/ en Fri, 25 Apr 2025 13:39:17 -0500 Wed, 26 Feb 25 12:20:53 -0600 <div class="container"><div class="row"><div class="col-md-8"><p>Behavioral health providers that are members of the şÚÁĎŐýÄÜÁż 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 Behavioral Health Workers <div class="raw-html-embed"> </div> .bannerHero { background-image: /*linear-gradient(rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.5), rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.5)),*/ url("/sites/default/files/2024-11/2025-workforcescan-Banner-1170x500.jpg"); background-position: center; background-repeat: no-repeat; background-size: cover; position: relative; height: 1000px; max-height:500px; max-width: 100%; margin: 0 auto; overflow:hidden; } .bannerHero .contentBottom { position: absolute; bottom: 0; background-image: linear-gradient(-180deg, rgba(46,46,46,0), rgba(46,46,46,1)); width: 100%; /* left + right + border */ padding: 15px 100px 50px 100px; /*! border: solid 2px green; */ color: #fff; } .bannerHero .contentBottom h1{ font-size:2.5em; } .bannerHero .contentBottom p{ font-size:2em; line-height: 1.2em } @media (max-width:568px){ .bannerHero { max-height:350px; } .bannerHero .contentBottom { padding: 15px 15px 15px 15px; } .bannerHero .contentBottom h1{ font-size:2em; } .bannerHero .contentBottom p{ font-size:1.5em; } } <div class="row"><div class="bannerHero"><div class="contentBottom"><h1>AHA Health Care Workforce Scan — Presentations (Members Only)</h1></div></div></div><div class="row spacer"><div class="col-md-12"> .field_lead p{ color: #63666A; font-weight: 300; line-height: 1.4; font-size: 21px; } <div class="col-md-7 field_lead"><p>View the Health Care Workforce Scan Presentation and archives that will help you better understand the latest forces and trends affecting health care human resources. Based on a review of reports, studies and other data sources from leading organizations and researchers, it provides workforce insights you can use to guide your organization forward during this time of uncertainty and continued transformation.</p></div><div class="col-md-5"><div class="panel panel-default"><div class="panel-heading"><h3>Latest Health Care Workforce Scan</h3></div><div class="panel-body"><p><a class="btn btn-wide btn-primary" href="/aha-workforce-scan" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" data-view-context="top-level-view">Latest Edition</a></p></div></div></div></div></div><div class="row"><div class="col-md-8 col-md-offset-2"><div class="col-md-12"><h2 class="text-align-center"><u>View the Latest Presentation</u></h2></div><div class="col-md-4"><a href="/presentation-resource/2024-11-13-2025-aha-health-care-workforce-scan-presentation" title="2024 AHA Health Care Workforce Scan - Presentation"><img src="/sites/default/files/2024-11/2025-workforcescan-PPT-Cover-196x113.jpg" alt="AHA Health Care Workforce Scan" width="196" height="113"></a></div><div class="col-md-8"><h3>2025 Health Care Workforce Scan Presentation</h3><p>This downloadable PowerPoint presentation highlights key talent management trends to consider in your workforce planning.</p><div class="spacer"><a class="btn btn-wide btn-primary" href="/presentation-resource/2024-11-13-2025-aha-health-care-workforce-scan-presentation" title="2024 AHA Health Care Workforce Scan - Presentation">Get the 2025 Presentation</a></div></div></div></div> Wed, 13 Nov 2024 07:00:00 -0600 Behavioral Health Workers /aha-workforce-scan <div class="raw-html-embed"> </div> .bannerHero { background-image: /*linear-gradient(rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.5), rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.5)),*/ url("/sites/default/files/2024-11/2025-workforcescan-Banner-1170x500.jpg"); background-position: center; background-repeat: no-repeat; background-size: cover; position: relative; height: 1000px; max-height:500px; max-width: 100%; margin: 0 auto; overflow:hidden; } .bannerHero .contentBottom { position: absolute; bottom: 0; background-image: linear-gradient(-180deg, rgba(46,46,46,0), rgba(46,46,46,1)); width: 100%; /* left + right + border */ padding: 15px 100px 50px 100px; /*! border: solid 2px green; */ color: #fff; } .bannerHero .contentBottom h1{ font-size:2.5em; } .bannerHero .contentBottom p{ font-size:2em; line-height: 1.2em } @media (max-width:568px){ .bannerHero { max-height:350px; } .bannerHero .contentBottom { padding: 15px 15px 15px 15px; } .bannerHero .contentBottom h1{ font-size:2em; } .bannerHero .contentBottom p{ font-size:1.5em; } } <div><div class="bannerHero"><div class="contentBottom"><h1>2025 AHA Health Care Workforce Scan</h1><p>Latest insights and trends to consider in your workforce planning</p></div></div></div> @media (min-width:768px) { .sp_CTA1b_holder { top: -15px; } } @media (max-width:767px) { .sp_CTA1b_holder { top: -50px; /*margin: 0px 50px;*/ } } .sp_CTA1b_holder { background-color: #fff; padding: 15px 0; position: relative; overflow: auto; border: solid 2px #307FE2; } .sp_CTA1b h3 { color: #002855; font-size: 1.4em; margin: 0px; float: left; padding-top: 17px; } .sp_CTA1b span { display: block; margin-top: 10px } .sp_CTA1b span a { color: #d50032; } .sp_CTA1b span a:hover { color: #651d32; } <div class="row sp_CTA1b"> <div class="col-lg-4 col-lg-offset-4 col-sm-6 col-sm-offset-3 