/ en Fri, 25 Apr 2025 23:46:58 -0500 Wed, 09 Apr 25 11:16:33 -0500 /education-events/behavioral-health-challenges-and-partnership-impact <p><strong>Behavioral Health Challenges and Partnership Impact </strong><br><em>Improve Clinical and Operational Performance with Expert Tools, Resources and Training</em></p><p><strong>Thursday, May 15, 2025  </strong><br><em>1 - 2 p.m. Eastern; noon - 1 p.m. Central; 10 - 11 a.m. Pacific</em></p><p>There are many challenges to operating a hospital behavioral health inpatient unit. Understanding the common challenges and their impact on the overall viability of a hospital’s behavioral health program is crucial.</p><p>In this webinar, you’ll hear a case study from a hospital that struggled for many years to improve its behavioral health’s clinical and operational performance. After a thorough assessment of their internal and external partnership options, the hospital's leadership made the proactive decision to partner with Horizon Health to manage the unit. This collaboration was aimed at identifying and addressing the root causes of the behavioral health program’s sub-optimal performance, ultimately leading to significant improvements in their behavioral health department. Learn how the hospital approached its challenges, learned from its experiences and started making progress towards improvement. Positive results included process improvement acceleration, leadership and staff development, best practices creation, policy and procedure updates, and improvements in access to care and patient outcomes. Join us to learn how having access to a team of experts providing tools, resources and training can help optimize clinical and operational performance to improve care and access for your communities.  </p><p><strong>Attendees Will Learn: </strong></p><ul><li>Common challenges impeding high performance in your inpatient behavioral health department.  </li><li>How to improve the quality of care and expand access to behavioral health services in your community by effectively addressing challenges and implementing necessary updates. </li><li>How to optimize performance through a partnership model providing expert tools, resources and training.</li></ul><p><strong>Speaker(s):  </strong></p><p>Jackie Anhalt, MS, MSN, RN, NEA-BC <br><em>Chief Nursing Officer </em><br><strong>ThedaCare </strong></p> Wed, 09 Apr 2025 11:16:33 -0500 Access to Behavioral Health /role-hospitals-intermountain-health-partners-ad-council-address-firearm-injuries-among-youth <div class="container"><div class="row"><div class="col-md-9"><div class="row"><div class="col-md-6"><p><img src="/sites/default/files/2025-04/ths-agree-to-agree-700x532.jpg" data-entity-uuid data-entity-type="file" alt="Intermountain Health partners with Ad Council to address firearm injuries among youth. Agree to Agree poster shows two men talking" width="700" height="532"></p></div><p>For the past three years, firearm injuries have been the leading cause of death for children ages 1 to 17 in the United States. In response, the Ad Council, in partnership with Intermountain Health and a coalition of health care and business leaders, launched the social impact program "<a href="https://agreetoagree.org/" target="_blank">Agree to Agree</a>," an initiative to reduce gun-related tragedies affecting children and teens. The program focuses on the full spectrum of firearm injuries, including suicides, intentional and unintentional shootings.</p><p>“Over the past year, Intermountain caregivers have done extensive work in the areas of suicide prevention and gun safety,” said Rob Allen, president and chief executive officer of Intermountain Health. “By raising awareness and offering training and resources, we help to both save lives and remove the stigma around conversations on gun safety and mental health.”</p><p>Intermountain Health has been actively working to protect communities by distributing nearly 67,000 free firearm locks and increasing access to mental health resources. The "Agree to Agree" campaign focuses on the idea that gun owners and non-gun owners can agree that firearms should not be the leading cause of death for children and teens. The campaign includes public safety announcements for parents and health care professionals, directing them to resources on how to prevent firearm injuries and have supportive conversations about gun safety and mental health.