Behavioral healthcare made up 40% of all medical spending for U.S. children in 2022 — nearly double the share from 2011 — according to a study published Dec. 15 in JAMA Pediatrics. The findings highlight sharp increases in out-of-pocket costs…
Behavioral Health
Mercy, based in Chesterfield, Mo., has scaled a virtual behavioral health division across four states, serving 35 hospitals and delivering psychiatric interventions to patients in crisis. The model enables rapid evaluation of behavioral health patients, reduces unnecessary inpatient admissions and…
Behavioral health extends far beyond the walls of a hospital. From housing to nutrition, when a patient’s everyday needs are unmet, their mental health can suffer. At Hampton Roads, Va.-based Sentara, Tracey Izzard, vice president of behavioral health services, noticed…
Brentwood, Tenn.-based Psychiatric Medical Care, a provider of intensive outpatient care for older adults, seized the opportunity to invest in youth mental health amid the COVID-19 pandemic as behavioral health cases rose. CEO Paul Smith Jr. and Chief Clinical Officer…
Although the Mental Health Parity and Addiction Act became law in 2008, behavioral health providers have been voicing concerns over enforcement. From improper use of prior authorizations to inadequate documentation, health insurers have been fined for violating parity laws. Here…
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New York City-based NYC Health + Hospitals has launched a new intervention team to support adults transitioning out of psychiatric hospitalization or emergency care. The five-year, $32.2 million initiative is funded by the New York State Office of Mental Health…
Physicians are facing a “perfect storm” in behavioral health, with more patients seeking treatment amid limited access and an understaffed workforce, Robert Trestman, MD, PhD, chair of psychiatry and behavioral medicine at the Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine in…
Children’s Minnesota has partnered with Washburn Center for Children, both based in Minneapolis, to address a surge in emergency room visits for pediatric mental health crises. The collaboration adds a Washburn acute response therapist to Children’s Minnesota emergency departments to…
Health systems are adopting new strategies to expand access to behavioral healthcare amid increasing demand for services and workforce challenges. Two leaders share how their organizations are innovating to improve mental health support for patients through technology and integrated care…
Aurora, Colo.-based UCHealth has expanded access to behavioral health services statewide following a $150 million investment in 2019. The system integrated licensed behavioral health specialists into 62 primary care clinics and expects to reach 65 by the end of the…