col-xs-8 col-xs-offset-2 sp_CTA1b_holder"> <div class="col-xs-6"> <h3>Sponsored by:</h3> </div> <div class="col-xs-6"> <a href="https://www.relias.com/" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank"><img alt="Relias Logo" src="https://aha.org/sites/default/files/2022-03/aonl-cta-sponsor-relias.png"></a> </div> </div> </div>--><div class="row sp_Resource1"> .sp_Resource1{ padding:25px 0 0px 0 ; } .sp_Resource1 h3{ margin:10px 0 0 0; color:#555; font-size:.7em; text-transform:uppercase; font-weight:400; letter-spacing:3px; } .sp_Resource1 h4{ color:#002855; line-height: 1.2em; font-size:30px; margin: 10px 0 15px 0 } .sp_Resource1 p, .sp_Resource1 ul li{ font-size:16px; } .sp_Resource1_holder{ background-color:; padding: 0; overflow: auto } .sp_Resource1 .sp_Resource1_holder img{ padding-bottom: 15px; margin: auto; display: block } @media (max-width:768px) and (min-width:340px){ .sp_Resource1 .sp_Resource1_holder .col-xs-3{ width: 40%; } .sp_Resource1 .sp_Resource1_holder .col-xs-9{ width: 60%; } } @media (max-width:500px) and (min-width:361px){ .sp_Resource1 .sp_Resource1_holder.col-xs-3{ width: 100%; } .sp_Resource1 .sp_Resource1_holder .col-xs-9{ width: 100%; } } @media (max-width:360px){ .sp_Resource1 .sp_Resource1_holder .col-xs-3{ width: 100%; max-width: 150px; /* margin-left: calc(50% - 75px);*/ margin-right: } .sp_Resource1 .sp_Resource1_holder .col-xs-9{ width: 100%; padding: 0 25px } } @media (max-width:500px){ .sp_Resource1 .sp_Resource1_holder center .btn{ width:250px; right:calc(25% - 115px); } } .sp_Resource1 .btn { margin-top: 20px; } <div class="col-md-1"> </div><div class="col-md-12 sp_Resource1_holder"><div class="col-sm-4 col-md-3"><a href="#ahaLeadershipScan"><img src="/sites/default/files/2024-11/2025-workforcescan-Cover-Image-247x320.jpg" alt="Cover image of 2025 Health Care Workforce Scan" width="247" height="320"></a><p><a class="btn btn-wide btn-primary" href="#ahaLeadershipScan" data-view-context="top-level-view">Get the Health Care Workforce Scan</a></p></div><div class="col-sm-8 col-md-9"><h4>Peer-Proven Approaches and Expert Insights to Enhance Your Workforce Strategies</h4><p>Health care professionals continue to provide selfless, dedicated, high-quality care to our patients and communities despite the emerging and enduring challenges and stressors they face. Solving near-term and long-term workforce challenges calls for us to develop fresh ways to nurture and support our current staff while attracting the workers we need to meet the demands of today and tomorrow.</p><p>For innovative steps to enhance the overall workforce experience to help you refresh, retain and recruit health care workers, look to the 2025 AHA Health Care Workforce Scan. Based on a review of the latest reports, studies and other data sources, it offers valuable insights into the workforce landscape and practical guidance from experts and your peers to help your organization navigate the future of the health care workforce. Real-world examples from a host of organizations, from Ochsner Medical Center to Texas Children’s Hospital to Chicago’s Northwestern Medicine, provide actionable ways to:</p><ul><li>Embrace technologically integrated care models and innovations.</li><li>Engage clinicians in technology strategies.</li><li>Boost access through partnerships, training and upskilling.</li><li>Rethink engagement to build a more flexible, engaged workforce.</li></ul><p>For a high-level, two-page overview of the state of the health care workforce, download this <a href="/system/files/media/file/2024/11/2025-Health-Care-Workforce-Scan-Executive-Summary.pdf" target="_blank" title="Download the Executive Summary">Executive Summary</a> of the 2025 AHA Health Care Workforce Scan.</p><p>Access <a href="/aha-workforce-scan/scan-presentations-members-only" target="_blank" title="AHA members-only presentations">AHA members-only presentations</a> to share key points from the AHA Health Care Workforce Scan with your colleagues or other audiences.</p></div></div><div class="col-md-1"> </div></div> .SponsorMarketoForm { background-color: ; 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MktoForms2.whenReady(function(form){ if(form.getId() == 4088 ) { form.onSuccess(function(values, followUpUrl) { form.getFormElem().hide(); document.getElementById("successAndErrorMessages").innerHTML="<div><p>Thank you.<\/p><br /><p><a class='btn btn-wide btn-primary' data-view-context='top-level-view' href='https:\/\/www.aha.org\/system\/files\/media\/file\/2024\/11\/2025-Health-Care-Workforce-Scan.pdf' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer nofollow'>Download 2025 Health Care Workforce Scan <\/a><\/center><\/div>"; return false; }); }; }); <div id="successAndErrorMessages"> </div></div></div></div></div></div></div><div class="row"> .CenterProgram { background-color: #f6f6f6; /*margin-bottom:25px;*/ } .CenterProgram .CpHeader{ padding-top:15px; } .CenterProgram .CpHeader h2 { color: #002855; line-height: 1.2em; font-size: 30px; margin: 10px 0 30px 0; text-align:center; } .CenterProgram .CpHeader h4 { margin: 25px 0 0 0; color: #555; font-size: .7em; text-transform: uppercase; font-weight: 400; 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In this conversation, Stacey Ouellette, director of Behavioral Health Integration with Maine Behavioral Healthcare, discusses the positive impact integrated care has had on workplace productivity and satisfaction, and how it's made their teams more connected across the organization.