Adults Sought Mental Health Treatment in Past Year

Nearly a quarter of the U.S. adult population received mental health treatment in 2023. That’s according to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration’s new 2023 National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH) report. “Each year, data from the annual NSDUH provides an opportunity to identify and address unmet healthcare needs across America,” […]

ONC, SAMHSA Team Up on $20M Behavioral Health IT Initiative

Federal agencies are looking to give behavioral health providers a technology boost. The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) and the Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONC) will invest $20 million over the next three years on a program to help promote IT in behavioral health care settings. Behavioral […]

Bipartisan Bill Would Authorize $30M for 988 Suicide Center Follow-Ups

A new bipartisan bill would connect people in crisis with check-in and outreach services to provide continuity of care.  Research shows that follow-ups can dramatically reduce the likelihood of a repeat suicide attempt.  Congressmen Jamie Raskin (D-Md.), Brian Fitzpatrick (R-Pa.) and David Trone (D-Md.) re-introduced the Continuity in Necessary Evaluative Crisis Treatment (CONNECT) Act to […]

Biden Urges Public Housing Providers To Carry Opioid Overdose Reversal Medications 

Opioid overdose reversal medicines like Narcan may soon be as standard-issue as fire extinguishers in affordable and public housing communities. The federal government urged housing providers to stock drugs like Narcan onsite in a joint letter signed by the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), […]

SAMHSA: Only 8 States Have ‘Well-Developed’ Value-Based Care Initiatives for Addiction Treatment

The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) finds that meaningful development of value-based care policies for addiction treatment among the states is a rarity. Only eight states have “well-developed and ongoing” initiatives for addiction treatment, according to a new report released Monday. Twenty-four states had quality performance initiatives in their Medicaid programs, while […]

70M Americans Have SUD, Mental Health Conditions; 72% Say They’re Recovering

Over 70% of adults who report having ever had substance use or mental health conditions consider themselves in recovery or recovering. Still, factors like education, income and sexuality may impact who is recovering. This finding was among those compiled in a report released Wednesday by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). Using […]

Standardized Credentialing, Reimbursement Clarity Could Accelerate Use of Peers in Behavioral Health Care

Years into a national behavioral health workforce shortage, many provider organizations are now seeking to leverage peer specialists. Advocates argue that peers could be a crucial part of expanding behavioral health access and supporting patients holistically in their recovery. Yet reimbursement challenges and varying state licensure requirements have historically created barriers for providers utilizing the […]

SAMHSA, HHS Roll Out New National Model Standards for Behavioral Health Peer Support Certification

Federal health agencies have released new national model standards for peer support certification focused on the behavioral health workforce. The goal of the model standards – penned by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), the Office of Recovery, and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) – is to speed […]

The Biden Administration’s FY2024 Budget Dedicates $656M to ‘Transforming Behavioral Health’

The White House appears to be doubling down on its behavioral health efforts in its new 2024 budget proposal. The proposed budget aims to grow the behavioral health workforce, increase access to services – including crisis care – and advance mental health research. “In response to the current behavioral health crisis and in support of […]