</p><p><a class="btn btn-primary" href="https://news.intermountainhealth.org/intermountain-health-joins-initiative-to-curb-impact-of-firearm-injuries-and-deaths-on-americas-youth/">LEARN MORE</a></p></div></div><div class="col-md-3"><div><h4>Resources on the Role of Hospitals</h4><ul><li><a href="/community-benefit">Benefiting Communities</a></li><li><a href="/roleofhospitals">All Case Studies</a></li></ul></div></div></div></div> Tue, 08 Apr 2025 15:43:46 -0500 Access to Behavioral Health /role-hospitals-new-behavioral-health-center-offers-walk-mental-health-services-lancaster-general-hospital <div class="container"><div class="row"><div class="col-md-9"><div class="row"><div class="col-md-6"><p><img src="/sites/default/files/2025-03/ths-penn-lancaster-behavioral-health-center-700x532.jpg" data-entity-uuid data-entity-type="file" alt="Penn Lancaster. A female counselor holding a clibpoard and pen sits listening to a male patient" width="700" height="532"></p></div><p>People in need of immediate help with mental health issues have a new option for treatment with the opening of the <a href="https://www.lancastergeneralhealth.org/services-and-treatments/behavioral-health" target="_blank">Behavioral Health Center</a> at Lancaster General Hospital. Its Crisis Walk-In Center provides immediate behavioral health assessments and treatment, serving as a bridge to ongoing care.</p><p>The Interventional Psychiatry Program focuses on psychiatric conditions that don't respond well to first-line treatments. The center is expected to serve 900 patients annually for interventional psychiatry and 10,000 patients through the walk-in center, both in-person and by phone.</p><p>Patients visiting the walk-in center are greeted by a certified peer support specialist and connected with a registered nurse for a physical health assessment. If needed, they receive immediate counseling and are referred to the next level of service or scheduled for another appointment.</p><p>The center provides appointments and medication for up to 30 days before referring patients to longer-term services, aiming to reduce the boarding of low-risk behavioral health patients in the emergency department.</p></div></div><div class="col-md-3"><div><h4>Resources on the Role of Hospitals</h4><ul><li><a href="/community-benefit">Benefiting Communities</a></li><li><a href="/roleofhospitals">All Case Studies</a></li></ul></div></div></div></div> Mon, 10 Mar 2025 11:04:32 -0500 Access to Behavioral Health /role-hospitals-uvm-medical-center-mental-health-urgent-care-opens-vermont-addressing-critical-community-health-need <div class="container"><div class="row"><div class="col-md-9"><div class="row"><div class="col-md-5"><p><img src="/sites/default/files/2025-03/ths-uvm-mental-health-urgent-care-2-700x532.jpg" alt="UVM Medical Center. A female counselor in casual attire sits holding a tablet and listening intently to a female patient" width="700" height="532"></p></div><p>When individuals experience mental health distress, many will visit a hospital emergency department — a setting that may not be ideal for someone experiencing acute mental health illness. To provide a safe alternative to the ED and help people before they experience a mental health crisis, University of Vermont Medical Center in Burlington, Vt., and several other organizations worked together to open the <a href="https://www.uvmhealth.org/medcenter/location/mental-health-urgent-care" target="_blank">Mental Health Urgent Care</a> in October 2024.</p><p>Developed by UVM Medical Center, Howard Center, Pathways Vermont, Community Health Centers and the Vermont Department of Mental Health, the Mental Health Urgent Care offers mental health services, peer support and help accessing follow-up services to guests — intentionally called “guests,” not patients or clients. The urgent care team emphasizes it is a calming, welcoming environment for those experiencing trauma or struggling with thoughts of suicide. An onsite nurse also is available to address basic physical health issues.</p><p>People don’t need to have a referral from a provider or make an appointment beforehand to access these services, and currently there are no financial requirements or costs as services are fully funded for three years. The only requirement is that guests must be 18 years or older.</p><p>The collaborating organizations say the Mental Health Urgent Care is a welcome development in addressing a pressing community health need. “When we were thinking through this project, we wanted to build something that somebody could go to when they start to feel a crisis coming on, before they get to the point where they can’t stand it any longer,” said Maureen Leahy, administrative director of UVM Health Network’s psychiatry service.