</p><hr><div></div><div class="raw-html-embed"> <details class="transcript"> <summary> <h2 title="Click here to open/close the transcript."> <span>View Transcript</span><br>   </h2> </summary> <p>00:00:00:18 - 00:00:29:05<br> Tom Haederle<br> Behavioral health specialists are in short supply pretty much everywhere. But health care leaders are finding out that knocking down the traditional walls between physical and mental health care not only benefits patients, but also helps with the recruitment and retention of the behavioral health specialists that so many providers and patients need more of.</p> <p>00:00:29:07 - 00:01:00:28<br> Tom Haederle<br> Welcome to Advancing Health, a podcast from the şÚÁĎŐýÄÜÁż Association. I'm Tom Haederle with AHA communications. These days, integrating physical and behavioral health care is increasingly a seamless part of the overall care experience, what health professionals call a "warm handoff" between physical and behavioral health providers for those patients who need both. This integration is good for patients and is also a significant factor in keeping many health care workers, both in physical and behavioral health, engaged and much happier in their jobs.</p> <p>00:01:01:00 - 00:01:20:23<br> Tom Haederle<br> In today's podcast hosted by the AHA's Rebecca Chickey, senior director of Behavioral Health Services, we hear from Stacey Ouellette, director of Behavioral Health Integration with Maine Behavioral Health Care, on her organization's experience with the positive impact integrated care has had on workplace productivity and satisfaction.</p> <p>00:01:20:25 - 00:01:49:13<br> Rebecca Chickey<br> Thank you Tom. Indeed, it is an honor to be here with Stacey today from Maine Health and Maine Behavioral Health. We are going to discuss the value of integration. I know you've heard this from me before, but she's here with us today specifically to talk about how integrated physical and behavioral health care can improve workforce productivity and perhaps even more important, worker satisfaction.</p> <p>00:01:49:15 - 00:02:20:12<br> Rebecca Chickey<br> We all know that hospitals and health systems have been struggling to recruit and retain qualified workers across a variety of clinical areas, but in behavioral health, that was a challenge even prior to the COVID pandemic. So, Stacey, can you share with the listeners what are some of the specifics that you've experienced around the challenges of recruiting and retaining health care workers in behavioral health?</p> <p>00:02:20:14 - 00:02:46:29<br> Stacey Ouellette<br> Yeah, absolutely so it's always been a little bit of a challenge. The work pool is not that deep really. But definitely with the pandemic it worsened. It wasn't uncommon for us as a program in Maine Behavioral Health Care to have a few positions vacant at a time. But when the pandemic hit, it jumped up quickly to around 20, we're a program of about 100,</p> <p>00:02:46:29 - 00:03:16:23<br> Stacey Ouellette<br> so put that into context there. But it was a shock really, having that many positions to recruit for. And the challenge was there just weren't many applicants out there. And the ones that were out there, you know, that we interviewed, were really looking for that work-life balance. So as a program, we needed to at the time consider how we were, you know, bringing people in and providing them with this sort of work-life balance so that we could keep them right?</p> <p>00:03:16:24 - 00:03:45:29<br> Stacey Ouellette<br> Retention is key. Some of those vacancies were due to growth, not because everybody was leaving. So the demand grew at the same time. And so we needed to, continuously work on recruitment so that we could have the adequate staffing to support the needs and the practices. In terms of the retention piece, really trying to lean in to integrated care can offer people in the role.</p> <p>00:03:46:01 - 00:04:11:12<br> Stacey Ouellette<br> I'll often hear, you know, having access to the primary care provider, it just makes the job better. It makes it easier because you can really coordinate that care. And it's the care team working together for the sake of the patient. Having the role integrated into their primary care and or specialty care practices that we're in can definitely make a difference in terms of that satisfaction with the work.</p> <p>00:04:11:14 - 00:04:39:12<br> Rebecca Chickey<br> So if I may, integration in primary care is something that I think has really caught on across the United States. While it is not in every community or every county, it is something that we're seeing grow each and every day, thankfully, because as we know, particularly early on in an individual struggling with a psychiatric or substance use disorder, often they're seeking care from their primary care physician first.</p> <p>00:04:39:14 - 00:05:03:02<br> Rebecca Chickey<br> So it's very important that that primary care office have access to behavioral health clinicians so that they, too, can be more excited about their job each and every day, as well as feel more comfortable in providing the holistic care that the patient needs. But I'm wondering, you mentioned specialty care. I hear a little bit about this across the country.