CEO Update 108
HHS Plans to Extend Covid-19 Public Health Emergency
HHS has signaled it will extend the Covid-19 public health emergency before it expires on July 25.
The news was reported via Twitter on June 29 from HHS spokesman Michael Caputo, who noted that the department has renewed the public health emergency once before.
After it is extended, the public health emergency will remain effective for an additional 90 days. This extension will help providers continue to use waivers and flexibilities that have been issued to help them address the global pandemic.
Kaiser Family Foundation Releases Analysis on Mental Health and SUD
A new analysis from the Kaiser Family Foundation (KFF) on Friday found that 36.5% of adults in the United States report symptoms of anxiety or depressive disorder, up from 11% in 2019.
Meanwhile, Louisiana (42.9%), Florida (41.5%), and Oregon (41.3%) have the highest shares reporting these symptoms, while Wisconsin (27.2%), Minnesota (30.5%), and Nebraska (30.6%) have the lowest, the analysis showed.
KFF reported the statistics in a series of state facts sheets, which also showed New Mexico, Montana, Wyoming, Alaska, and Idaho are the states with the highest rates of suicide.
Commonwealth Fund Report Says Covid-19 Highlights Gaps in Medicare Mental Health Coverage
A report from the Commonwealth Fund released this week shows gaps that remain in Medicare beneficiaries’ access to mental health services, including the federal healthcare program’s 190-day lifetime limit for inpatient psychiatric stays and limited coverage for telemental health services.
The article’s purpose was to offer an overview of Medicare beneficiaries’ needs and benefits, as well as the initiatives to improve both financing and mental health services delivery in Medicare.
According to the study, more than 112 million Americans live in areas of the country where healthcare providers are in short supply, and experts predict increasing shortages in psychiatrists, clinical and counseling psychologists, mental health social workers, mental health counselors, and other specialty mental health professionals through 2025.
“Policies to expand coverage of telemental health should be rigorously studied and potentially made permanent as a strategy to increase access to mental health services,” researchers noted in the report.
Separately, JAMA on July 1 published a new analysis that examines the trends in the prevalence of U.S. adults who screened positive for depression and the proportion who received treatment from 2007 to 2016, with consideration of health insurance coverage.
Today is the Deadline to Register for DOL Discussion on Parity Compliance
The U.S. Labor Department (DOL) will host a 90-minute virtual discussion titled “Parity Compliance: Progress and Challenges” next Thursday, July 16 at 1:30 p.m. ET.
As part of DOL’s Fiscal Year 2020 MH/SUD Enforcement Evaluation Program—published in the 2020 DOL MHPAEA Report to Congress— DOL’s Employee Benefits Security Administration (EBSA) announced it would host a listening session to gain feedback on the agency’s interpretive guidance and enforcement program. EBSA also noted that attendees could use the opportunity to comment on the MHPAEA self-compliance tool that EBSA proposed on June 19.
The last day to register for the event is today, July 10.
NAMI To Host First Virtual NAMICon Next Week
The National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) has transitioned its in-person NAMICon to a virtual event on July 13 and 14.
The event’s plenary session will feature National Institute of Mental Health Director Joshua Gordon, M.D., Ph.D., who will discuss the challenges and opportunities of mental health research. The program will also explore the importance of diversity, inclusion, and cultural competence, and how to address issues such as identity, language, and demographics.
Click here to register for the event and here for the program’s two-day schedule.
NNED, SAMHSA to Host Roundtable Next Week on Addressing Covid-19 and Behavioral Health Needs in Communities of Color
The National Network to Eliminate Disparities in Behavioral Health (NNED) and the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) will host a host a virtual roundtable next week to address how the Covid-19 pandemic, the current economic crisis, and civil unrest from incidents of police brutality have worsened disparities in mental health.
The event—part of National Minority Mental Health Awareness Month this July—will highlight how faith-based NNED partner organizations are supporting mental health concerns of racial and ethnic minorities and providing opportunities to receive support and connection through faith-based practices and partnerships. Click here to register for the event on Thursday, July 16 at 3 p.m. ET.
And please remember to follow NABH on Twitter and LinkedIn for information and events related to National Mental Health Awareness Month.
BPC to Host Webinar on Covid-19’s Effect on Mental Health Access for People of Color
The Bipartisan Policy Center (BPC) will host a webinar titled “Covid-19’s Adverse Impact on Mental Health Access for People of Color” on Tuesday, July 21.
The BPC notes that as the Covid-19 pandemic has increased mental health and substance use problems, the situation is even worse for Black, Indigenous, and people of color populations, which have long experienced disparities in access to care. This 90-minute webinar will discuss this trend and how integrating behavioral health services with primary care can benefit these patient populations.
Click here to register for the event, which starts at 11:30 a.m. ET.
Fact of the Week
During the initial phase of the Covid-19 crisis in April 2020, the prevalence of serious psychological distress among adults age 55 and older was nearly double pre-COVID levels; among Hispanic and low-income adults, rates were more than triple.
For questions or comments about this CEO Update, please contact Jessica Zigmond.