Behavioral Health Today

NIMH and APA Stir DSM V Debate

Patrick Gauthier — Fri, 24 May 2013 19:50:30 +0000

Patrick Gauthier

The news release below elaboartes upon the controversy begun in the past week or so concerning the viability of the DSM V moving forward as well as the future direction NIMH expects to take. As readers consider the implications, I want to encourage thinking critically about the ramifications of taking a “brain [...]

New Business Models Like ACOs, P4P and VBB Are Popular Among Payors But IT Must Be a Priority

Patrick Gauthier — Fri, 24 May 2013 17:14:43 +0000

“HealthEdge, provider of integrated financial, administrative and clinical platforms for healthcare payors, surveyed and reported that it has uncovered a number of important challenges that are impacting payors’ ability to meet the needs of the new healthcare marketplace. More than 170 executives from payor organizations across the country participated in the latest “State of the Payor” [...]

Examining SAMHSA’s Role in Delivering Services to the Severely Mentally Ill

Patrick Gauthier — Thu, 23 May 2013 22:41:33 +0000

http://docs.house.gov/meetings/IF/IF02/20130522/100900/HHRG-113-IF02-Wstate-HydeP-20130522.pdf

The link above will take you to SAMHSA Director Pam Hyde’s testimony before the Energy & Commerce Commitee on May 22, 2013.

What’s at stake is is the future of what is considered to be truly “evidence-based”. The complete testimony and hearing can be viewed here: http://energycommerce.house.gov/hearing/examining-samhsas-role-delivering-services-severely-mentally-ill

Taken together with recent comments out of [...]

National Governors Association Names Health Care Sustainability Task Force

Patrick Gauthier — Thu, 23 May 2013 18:43:11 +0000

News Release: May 21, 2013

WASHINGTON—As lawmakers at both state and federal levels of government look for ways to improve the quality of health care and reduce the costs of public programs, governors are developing innovative Medicaid programs and must retain flexibility to implement these measures.

To assist in these efforts, the National Governors Association [...]

Joint Commission to Offer Behavioral Health Home Certification Option in 2014

Patrick Gauthier — Wed, 22 May 2013 19:53:18 +0000

News Release: May 15, 2013

By: Elizabeth Eaken Zhani, Media Relations Manager

(OAKBROOK TERRACE, Ill. – May 15, 2013) Joint Commission-accredited behavioral health care organizations that are establishing behavior health homes as part of nationwide efforts to expand and improve health services will soon have a certification option.

Beginning in January 2014, The Joint Commission [...]

Medication Adherence Issue Becoming an Opportunity for Behavioral Health Providers

Patrick Gauthier — Wed, 22 May 2013 19:41:54 +0000

Patrick Gauthier

Medication nonadherence is getting much more attention as a common and costly problem. JAMA reports that 30% to 50% of US adults are not adhering to long-term medications leading to an estimated $100 billion in preventable costs annually. The issues with medication adherence are akin to other health-related behaviors, such as adherence to diabetes treatment plans and [...]

SAMHSA appoints Elinore F. McCance-Katz, M.D. to the new position of Chief Medical Officer

Patrick Gauthier — Wed, 22 May 2013 17:22:40 +0000

SAMHSA News Release

Date: 5/20/2013 3:30 PM Media Contact: SAMHSA Press Office Telephone: 240-276-2130

The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration’s (SAMHSA) Administrator Pamela S. Hyde is announcing the appointment of Elinore F. McCance-Katz, M.D., Ph.D. as SAMHSA’s first chief medical officer. In this capacity she will provide medical-scientific expertise to SAMHSA’s major behavioral [...]

CDC Releases New Report: Mental Health Surveillance among Children in the United States, 2005-2011

Patrick Gauthier — Fri, 17 May 2013 05:03:25 +0000

The National Center on Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities (NCBDDD) is pleased to announce the release of CDC’s first-ever comprehensive report on children’s mental health in the United States. The Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR) supplement, Mental Health Surveillance among Children in the United States, 2005-2011, describes federal efforts to monitor childhood mental disorders, [...]

Administration announces $1 billion initiative to launch Health Care Innovation Awards to provide better health care and lower costs

Patrick Gauthier — Wed, 15 May 2013 23:02:31 +0000

U.S. Department of Health & Human Services

News Division - 202-690-6343 media@hhs.gov www.hhs.gov/news

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Wednesday, May 15, 2013

Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius today announced a nearly $1 billion initiative that will fund awards and evaluation to build on the Obama administration’s work to transform the health care system by delivering better care [...]

Public Sector Enrollment Up by Almost 10% from 2011

Patrick Gauthier — Tue, 14 May 2013 16:24:08 +0000

Washington, DC (PRWEB) May 14, 2013

Atlantic Information Services, Inc. (AIS) has released findings from a detailed analysis of health insurance enrollment data. As of year-end 2012, findings illustrate the growth in the number of health insurance plan enrollees along with enrollment shifts due to preparations for impending health reform-related deadlines.

The research and data [...]