</p> <p>00:05:03:04 - 00:05:15:08<br> Rebecca Chickey<br> Would you mind sharing what specialties you have gone into? Sometimes people consider pediatrics as a specialty, while others define it as primary care. So what does that mean for Maine Health?</p> <p>00:05:15:10 - 00:05:45:04<br> Stacey Ouellette<br> For us currently, yes, we are in all of the pediatric practices. We are also in practices such as neurology, cardiology, weight management programs, aka bariatrics, pain management programs. So a lot of the diabetes and endocrinology, a lot of the specialties, where patients get their care outside of the primary care home, we're starting to integrate into as well.</p> <p>00:05:45:05 - 00:06:19:28<br> Stacey Ouellette<br> Women's health is another one that we're in. And so it's just it's the same, just that we're integrated into these specialties, providing that support there. Similar to that of primary care you mentioned, you know, you alluded to the patients and trusting their provider. Right? So when the provider identifies or the patient identifies a concern or a need and they're able to do a handoff, a warm handoff with the behavioral health clinician right there on site, it just gains access to care, right?</p> <p>00:06:19:28 - 00:06:35:29<br> Stacey Ouellette<br> And that trust is there because the provider recommended it and usually patients trust their providers. So by us entering some of these specialty practices we're also to be able to support the patients there at those sites as well.</p> <p>00:06:36:01 - 00:06:56:28<br> Rebecca Chickey<br> I'm going to add a little bit of a personal story here because, phrase that you said a "warm handoff" has a really strong meaning for me. My older son, who is now doing incredibly well and in fact is going diving in Bali in October - not that I'm nervous about that at all - but, nonetheless, he's doing much better.</p> <p>00:06:56:28 - 00:07:20:06<br> Rebecca Chickey<br> But he suffered a major depressive episode while he was in undergraduate school. And, you know, he was screened and diagnosed with depression. The handoff was to send a 19 year-old male in college an email with the contact information for two therapists that they wished him the best of luck to see if he could get an appointment.</p> <p>00:07:20:08 - 00:07:59:02<br> Rebecca Chickey<br> That is the opposite of a warm hand off just for those of you wondering. I have a great depth and appreciation for the true value and importance of a warm handoff. Meeting the next person, knowing that you are, not just being put on hold per se. So what I'm hearing, if I can summarize to date: there are a number of important success factors related to integrating physical and behavioral health as it relates to recruiting and retaining qualified health care workers, particularly in the behavioral health field, but also in other specialty areas.</p> <p>00:07:59:04 - 00:08:26:20<br> Rebecca Chickey<br> I think you alluded to this, that, primary care physicians or the clinicians in many of the specialties that you mentioned: cardiology, neurology, women's health. I don't want to assume so I'm going to ask you to validate this: Have you also heard from those clinicians who are not trained in behavioral health that is something that they value that has added value and, improve their satisfaction, in their day-to-day work.</p> <p>00:08:26:22 - 00:08:50:10<br> Stacey Ouellette<br> We as a program, do a provider satisfaction survey every year to 18 months to get some feedback on how things are going. And that is one of the questions that we ask overall, you know, their satisfaction as well as does having an integrated clinician in their practice help make their job easier? And unanimously, all pretty much agree with that,</p> <p>00:08:50:10 - 00:09:02:28<br> Stacey Ouellette<br> strongly agree with that concept that having an integrated clinician in the setting helps make their jobs easier, but also just it helps support them, right? And managing the complexities of the patients.</p> <p>00:09:03:00 - 00:09:43:01<br> Rebecca Chickey<br> For the listeners, I'm going to read a statistic, related to the real challenges and struggles for all health care workers in terms of recruitment and retention. Since 2020, one in five health care workers have quit their jobs. And surveys suggest that up to 47% of health care workers not just behavioral health, but health care workers in general, because this integrated care impacts not just behavioral health care workers, but even more so the other clinicians who often struggle because they may not have recent training in how to diagnose or screen for anxiety disorder or bipolar disorder.</p> <p>00:09:43:04 - 00:10:23:18<br> Rebecca Chickey<br> But 47% of health care workers plan to leave their positions by 2025. And we all know that the recruitment costs, the turnover costs, are significant and often that leads to other sort of hidden cost. And that is the domino effect, when one person leaves an organization, then several others may follow. So just emphasizing not only is this important for each individual who's happier, more satisfied in the work that they do every day, but this can have a positive impact on the bottom line of hospitals and health systems across the country.