</p><p><a class="btn btn-primary" href="https://www.uvmhealth.org/healthsource/we-dont-want-people-have-jump-through-any-hoops" target="_blank">LEARN MORE</a></p></div></div><div class="col-md-3"><div><h4>Resources on the Role of Hospitals</h4><ul><li><a href="/center/population-health">Improving Health and Wellness</a></li><li><a href="/roleofhospitals">All Case Studies</a></li></ul></div></div></div></div> Mon, 03 Mar 2025 13:40:53 -0600 Access to Behavioral Health /news/headline/2025-02-27-study-finds-female-physicians-higher-risk-suicide-nonphysicians <p>A <a href="https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamapsychiatry/fullarticle/2830401">study</a> published Feb. 26 by JAMA Psychiatry found that female physicians died by suicide at more than 1.5 times the rate of female nonphysicians from 2017-2021. During the same time, male physicians had a lower suicide risk than male nonphysicians. The study also found that physicians who died by suicide had higher odds of depressed mood and mental health, job and legal problems preceding suicide compared to the general population. <br><br>The AHA has a dedicated <a href="/suicideprevention/health-care-workforce">webpage</a> with resources on preventing suicide in the health care workforce. <br><br> </p> Thu, 27 Feb 2025 15:59:33 -0600 Access to Behavioral Health <div class="container"><div class="row"><div class="col-md-8"><p>Behavioral health providers that are members of the ���������� Association add their voice and influence to the nation’s leading advocate for hospitals and health systems. The AHA provides its behavioral health members with valuable benefits, including <strong>advocacy, resources and initiatives designed to improve access to and strengthen the delivery of affordable, high-quality behavioral health care.</strong></p><h2><span>Advocacy</span></h2><p>We are working with Congress and the administration to enact policies to support behavioral health hospitals and service lines, and to solidify a policy environment that protects access to care, advances innovation and invests in behavioral health treatment.</p><h3><span>2024 Results</span></h3><h4><span>Legislation</span></h4><p>The AHA supports the <a href="/2024-11-12-aha-urges-congress-act-key-priorities-lame-duck-session" target="_blank"><strong>extension of Medicare telehealth programs</strong></a><strong> </strong>which have expanded access to care for patients and eliminates originating site restrictions. Congress included a 90-day extension of these flexibilities through March as part of a bill to fund the government passed at the end of 2024.</p><h4><span>Regulatory</span></h4><p>The Drug Enforcement Administration and Department of Health and Human Services responded favorably to the AHA’s request to extend telehealth flexibilities, which <a href="/special-bulletin/2024-11-18-dea-and-hhs-extend-waivers-prescribing-controlled-substances-through-telemedicine" target="_blank"><strong>will waive an in-person visit requirement prior to the prescribing of controlled substances virtually</strong></a> through 2025.</p><h4><span>The Administration</span></h4><ul><li>The Departments of the Treasury, Labor and Health and Human Services issued a final rule in 2024 implementing AHA-supported amendments to existing standards <a href="/special-bulletin/2024-09-10-administration-finalizes-enhanced-mental-health-parity-regulations?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=bh-newsletter&mkt_tok=NzEwLVpMTC02NTEAAAGV8htmojsDNTwbod7zQq2dwKUPGI77ow9r7O2wAfG9sWn_1yy2QnT2LyJgiJg_Sj3aHa80ELdYu_N93tNiBNk2e9_FQgwY5_RnLpuKFb0XRKLTaA" target="_blank"><strong>that will support coverage parity</strong></a>, preventing insurance plans and issuers from placing greater limits on access to mental health and substance use disorder benefits as compared to medical and surgical benefits. </li><li>Following years of advocacy from the AHA, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration in 2024 finally <a href="/special-bulletin/2024-02-09-hhs-finalizes-changes-information-sharing-requirements-addiction-treatment" target="_blank"><strong>issued</strong></a><strong> modifications of provisions of the law that governs sharing of patient records regarding treatment for substance use disorder</strong>, aligning requirements with those already in effect under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA). </li><li>Upon AHA’s <a href="/lettercomment/2024-01-05-aha-comments-cms-proposed-medicare-advantage-policies-2025" target="_blank"><strong>urging</strong></a>, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) finalized provisions to address gaps in access to behavioral health services for Medicare Advantage beneficiaries. </li><li>As a direct result of AHA advocacy, CMS <a href="/news/headline/2024-10-22-cms-releases-final-guidance-hospital-respiratory-data-condition-participation-reporting-requirements" download="file" target="_blank"><strong>updated</strong></a> guidance detailing reporting requirements for the hospital respiratory data collection condition of participation and will allow psychiatric hospitals to report this data annually as opposed to weekly</li></ul><hr><h2><span>Sharing Solutions & Innovations from the Field</span></h2><p>In addition to a daily news bulletin and advocacy alerts on key issues, AHA members receive the <a href="/bibliographylink-page/2017-12-11-behavioral-health-updates" target="_blank"><strong>Behavioral Health News Update</strong></a> – a monthly communication on recent behavioral health advocacy initiatives, resources and educational offerings.