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CEO Update | 270

A Message from NABH President and CEO Scott Dziengelski

I’m grateful for the warm welcome our members and the NABH team have given me during my first week back at NABH. Thank you. It feels good to be back.
 
Before returning to NABH this week, I thought a lot about the origins of NABH. In 1933, nine physician leaders realized no group or professional association was advocating for the interests of their patients. Driven by their devotion to their patients, they formed a different association to serve as an advocate for their vision of psychiatric care. They formed the National Association of Private Psychiatric Hospitals.
 
More than nine decades later, we now call ourselves NABH—and that different vision for behavioral healthcare in 1933 still drives our advocacy. We are a strong, unified, consistent voice for our members who provide the highest quality behavioral healthcare. No other group or association is quite like us.
 
I’m confident that together we will achieve our different vision because the path ahead for NABH is clear, the team is energized, and we are ready to take on the toughest challenges in behavioral healthcare.

CMS to Release Key Regulations in Coming Weeks

As NABH prepares comments for the FY27 IPF PPS rule, we’re looking ahead to other important regulations that we expect from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) in the weeks and months ahead.

The Office of Management and Budget is currently reviewing the following regulations, signaling CMS will release these proposed rules soon: the Outpatient Prospective Payment System rule, which contains payment rates for partial hospitalization programs and intensive outpatient programs; the Physician Fee Schedule with the payment rate for Opioid Treatment Programs; the rule on Medicaid state-direct payments. Also at OMB is CMS’ H.R. 1/OBBBA’s Community Engagement interim final rule.

Please contact NABH Vice President of Quality and Regulatory Affairs Sarah Steverman or NABH Vice President of Public Policy Dan Schwartz if you have questions.

University Programs Addressing Behavioral Healthcare Workforce Gaps

A handful of university programs are addressing workforce gaps in behavioral healthcare by expanding certificate and degree programs.

The University of Pittsburgh, Campbell University in North Carolina, Northeast Ohio Medical University, and Mesa Community College are offering programs to offer solutions to the workforce shortage, an article in Becker’s Behavioral Health reported this week.

ICYMI: MACPAC Calls for CMS to Develop Transparent Plan for Community Engagement Requirements

The Medicaid and CHIP Payment Advisory Commission (MACPAC) on April 9 releasedImplementing Community Engagement Requirements in Medicaid, a draft chapter and recommendation that identifies policy and operational considerations for states and the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) as they implement Community Engagement (CE) in requirements in Medicaid.

In the draft chapter, MACPAC recommends “The Secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services should direct the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) to develop a transparent plan for monitoring and evaluating community engagement requirements in Medicaid that provides insight into how such policies affect eligibility and enrollment, health status, employment, state and federal administrative spending, and the attainment of other identified policy goals.”

The recommendation also said CMS should identify new metrics for state reporting (as needed) and build upon existing data collection activities to minimize administrative burden. MACPAC said CMS also should ensure timely publication of monitoring and evaluation results to inform policy and operational decision making.

MACPAC will vote on this recommendation next month.

Mark Your Calendars for These Upcoming Behavioral Healthcare Events

Please remember to save the date for the NABH 2027 Annual Meeting from March 1-3, 2027 at The Ritz-Carlton Washington, DC.

In the near term, here are some upcoming behavioral healthcare-related events: 

Fact of the Week

Suicides and drug overdoses likely contribute significantly to Arkansas’ maternity mortality rate, although stigma and lack of data make reporting difficult, UAMS Health psychiatrist Shona Ray, M.D. recently reported to Axios.

For questions or comments about this CEO Update, please contact Jessica Zigmond.