</p> <p>00:10:23:21 - 00:10:45:21<br> Rebecca Chickey<br> I'm going to put you on the spot here a little bit, Stacey, and ask you to personalize this. I mean, we've seen a lot of studies, for instance, the University of Michigan's Behavioral Health Workforce Research Center, you know, they've come out and they've said, when we've done this research, it's, you know, increased employee productivity. It's stabilized primary care physicians workloads.</p> <p>00:10:45:28 - 00:11:16:03<br> Rebecca Chickey<br> It better allows them to refer patients more effectively and in a timely fashion. But sometimes research seems so impersonal when the listeners are sitting here thinking, could I really do this at my organization? Can you share just a story or two about how you have seen this play out? I know you've talked generally, but how if you, you know, maybe a personal story of how this has impacted, or maybe quotes that you've heard from clinicians at Maine Health.</p> <p>00:11:16:06 - 00:11:40:27<br> Stacey Ouellette<br> One quote that always will stay with me is from that provider satisfaction survey, where one provider, said, this is better than Christmas morning, having behavioral health in our practice because they have access to that support. You know, we've worked to make ourselves available and accessible to support the primary care or specialty care teams and managing the complexity of the patients.</p> <p>00:11:41:00 - 00:12:04:23<br> Stacey Ouellette<br> They're in the moment. And so when we're able to respond, when a patient presents with a concern...we hear time and time again, that just helps them to feel confident, right? The medical providers to feel confident like they know how to respond. Their response might be let's get the behavioral health clinician and get them connected to you so that they can they can help us out.</p> <p>00:12:04:25 - 00:12:26:02<br> Stacey Ouellette<br> I have personally been working, when I worked in one practice was pulled in this will stick with me for probably a very long time, but I was pulled in for a warm handoff. Patient was suicidal, and together the medical provider and I had a conversation with the patient. I did some assessing. We made a safety plan. Patient.</p> <p>0:12:26:09 - 00:12:54:05<br> Stacey Ouellette<br> I provided some education, some validation as to why this person was feeling this way and together as a team, patient included in that team, we all felt good about next steps, and patient left with a plan and came back and continued some treatment. And I think like those examples just demonstrate how having integrated behavioral health in the practices can help improve productivity of the whole care team, right?</p> <p>00:12:54:10 - 00:13:24:03<br> Stacey Ouellette<br> Can help improve confidence and competence in the work that we do. And to the patient, it hopefully helps with patient satisfaction, right? Like it improves their confidence. Like this team's got me, right? They they're all wrapped around. They're working together. They all are on the same page. So those types of examples just demonstrate how integrating behavioral health can have an impact on multiple individuals and outcomes.</p> <p>0:13:24:05 - 00:13:48:25<br> Rebecca Chickey<br> That's phenomenal. Thank you. And thank you for making it personal to you as well. Truly meaningful. Well, as we begin to look towards the end of our podcast here, I'm going to ask two questions. One is thinking back over the last several years as you built out this integrated care system, what are a couple of the things that you think made this successful?</p> <p>:13:48:28 - 00:14:05:10<br> Rebecca Chickey<br> Where do I start? You know, what do I what are the two anchors that I need to have in place in order to replicate what Maine Health has done? What would you say, to the listeners? And the other one is, do you have a call to action for the listeners?</p> <p>00:14:05:12 - 00:14:38:17<br> Stacey Ouellette<br> Use a team, right? So identifying perhaps a provider champion to help support the initiation of this, have leadership on board, which requires perhaps educating, informing of how integrated behavioral health care can be useful for the organization. Give them resources and studies that have demonstrated utility of the role within the primary care settings. It is a whole team approach. It is the medical champion.</p> <p>00:14:38:17 - 00:15:10:01<br> Stacey Ouellette<br> It's behavioral health. It's your billing and finance folks at the table and being flexible, really being willing to try things and adjust. Doing perhaps like a PDSA cycle, so that you can learn and grow and adjust. I would say use resources out there. There's a lot of great people doing this work across the country. The Collaborative Family Health Care Association, CFHA is one group that I, belong to, and they have helped me tremendously</p> <p>00:15:10:01 - 00:15:29:15<br> Stacey Ouellette<br> just as a collective group. They help with questions, they help provide guidance. There's a lot of people out there doing this, so you're not alone. Use your resources. Connect to people, ask questions. People doing this usually really love to share and help others because we believe in it.