CEO Update 197
Please Update Your Member Information for the 2024 NABH Membership Directory!
NABH is developing its online-only 2024 Membership Directory, an essential member benefit that helps the association in its advocacy efforts.
This week NABH e-mailed system members a link to the association’s membership-update tool. To help ensure we have the most accurate information on our members, please use the link to our membership-update tool and verify your system’s information.
The answers to these questions will help us provide a more accurate description of our diverse membership to policymakers, regulators, partner organizations, and the media. Please be sure to enter information for all of your system’s facilities so that we have a better picture of our membership.
The deadline to submit your changes to NABH is Friday, Sept. 13. If you need assistance, please contact Maria Merlie maria@nabh.org or 202-393-6700, ext. 104.
As always, thank you for your time and for all you do to advance NABH’s Mission and Vision!
HRSA Social Worker Licensure Compact Seeks to Increase Behavioral Healthcare Access and Enhance Telehealth Services
The Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) announced recently its first Licensure Portability Grant Program investment in a multi-state social worker licensure compact.
According to HRSA, state licensure compacts allow states to agree on a common approach to licensing health care providers, allowing providers to practice across state lines without having to apply for a license in each state. Streamlining licensure while maintaining quality standards improves access to services both by better facilitating hiring and by easing pathways to utilizing telehealth. HRSA made the announcement at its National Telehealth Conference last month.
“Social workers are essential to expanding access to behavioral health care services, a top priority of the Biden-Harris administration,” HHS Deputy Secretary Andrea Palm said in a statement. “HRSA is leading the way in growing the behavioral health workforce both by training more providers and by breaking down barriers to allow the workforce to make mental health and substance use disorder services more accessible across the country,” she added.
Click here to see the grant program awardees.
Join NABH Sept. 10 for Webinar on the 2024 National Strategy for Suicide Prevention
Please help NABH recognize World Suicide Prevention Day on Tuesday, Sept. 10, 2024 by joining us for a webinar featuring two experts who will highlight HHS’ 2024 National Strategy for Suicide Prevention, a 10-year, comprehensive, societal approach to suicide prevention that provides concrete recommendations for addressing gaps in the suicide-prevention field.
The webinar will feature Julie Goldstein Grumet, Ph.D., vice president of suicide prevention strategy at the Education Development Center (EDC) and director of the EDC’s Zero Suicide Institute; and Colleen Carr, M.P.H., director of the National Action Alliance for Suicide Prevention.
Grumet and Carr will discuss the core strategic directions of the National Strategy; provide context on how these goals fit into current efforts by health systems, providers, and their partners in the field; highlight opportunities to support National Strategy implementation efforts; and what to expect – as well as how to engage – as the new strategy rolls out.
The discussion will also include an overview of key NABH priorities reflected in the new strategy, including workplace violence prevention and current efforts to protect and advance workforce wellbeing, including suicide prevention.
Please register here for this hourlong webinar on Tuesday, Sept. 10 webinar that starts at 2 p.m. ET. I hope you join us!
Reminder: Behavioral Health Business to Examine ‘How AI is Making Healthcare More Human’ in August Webinar
The publication Behavioral Health Business will host a webinar next month to explore how AI could potentially enhance humanity in behavioral health.
The discussion will examine how AI could extend to underserved communities, improve patient outcomes, and increase both clinician and patient satisfaction.
It also promises to highlight new research involving 130,000 patients that shows people are significantly more likely to begin therapy when their experience starts with Limbic, an AI-powered clinical assessment, with the most positive effects observed among minority groups.
The webinar will be held Thursday, Aug. 22 at Noon ET. Click here to register.
Reminder: Please Submit Data to NABH’s Denial-of-Care Portal
We urge all NABH members to join those already submitting data to our Denial-of-Care Portal.
We are beginning to use aggregated portal data to illustrate and compare prior authorization practices for commercial, Medicare Advantage, and Medicaid managed care denials.
Policymakers have expressed particular interest in our aggregate estimate on days of uncompensated charity care, as well as the length of delayed health plan responses to prior-authorization requests.
To support this advocacy push, we strongly encourage all NABH members to submit data to the portal. Please contact NABH Associate Manager for Congressional Affair Emily Wilkins with questions about the data metrics that we are collecting and/or the data-submission process.
Fact of the Week
According to a Pew Charitable Trusts fact sheet released this week, more than 10.2 million people ages 12 and older misused stimulants – which includes cocaine, prescription stimulants for ADHD and methamphetamine – in 2022. This reflects a nearly 9% increase from 2021.
For questions or comments about this CEO Update, please contact Jessica Zigmond.