Becker’s Behavioral Health

Text-based psychotherapy can be as effective as video sessions for treating depression, according to research published Oct. 30 in JAMA Network Open.  For the study, researchers from Seattle-based University of Washington School of Medicine evaluated 850 adults receiving care through…

Arlington-based Texas Health Resources’ Addiction Recovery Center began using virtual reality in treatment in July to help patients cope with substance use disorder in a controlled setting, according to an Oct. 29 report from the Fort Worth Star-Telegram.  The 80-bed…

Lawmakers introduced a bipartisan bill that would ban AI companions for children and impose criminal penalties on companies that violate new safety standards. The Guaranteeing Unalienable and Anatomical Rights for Dependents, or GUARD, Act was introduced by Sens. Josh Hawley,…

Sacramento, Calif.-based Crestwood Behavioral Health has opened a new mental health rehabilitation center in Selma, Calif., according to an Oct. 29 report from the Mid Valley Times.  The Crestwood Selma Wellness Center will treat up to 40 individuals at a…

Nashville, Tenn.-based Centerstone has expanded its Assertive Community Treatment program to multiple counties in Illinois to support adults with serious mental illness, according to an Oct. 29 report from River Bender.  The program now serves Madison, St. Clair, Jersey, Jackson,…

Utah is moving forward with a plan to open a behavioral health campus in 2027 that will provide psychiatric and substance use disorder treatment services for up to 1,300 people experiencing homelessness, The New York Times reported Oct. 29.  The…

West Palm Beach, Fla.-based Ethema Health Corp. signed a letter of intent Oct. 23 to acquire multiple assets and separate entities of Louisa, Ky.-based Addiction Recovery Care, a move expected to generate more than $100 million in revenue in 2026,…

A group of 17 Democratic senators is urging HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to reverse recent staffing cuts at the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, citing risk to the nation’s opioid and mental health response.  Since the…

The Kentucky Department of Postsecondary Education has launched CLIMB 2.0 — Career Ladders in Mental and Behavioral Health — a workforce development initiative designed to prepare high school students for careers in behavioral health.  The program is designed to enable…

OpenAI has updated ChatGPT’s default GPT-5 model to better recognize signs of mental distress, de-esculate sensitive conversations and direct users toward professional support when appropriate. The changes are part of a broader effort to reduce unsafe responses and address high-risk…