</p> <p>00:15:29:17 - 00:16:09:01<br> Rebecca Chickey<br> I will add on, you added, you may have to educate, and one of the reasons we're doing this podcast is to continue to draw attention to an issue brief that we released, the AHA released last fall. Basically, the short version of the title is "Integration - The Time is Now." It's only four pages. It has almost 30 references of evidence-based research, showing the multiple ways in which integrating physical and behavioral health can provide value in a multitude of ways, just as you have shared many of them with us here today.</p> <p>00:16:09:01 - 00:16:30:03<br> Rebecca Chickey<br> So I would point to that as an educational resource and an easy read. Four pages. Most of us can do that, and, you know, skim that in a minute. So thank you so much, Stacey, for, again, as I started for your willingness to share your time and expertise, you are doing champions work. We greatly appreciate it.</p> <p>00:16:30:05 - 00:16:36:17<br> Rebecca Chickey<br> I know our listeners do too. You've just inspired someone to start on this journey. So thank you.</p> <p>00:16:36:19 - 00:16:38:05<br> Stacey Ouellette<br> Thank you.</p> <p>00:16:38:07 - 00:16:46:16<br> Tom Haederle<br> Thanks for listening to Advancing Health. Please subscribe and rate us five stars on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts.</p> </details> </div> Wed, 11 Sep 2024 06:00:00 -0500 Behavioral Health Workers /rural-behavioral-health <div class="row"><div class="col-md-8 col-sm-8"><p>According to a 2022 policy brief from the <a href="https://www.ruralhealth.us/getmedia/cf3c3922-25cb-49a0-bb04-0bad81d634f9/NRHA-Mental-health-in-rural-areas-policy-brief-2022.pdf">National Rural Health Association</a>, rural areas can experience a severe lack of access to and availability of the full range of behavioral health care services, challenges with mental health workforce recruitment and retention, and technology barriers impacting telehealth visits. These challenges, combined with additional social challenges like stigma, a potential lack of anonymity when seeking care, geographic isolation from services, and cost, can deter patients and families in rural communities from getting the care they need.</p><p>Hospitals are the cornerstones of their communities, serving as principal access points to care for the nearly 60 million people or 20 percent of Americans who live in rural areas and may need behavioral health services. The AHA is committed supporting its members as they strive to provide high quality, accessible behavioral health services in America’s rural communities through the following advocacy priorities:</p><p><strong>Telehealth.</strong> The pandemic demonstrated telehealth services are a crucial access point for many patients. AHA supports legislation to make permanent coverage of certain telehealth services made possible during the pandemic, including lifting geographic and originating site restrictions, allowing Rural Health Clinics and Federally Qualified Health Centers to serve as distant sites, expanding practitioners who can provide telehealth, and allowing hospital outpatient billing for virtual services, among others (S. 2016 / H.R. 4189).</p><p><strong>Graduate Medical Education</strong>. We urge Congress to pass additional legislation to increase the number of Medicare-funded residency slots, which would expand training opportunities in rural settings and help address health professional shortages <strong>(S. 1302 / H.R. 2389)</strong></p><p><strong>Loan Repayment Programs</strong>. We urge Congress to pass legislation to provide incentives for clinicians to practice in rural HPSAs. We support expanding the National Health Service Corps and the National Nurse Corps, which incentivize health care graduates to provide health care services in underserved areas <strong>(S. 862 / S. 940 / H.R. 1711).</strong></p><p>A number of <strong>behavioral health</strong> <strong>policies</strong> that authorize, expand, and better integrate behavioral health programs in rural communities.</p> For more information, visit <a href="/rural-advocacy-agenda">AHA’s 2024 Rural Advocacy Agenda</a>. </p> --><h4><span>Latest Behavioral Health Podcasts</span></h4><div></div></div><div class="col-md-4 col-sm-4"><div><div><h4 class="text-align-center">Rural Behavioral Health Infographic</h4><p class="text-align-center"><a href="/infographic-realities-behavioral-health-rural-communities" title="Click to open The Realities of Behavioral Health in Rural Communities infographic in a new window"><img src="/sites/default/files/2024-11/rural-behavioral-health-infographic-cover.png" data-entity-uuid data-entity-type="file" alt="2023 Behavioral Health Fast Facts Infographic. The Realities of Behavioral Health in Rural Communities" width="250" height="325"></a></p><p class="text-align-center"><a class="btn btn-primary btn-wide" href="/system/files/media/file/2024/11/rural-behavioral-health-infographic.pdf" title="click here to download Infographic: The Realities of Behavioral Health in Rural Communities">Download Infographic</a></p></div></div><h4> </h4><div class="panel module-typeC"><div class="panel-heading"><h4><span>Featured Resource</span></h4></div><div class="panel-body"><ul><li><a