Today's Top 20 Stories
  1. Reducing mental health ED visits can save billions, improve care: AJMC

    Improving accessibility to mental health services outside of the emergency department could save hospitals over $4 billion and improve patient outcomes, The American Journal of Managed Care reported Dec. 13. 
  2. Charlie Health launches virtual outpatient program in Michigan

    Bozeman, Mont.-based virtual mental healthcare provider Charlie Health has expanded its outpatient care program to Michigan.
  3. Virtual reality mental health companies merge, raise $13M

    BehaVR and OxfordVR combined their virtual reality-based treatment companies and raised $13 million in a funding round led by insurance giant Optum Ventures. 

The COVID-19 'infodemic': How 4 systems are combating health misinformation

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How Ballad, MetroHealth and 2 other systems are addressing COVID misinformation and restoring patient trust. Join the virtual discussion here.
  1. Biden administration's 'historic' proposal for mental healthcare access: 7 things to know

    The White House has released its 2024 proposed Notice of Benefit and Payment Parameters Proposed Rule, with changes intended to make mental healthcare more accessible.
  2. The psychiatrist who toppled a crypto giant

    Michigan psychiatrist James Block, MD, PhD, investigates financial crimes as a hobby.
  3. 73% of Americans have a personal connection to substance abuse: survey

    Compared to five years ago, a majority of Americans said they are more sympathetic to those who have experienced substance use disorders, according to a survey published Dec. 8 by Landmark Recovery.
  4. Williamsburg Therapy Group partners with insurance platform

    New York City-based Williamsburg Therapy Group partnered with Nirvana, an insurance platform that automates insurance processes needed to access care. 

The COVID-19 'infodemic': How 4 systems are combating health misinformation

Sponsored
How Ballad, MetroHealth and 2 other systems are addressing COVID misinformation and restoring patient trust. Join the virtual discussion here.
  1. Brightside Health debuts telehealth crisis care

    Mental healthcare company Brightside Health launched a telehealth program designed to treat individuals at risk of suicide.
  2. North Carolina to convert addiction care center to pediatric psychiatric hospital

    North Carolina's health department plans to convert the Blackley Alcohol and Drug Abuse Treatment Center in Butner into a psychiatric hospital for children and adolescents, the Winston-Salem Journal reported Dec. 11.
  3. Iowa hospital's ED to add 4 beds, new unit for mental health patients

    Davenport, Iowa-based Genesis Medical Center is slated to unveil its emergency department expansion this month, including four beds and a new unit for mental health patients, the Quad-City Times reported Dec. 9. 
  4. Patient breaks staff member's leg at Ohio behavioral health hospital

    Police were called to Generations Behavioral Health-Youngstown in Ohio after a patient broke a staff member's leg, CBS affiliate WKBN reported Dec. 9. 

The COVID-19 'infodemic': How 4 systems are combating health misinformation

Sponsored
How Ballad, MetroHealth and 2 other systems are addressing COVID misinformation and restoring patient trust. Join the virtual discussion here.
  1. Talkspace's new CEO and 7 other behavioral health leadership moves

    Here are eight changes companies made to their leadership teams that Becker's has reported since Nov. 9:
  2. $718M+ worth of mental health investments: 8 updates

    Here are eight mental health investments totalling $718.9 million that Becker's has reported since Dec. 1:
  3. Providence Health Plan shakes up executive team

    Providence Health Plan added Scott Burton and Shannon Drotning to its executive leadership team, where they will lead its commercial and consumer markets, respectively.
  4. Access to outpatient mental health services cuts annual spending by $1,380: study

    Individuals newly diagnosed with a mental illness who had at least one outpatient care appointment paid an average of $115 less each month, or $1,380 annually, in medical and pharmacy costs than those without care, a study published Dec. 6 in JAMA Psychiatry found. 
  5. Biden administration launches opioid overdose tracker

    Government health agencies on Dec. 8 debuted an online dashboard created to track the number of nonfatal opioid overdoses nationwide. 
  6. Cost of virtual pediatric mental health appointments up 20,250% since 2019

    The average employer cost of a pediatric mental health appointment increased from $2 in 2019 to $407 in 2022 — an increase of 20,250 percent.
  7. Aetna of West Virginia gifts $9.3M toward youth behavioral health providers

    Aetna Better Health of West Virginia, alongside Aetna parent company CVS Health, has donated $9.3 million to 10 behavioral health and social care providers across the state. 
  8. North Carolina HHS to provide mental and behavioral health training in 130 schools

    The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services has launched an initiative that will provide training and consultation in mental and behavioral health in 130 K-12 schools. 
  9. Iris Telehealth recertified by Joint Commission

    Austin, Texas-based telepsychiatry provider Iris Telehealth was awarded The Joint Commission's Gold Seal of Approval for the second time after its first accreditation in 2019.

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