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Are you a behavioral health provider operating in Florida? Here is a quick roundup of some of the mental health and substance use treatment news emerging from the Sunshine State. Florida Receiving Funds in National Prescription Painkiller Lawsuit Florida will receive over $1.3 billion from pharmaceutical distributors AmerisourceBergen, Cardinal Health, and McKesson, in a national…
As healthcare becomes increasingly digital and moves to value-based care, data is playing a greater role. Behavioral health facilities must use data to demonstrate their value, meet accreditation requirements, and make better treatment decisions. This can be a challenge for organizations that are not used to collecting, analyzing, and reporting on data. Before you can…
Monitoring a patient’s treatment response has become standard practice for physical health conditions. For example, medical providers use regular blood tests to track how a patient responds to their diabetes medication. Progress monitoring is less common in behavioral health. However, the shift to value-based care has put pressure on many behavioral health providers to monitor…
Under a series of federal laws, medical insurers must provide equal insurance coverage for behavioral health treatment and for medical and surgical care. Otherwise, payers and insurance policies tend to cover mental health treatment at lower levels than physical illness. Congress passed the Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act (MHPAEA) in 2008, requiring equal…
Clinicians have had a rough time during the COVID-19 pandemic, and many have been experiencing provider burnout. Burnout may involve: Job dissatisfaction Physical and/or emotional exhaustion Increased cynicism Lower motivation Lower empathy Feeling ineffective So how can clinicians recover from burnout? Better still, are there ways to prevent it? Risk factors for clinician burnout Some…
Recent research has found that eating disorders increased in 2020, like many other behavioral health disorders. Further research can help identify and treat these disorders. Here are some of the latest eating disorder studies from around the world. Risk Factors of Common Eating Disorders Experts remain unsure about the risk factors for eating disorders, partly…
Demand for behavioral health services has skyrocketed in recent years, and especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. As a result, venture capital is pouring into mental health apps and other startups. According to Forbes, about 42 percent of U.S. adults reported symptoms of anxiety or depression in December 2020. By that time, venture investors had provided…
Understanding the proper use and disclosure of electronic health information (EHI) can get complicated. Federal laws, including HIPAA and the 21st Century Cures Act, add complicated layers and language. One concept that can confuse both clinicians and patients in recent years is “information blocking.” Here are the basics that behavioral health providers should know. Why…
In a previous blog post, we discussed how residential treatment programs should respond to requests for information regarding resident safety. These requests often come from licensing agencies, payers, and other parties. Sometimes, however, a behavioral health facility can launch an internal investigation. Here’s what you should know about conducting one in your organization. Conduct internal…
The last year and a half has been difficult for behavioral health clinicians. During the COVID-19 pandemic, many services and facilities experienced disruptions. At the same time, suicide rates and substance overdoses rose as demand for mental-health services skyrocketed and individuals and families struggled with anxiety, isolation, and financial stress. Behavioral health providers have many…