href="/news/blog/2024-11-04-aha-committee-chairs-come-together-increasing-access-behavioral-health-services-rural-communities"><strong>Blog: AHA Committee Chairs Come Together for Increasing Access to Behavioral Health Services in Rural Communities</strong></a></li></ul></div></div><h4> </h4><div class="panel module-typeC"><div class="panel-heading"><h4><span>For More Information</span></h4></div><div class="panel-body"><ul><li><a href="https://www.ruralhealth.us/">National Rural Health Association</a></li><li><a href="https://www.ruralhealthinfo.org/topics/mental-health">Rural Health Information Hub</a></li></ul></div></div></div></div> Wed, 03 Jul 2024 13:25:26 -0500 Behavioral Health Workers /news/headline/2024-06-28-aha-video-series-highlights-careers-behavioral-health <p>AHA June 27 released the first three of a series of videos highlighting various behavioral health roles and career paths in a hospital or health system, as well as the commitment and passion of current health care workers. The initial videos feature a community health worker, a psychiatrist and a psychiatric nurse. <a href="/behavioral-health-workforce-perspectives"><strong>WATCH NOW</strong></a></p> Fri, 28 Jun 2024 16:13:45 -0500 Behavioral Health Workers /behavioral-health-workforce-perspectives <div class="raw-html-embed">.module-typeC { height: 100%; } .panel { margin-bottom: 30px; padding: 20px; border: 1px solid #eee; } @media (min-width:768px) { .rowEqual_768 { display: -webkit-box; display: -webkit-flex; display: -ms-flexbox; display: flex; flex-wrap: wrap; } .rowEqual_768>[class*='col-'] { -ms-flex: 1; /* IE 10 */ flex: auto; width: calc(50% - 6px) /*Adjust % for the number per row, will override the bootstrap - Also needed for Safari*/ ; margin-bottom: 25px; } } <h3> <span>Behavioral Health Care Workforce Videos</span> </h3> <div class="rowEqual_768"> <div class="panel module-typeC"> <div class="panel-heading"> <h4> Perinatal Psych Nurse & Perinatal Bereavement Coordinator </h4> </div> <div class="panel-body"> <p> <em>June 2024</em> </p> <p> Shannon, perinatal psych nurse at Ascension Alexian Brothers Behavioral Health shares the value of her work as well as the joy that it brings her and the patients she serves. </p> </div> </div> </div> to here^, paste below, and update with new video URL and text. //--> <div class="col-md-6"> <div class="panel module-typeC"> <div class="panel-heading"> <h4> Giving Back to the Community<br> with Tracey Lavallias </h4> </div> <div class="panel-body"> <p><em>July 2024</em> </p> <p>Tracey Lavallias, executive director of behavioral health at Penn Medicine Lancaster General Health, shares how being an administrator in behavioral health has allowed him to give back, and change the lives of individuals with behavioral health conditions. </p> </div> </div> </div> <div class="col-md-6"> <div class="panel module-typeC"> <div class="panel-heading"> <h4> Perinatal Psych Nurse & Perinatal Bereavement Coordinator </h4> </div> <div class="panel-body"> <p><em>June 2024</em> </p> <p>Shannon, perinatal psych nurse at Ascension Alexian Brothers Behavioral Health shares the value of her work as well as the joy that it brings her and the patients she serves. </p> </div> </div> </div> <div class="col-md-6"> <div class="panel module-typeC"> <div class="panel-heading"> <h4> Psychiatrist </h4> </div> <div class="panel-body"> <p> <em>June 2024</em> </p> <p> </p> <p> Dr. Frank, Chair of Psychiatry at Henry Ford Health, shares the appeal of being a psychiatrist, as the brain is “the last frontier. </p> </div> </div> </div> <div class="col-md-6"> <div class="panel module-typeC"> <div class="panel-heading"> <h4> Community Health Worker </h4> </div> <div class="panel-body"> <p> <em>June 2024</em> </p> <p> </p> <p> Shannon, community health worker at Montefiore, shares how connecting patients with vital services such as housing, and transportation, helps patients reach their highest potential for health. </p> </div> </div> </div> </div></div> Wed, 26 Jun 2024 15:19:57 -0500 Behavioral Health Workers /news/headline/2024-06-24-aha-webinar-explains-how-build-cost-effective-workforce-using-advanced-practice-providers <p>Rebecca Chickey, AHA senior director of behavioral health, interviews Linden Oaks Hospital’s Walter Whang, M.D., system physician executive of the psychiatry line, and Gina Sharp, president and system executive of the behavioral health service line, on developing and growing their use of advanced practice providers, including physician assistants and advanced practice nurses. <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F9Suh-EKSpI&feature=youtu.be">WATCH NOW</a> <br> </p> Mon, 24 Jun 2024 14:50:20 -0500 Behavioral Health Workers /news/blog/2024-04-30-putting-people-first-why-language-matters-behavioral-health-care <p>Language not only describes what we think, but shapes how we think. Many of us remember terms that have fallen out of fashion or even have been deemed offensive (good riddance, in many cases), especially when it comes to behavioral health. One of the biggest changes, thankfully, has been a shift over the last decade or so to “person first” language.