CEO Update 242
New JAMA Study Shows ED Boarding is a ‘Considerable Issue’ for Medicaid-Enrolled Youth
A new study published in JAMA shows that emergency department (ED) boarding is a “considerable issue” for Medicaid-enrolled youth, with more than one in 10 mental health-related ED visits lasting more than two days. The findings also showed that in five states, boarding occurred in more than one in five in such visits.
Medicaid covers more than 35 million children and youth – nearly half of all youth in the United States – and this study investigated prevalence and variations in boarding for youth ED visits in 2022.
“Boarding poses a substantial emotional toll on patients, families, and staff; it also may result in challenges related to patient and staff safety and restraint use, and it suggests an inability to find timely and appropriate care for youths in crisis,” the study noted. “The high levels of boarding observed in our study and the substantial state-level variation should warrant concern, particularly given evidence that boarding can lead to care delays, clinical deterioration, and increased costs— outcomes that may disproportionately affect low-income children who face systemic barriers to timely and coordinated behavioral healthcare.”
GAO Report Shows HHS Tops Federal Agencies for Most AI Use
A recent study from the Government Accountability Office (GAO) analyzed 11 selected federal agencies with artificial intelligence (AI) inventories and found the total number of reported AI use cases nearly doubled to 1,110 in 2024 from 571 in 2023. At the same time, generative AI use cases increased about nine-fold, to 282 from 32.
HHS led the pack with 116 different ways the federal health agency used AI for generating content and responses in 2024, up from seven ways in 2023.
On a related note, the think tank The Bipartisan Policy Center published a report last week that shows how three HHS agencies have implemented AI and that they’re mostly using chatbots to help them work more efficiently.
SAMHSA to Host Eating Disorders & Suicide Webinar Next Week
The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration’s (SAMHSA) Eating Disorder Center of Excellence will host an hourlong webinar to discuss the relationship between eating disorders and suicide next Thursday, Aug. 28 starting at 1 p.m. ET.
Jean Doak, Ph.D., a licensed psychologist and clinical director of the UNC Center of Excellence for Eating Disorders, and Jeff Greenberg, director of SAMHSA’s Eating Disorder Center of Excellence, will host the webinar that will emphasize the importance of early identification and intervention. The webinar will also outline risk factors, warning signs, and co-occurring conditions such as mood disorders that heighten suicide vulnerability in patients with anorexia, bulimia, and binge eating.
Click here to register.
SAMHSA’s National Recovery Month Toolkit Available Now
SAMHSA has released its annual toolkit for National Recovery Month that begins on Sept. 1.
Started in 1989, National Recovery Month is observed every September to promote and support new evidence-based treatment and recovery practices. This year’s theme is Recovery is REAL (Restoring Every Aspect of Life).
Click here for the toolkit, which includes social media messages, graphics, and promotional materials for various audiences. Remember to include #RecoveryMonth when sharing any Recovery Month-related content.
Reminder: HHS Announces Funding Opportunity for Behavioral Health IT Pilot
HHS recently announced a funding opportunity to promote behavioral health data exchange and pilot the implementation of a specified set of behavioral health data elements.
HHS anticipates distributing $5 million across six to 10 participants, which will include a wide range of provider organizations that receive SAMHSA grant funds or partner with recipients. More information can be found in the Request for Application and Frequently Asked Questions document.
The deadline for the expression of interest was Wednesday, July 2. For those who expressed interest, full applications are due next Wednesday, Aug. 27.
An HHS representative has offered to schedule a meeting between NABH members and the contractor administering the program to provide more detailed information and answer questions ahead of the application deadline.
Please contact Dan Schwartz if you are interested in attending such a meeting. NABH will schedule a meeting if there is sufficient interest.
Fact of the Week
Nearly two-thirds (65%) of college students with autism suffer from anxiety, compared with just more than 9% of their peers without autism, according to a new study in the Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders. The findings also show that nearly half (48%) report depression, compared with 8% of their peers.
For questions or comments about this CEO Update, please contact Jessica Zigmond.