</p><p> </p><h4><span>Grant-Supported Work</span></h4><p>The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has awarded several grants to the AHA to support work in behavioral health, including a <a href="/suicideprevention/health-care-workforce" target="_blank"><strong>program to address health care worker suicide</strong></a>, and hospital and health system initiatives to address opioid and stimulant use disorder along with infection prevention and control.</p><h4><span>Health Care Worker Well-Being</span></h4><p>A wealth of resources on <a href="/physician-alliance-be-well" target="_blank"><strong>building and sustaining</strong></a> health care worker well-being programs are frequently being updated and shared with the field including <a href="/be-well-case-studies" target="_blank"><strong>case studies</strong></a> and podcasts. Information on a health system’s <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qU1dwaAzh1E" target="_blank"><strong>peer support program</strong></a> and commentary on the importance of <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ahEZfOS-4mk" target="_blank"><strong>stigma reduction</strong></a>among health care workers suffering from mental health challenges are among content recently released to the field.</p><p><span>AHA’s website for Behavioral Health is regularly updated with information and resources. These include:</span></p><ul><li><a href="/aha-search?search_api_fulltext=behavioral%20health&f%5B0%5D=type%3A5705" target="_blank"><strong>Podcasts </strong></a>featuring conversations with behavioral health professionals on innovations and solutions to challenges. </li><li><a href="/system/files/media/file/2024/12/integrating-physical-behavioral-resources-2024%20final.pdf" target="_blank"><strong>Insights on integrating behavioral health</strong></a> with physical care, including a new <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xv7-sxVKmzU" target="_blank"><strong>educational video</strong></a> aimed at trustees. </li><li>Best practices to <a href="/behavioral-health-community-partnerships" target="_blank"><strong>improve access to behavioral health care through community partnerships</strong></a>. Resources include an assessment checklist and an evidence-informed summary of effective partnerships. </li><li>Centralized resources to address the challenges of<a href="/child-and-adolescent-mental-health" target="_blank"><strong>youth</strong></a> and <a href="/maternal-mental-health" target="_blank"><strong>maternal</strong></a> behavioral health service delivery. </li><li>AHA’s <a href="/people-matter-words-matter" target="_blank"><strong>People Matter, Words Matter</strong></a> initiative – helping to reduce the stigma of mental health and addiction conditions and treatment, one word, one person at a time. </li><li>An AHA members-only <a href="https://membercommunity.aha.org/communities/community-home?CommunityKey=d8e79990-e8f4-4402-9239-e511752bab7b" target="_blank"><strong>professional online network</strong></a> for behavioral health leaders. </li><li>Curated resources to enhance your organization’s participation in <a href="/mental-health-awareness-month" target="_blank"><strong>Mental Health Awareness Month.</strong></a></li></ul><p> </p></div><div class="col-md-4"><p><a href="/system/files/media/file/2025/02/2025_WeareAHA_Behavioral_Health_Final.pdf" target="_blank"><img src="/sites/default/files/2025-02/weareaha-bh-2025-cover.png" data-entity-uuid data-entity-type="file" alt="We are AHA Behavioral Health Cover." width="691" height="893"></a></p></div></div></div> Wed, 26 Feb 2025 12:20:53 -0600 Access to Behavioral Health /role-hospitals-shodair-childrens-hospital-launches-hope-campaign <div class="container"><div class="row"><div class="col-md-9"><div class="row"><div class="col-md-6"><p><img src="/sites/default/files/2025-02/ths-shodair-hope-700x532.jpg" data-entity-uuid data-entity-type="file" alt="Shodair Children's Hope Campaign ad features a young girl smiling in a field of tall grass" width="700" height="532"></p></div><p>Shodair Children’s Hospital in Helena, Mont., has launched the Hope Campaign to reduce stigma and encourage conversations about youth mental health. Montana has the highest suicide rate in the nation among kids aged 10 to 14 and continues to face significant youth mental health challenges. Shodair is unique as the only Montana hospital in the Children’s Miracle Hospital Network and the sole psychiatric hospital among the network’s 175 hospitals in the U.S. and Canada.