</p><p>At its core, “person-first” language describes the condition a person has, rather than who they are. AHA’s long-term and continuing “<a href="/people-matter-words-matter" target="_blank" title="People Matter, Words Matter">People Matter, Words Matter</a>” project aims to dispel the stigma around psychiatric and substance use disorders through a series of downloadable posters that encourage health care providers to adopt patient-centered, respectful language.</p><p>This project is guided by one major tenet: People matter and the words we use to describe them or the disorders they have matter.</p><p>The benefits of “person-first” language are incalculable. First, it reminds us that we are talking about a human – not a disability, not a behavioral health or chronic physical condition – but a person who is living a life full of needs, wants, fears, joy, sorrow and, above all, the primary desire for connection we all feel. Calling someone an “addict” removes their personhood and reduces them to their condition. A “person with substance use disorder,” on the other hand, is a human being as complex and complicated as the rest of us, who also has a chronic behavioral health condition. No term, however, is one-size-fits-all. While one person may prefer being described as an “alcoholic,” another may prefer “person with alcohol use disorder.” To some people it won’t matter at all. The most important thing about person-first language is to respect the person and to listen if and when they tell you how they wished to be described.</p><p>When we began the “People Matter, Words Matter” project in 2021 with the first poster [link], which uses person-first language, acknowledging the person rather than the illness or disability, we hoped to educate and encourage help health care providers to use person-first language not only with their patients, but with one another, with the public at large and even with themselves. We continued with posters covering topics such as youth mental health, suicide, culturally and racially aware language and others, and are planning posters on disabilities and ageism as well as a leadership guide to help managers and leaders to effectively talk about person-first language with their teams.</p><p>Since its inception, we have heard of hospitals and health systems not only using the posters in their clinical care settings but <a href="/role-hospitals-chi-health-leverages-ahas-poster-resource-spark-conversations-about-mental-health-issues" target="_blank" title="Using language that puts people first">placing them in publicly accessible areas</a>, such as cafeterias and bathrooms, bringing person-first language to people who may not be aware of its importance. Small steps can reduce stigma in big ways.</p><p>The work encompassed by the “People Matter, Words Matter” series is continually evolving. We can be sure that, just as our understanding of behavioral health shifts and changes, so will the language we use to describe it. But at the top of our priority list will always be to place the person first, to keep their humanity in mind and to encourage others to do the same.</p><p>Read and download the People Matter, Words Matter series <a href="/people-matter-words-matter" target="_blank" title="People Matter, Words Matter">here</a>.</p><hr><p><em>Rebecca Chickey is AHA's senior director for behavioral health services. Rebecca shapes behavioral health strategy and health policy; establishes and strengthens relationships with C-Suite leaders in the field; and provides “best in class” thought leadership and knowledge exchange.</em></p> Tue, 30 Apr 2024 14:23:12 -0500 Behavioral Health Workers /news/headline/2024-04-24-hhs-releases-national-suicide-prevention-strategy-plan <p>The Department of Health and Human Services and National Action Alliance for Suicide Prevention, a public-private partnership whose members include the AHA, April 23 released a <a href="https://theactionalliance.org/national-strategy-suicide-prevention">national strategy and federal plan</a> to prevent suicide over the next 10 years. The updated strategy includes a new pillar prioritizing equity for populations disproportionately impacted by suicide. The new federal action plan includes identifying ways to address substance use and suicide risk together in the clinical setting; funding a mobile crisis locator for use by 988 crisis centers; increasing support for survivors of suicide loss and others whose lives have been impacted by suicide; and evaluating promising community-based suicide prevention strategies.  <br><br>“We are pleased to release this National Strategy for Suicide Prevention, updated for the first time in more than a decade, with the best knowledge and practices to date that we have to offer,” <a href="https://www.hhs.gov/about/news/2024/04/23/biden-harris-administration-releases-national-strategy-suicide-prevention-first-ever-federal-action-plan.html">said</a> Miriam Delphin-Rittmon, HHS assistant secretary for mental health and substance use. “The need for this strategy is reflected in the heart-breaking and alarmingly high statistics surrounding suicide and suicidal ideation. This strategy is the product of an ongoing commitment, and we stand, hand-in-hand with people with lived experience, federal and private sector partners, and everyone committed to this work that will ultimately save lives.” <br> </p> Wed, 24 Apr 2024 16:01:03 -0500 Behavioral Health Workers