U.S. Preventive Services Task Force Issues Draft Recommendations on Screening for Anxiety, Depression, and Suicide Risk in Children and Adolescents
In a set of draft recommendations this week, the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPTF) recommended screening children 12 and older for depression and children 8 and older for anxiety.
“There is not enough evidence to recommend for or against screening for anxiety and depression in younger children and screening for suicide risk in all youth,” the USPTF announced in a
bulletin on April 12.
Both the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) and the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP) expressed serious concerns about the panel’s conclusion that there is insufficient evidence to weigh the benefits and harms of screening asymptomatic children and adolescents for suicide risk. The AAP is urging clinicians to screen all adolescents for suicide risk despite the panel’s finding that more research is needed.
“Youth may keep suicidal thoughts to themselves and will not bring up the topic unless directly asked,” May Lau, M.D., M.P.H., a member of the AAP Section on Adolescent Health Executive Committee and a lead author of the
Blueprint for Youth Suicide Prevention from AAP/AFSP, said in an article in
AAP News. “By screening all youth for suicide, we can identify those that are at risk and connect them with the services they need.”
Meanwhile, Christine Moutier, M.D., chief medical officer at the AFSP, told the
Associated Press this week that the report “may actually set the field back.”
“We have grave concerns that the recommendation citing ‘insufficient evidence’ to implement routine screening for suicide risk for any age youth is 1) flawed due to the incomplete data sources included in their review, and 2) may confuse the field just as major steps are being taken,” Moutier wrote in an e-mail message to NABH. Moutier added that the
Blueprint for Youth Suicide Prevention recommends screening for youth ages 12 and older and outlines evidence-based care steps to take for youth who screen positive.
A public comment period for the USPTF’s draft recommendations is open until May 9. Click
here for details.
HRSA Announces More Than $1.75 Billion in Provider Relief Fund Phase 4 Distribution Payments
HHS’ Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) said it is making available more than $1.75 billion in Provider Relief Fund (PRF) Phase 4 General Distribution payments to more than 3,680 providers nationwide this week.
According to HRSA, on April 13 providers received an email notification if their application was among those processed in this latest round, and the agency is working to process all remaining applications as quickly as possible.
Also this week, HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra extended the PHE for an additional 90 days after the current PHE expires on April 16.
HRSA Announces it Will Offer ‘Extenuating Circumstances’ Option to Providers for PRF Reporting Period 2
HRSA this week said healthcare providers will have the opportunity to submit a “Request to Report Late Due to Extenuating Circumstances for Reporting Period 2” if applicable. Last week, HRSA
announced the “extenuating circumstances” option for Reporting Period 1, which lasts from April 11 through April 22.
The agency said providers will receive a notification regarding the process to submit a request for Reporting Period 2 in the coming weeks. For more information, visit the Request to Report Late Due to Extenuating Circumstances
webpage, or call the Provider Support Line at (866) 569-352 from 9 a.m. to 11 p.m. CT, Monday through Friday.
The Kennedy Forum to Host Parity Webinar Featuring Leaders from HHS, SAMHSA, NABH, & AMA
NABH President and CEO Shawn Coughlin will join HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra and other healthcare leaders in a webinar about expanding access to mental health and addiction treatment coverage later this month.
The webinar on Tuesday, April 26 will also feature Assistant Secretary for Mental Health and Substance Use Miriam Delphin-Rittmon, Ph.D., former U.S. Rep. Patrick J. Kennedy, and American Medical Association President Patrice Harris, M.D.
Click
here to learn more and register for the hour-long webinar, which will start at 2 p.m. ET.
AHA & IAHSS Release Toolkit to Help Mitigate Violence in Healthcare Settings
The American Hospital Association (AHA) and the International Association for Healthcare Security and Safety (IAHSS) have developed a toolkit for hospitals and health systems to establish procedures to prevent violence at all levels.
Creating Safer Workplaces is an 11-page resource that provides a framework to build a safer workplace environment; outlines what leaders should consider to promote physical safety and teamwork; highlights how leaders can mitigate risk; describes the role of hospitals in violence intervention; and more.
NPR Story Reports Most State Medicaid Programs Won’t Text Enrollees Despite Urgency to Renew Coverage
A National Public Radio (NPR)
story this week cited a recent Kaiser Family Foundation report that found just 11 states said they would use text messaging to alert Medicaid recipients about the end of the Covid public health emergency, while 33 states will use the U.S. Postal Service and at least 20 will rely on individual or automated phone calls.
“It’s frustrating that texting is a means to meet people where they are and that this has not been picked up more by states,” Jennifer Wagner, director of Medicaid eligibility and enrollment for research group the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, said in the story.
NPR also noted that officials at the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) have told states they should consider texting—along with other methods of communication—when trying to contact enrollees about the end of the public health emergency (PHE), but many states don’t have the technology or information about enrollees to do so.
Reminder: NABH Denial-of-Care Portal is Open to Members
NABH’s Denial-of-Care Portal is available for members to provide information about their experiences with managed care organizations that impose barriers to care through insurance-claim denials.
This NABH member-only, survey-like tool allows users to add the name of a managed care organization, type of plan, level of care, type of care (mental health or substance use disorder), duration of approved treatment, duration of unapproved treatment, criteria used to deny a claim, and more.
The portal allows members to submit individual examples of claim denials or upload multiple entries via Excel. It also includes sections on appeals and physician participation. In time, the tool could be a valuable resource for the NABH team’s advocacy efforts.
Please e-mail
Emily Wilkins, NABH’s administrative coordinator, if you have questions about the portal.
Deadline for 2022 NABH Exhibitor & Sponsor Guide Ads is Next Week
The deadline to submit an ad in NABH’s 2022 Exhibitor and Sponsor Guide is Tuesday, April 19. Be sure your organization is included in this year’s edition!
Please click
here for details about advertising options, requirements, payment, and more.
We hope to see you in Washington in June!
Fact of the Week
A recent National Institute of Mental Health-funded
study showed that Stepped Care Trauma-Focused (TF) Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)—in which step one is a parent-led therapist-assisted treatment and step two provides therapist-led TF-CBT for children who did not benefit from step one and require more intensive treatment—can reduce costs by nearly 54%.
For questions or comments about this CEO Update, please contact Jessica Zigmond.