</p><p>The Hope Campaign seeks to raise funds to support treatments not covered by insurance. A key feature of the campaign is a children's book that tells a relatable story about animals in Montana's ecosystem, designed to help children discuss mental health and their feelings. The book, which will be distributed for free across the state, invites the public to support the initiative.</p><p>“We are trying to bring more awareness to what we’re doing here, the lives we continue to save, and reach out to kids and their families. I want to make them aware that this is a safe place to bring their kid to heal,” said hospital CEO Craig Aasved.</p><p><a class="btn btn-primary" href="https://www.ktvh.com/news/shodair-childrens-hospital-launches-hope-campaign">LEARN MORE</a></p></div></div><div class="col-md-3"><div><h4>Resources on the Role of Hospitals</h4><ul><li><a href="/community-benefit">Benefiting Communities</a></li><li><a href="/roleofhospitals">All Case Studies</a></li></ul></div></div></div></div> Tue, 18 Feb 2025 13:21:36 -0600 Access to Behavioral Health /news/headline/2025-02-05-house-bill-would-reauthorize-dr-lorna-breen-health-care-provider-protection-act <p>The AHA voiced support for bipartisan House <a href="https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/929/cosponsors?q=%7B%22search%22%3A%22H.R.+929%22%7D&s=2&r=1&overview=closed#tabs" target="_blank">legislation</a> introduced Feb. 4 to reauthorize for five years the Dr. Lorna Breen Health Care Provider Protection Act, which provides grants to help health care organizations offer behavioral health services for front-line health care workers. Introduced by Reps. Debbie Dingell, D-Mich., Jennifer Kiggans, R-Va., Jennifer McClellan, D-Va., Mariannette Miller-Meeks, R-Iowa, and Raja Krishnamoorthi, D-Ill., the bill also would reauthorize a <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/niosh/healthcare/impactwellbeing/index.html" target="_blank">national campaign</a> that provides hospital leaders with evidence-based solutions to support worker well-being. The <a href="/news/headline/2025-01-29-senate-introduces-bill-reauthorizing-dr-lorna-breen-health-care-provider-protection-act?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=aha-today" target="_blank">Senate version</a> of the bill was introduced Jan. 28.</p> Wed, 05 Feb 2025 14:25:08 -0600 Access to Behavioral Health /news/headline/2025-01-29-senate-introduces-bill-reauthorizing-dr-lorna-breen-health-care-provider-protection-act <p>The AHA Jan. 28 voiced support for bipartisan <a href="https://www.kaine.senate.gov/press-releases/kaine-young-reed-and-marshall-introduce-bipartisan-bill-to-support-mental-health-resources-for-health-care-providers">legislation</a> to reauthorize for five years the Dr. Lorna Breen Health Care Provider Protection Act, which provides grants to help health care organizations offer behavioral health services for front-line health care workers. Introduced yesterday by Sens. Tim Kaine, D-Va., Roger Marshall, R-Kan., Jack Reed, D-R.I., and Todd Young, R-Ind., the bill also would reauthorize a national <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/niosh/healthcare/impactwellbeing/index.html">campaign</a> that provides hospital leaders with evidence-based solutions to support worker well-being. </p> Wed, 29 Jan 2025 15:34:41 -0600 Access to Behavioral Health /news/headline/2025-01-23-blog-transformative-hospital-programs-improve-maternal-mental-health <p>Perinatal mental health disorders affect countless mothers during pregnancy and postpartum, yet access to comprehensive care remains a challenge. Hospitals are stepping up to fill this gap, creating innovative programs that address the unique mental health needs of mothers during this critical period. A recent panel hosted by the AHA and the Policy Center for Maternal Mental Health highlighted the efforts of two trailblazing hospitals: Woman’s Hospital in Baton Rouge, La., and the University of Colorado Hospital Anschutz Medical Campus. <a href="/news/blog/2025-01-23-role-hospitals-optimizing-postpartum-mental-health-support" title="postpartum blog"><strong>READ MORE</strong></a> </p> Thu, 23 Jan 2025 15:00:25 -0600 Access to Behavioral Health