Behavioral/Mental Health and SUD
FEATURED ARTICLE
State Policy Center for Opioid Use Disorder Treatment and Access
Q&A: How Medicaid Expansion Put Naloxone in the Hands of the People Who Needed It Most
/in Policy Blogs Behavioral/Mental Health and SUD, Chronic and Complex Populations, Chronic Disease Prevention and Management, Eligibility and Enrollment, Essential Health Benefits, Health Coverage and Access, Medicaid Expansion, Population Health, Safety Net Providers and Rural Health /by NASHP StaffMedicaid expansion, which took effect as the opioid epidemic ballooned, provided insurance coverage to people at highest risk of opioid use disorder (OUD) – lower-income, younger adults. Because Medicaid covers the overdose-reversal drug naloxone, the expansion gave Harvard Medical School professor Richard Frank an opportunity to compare how Medicaid expansion impacted naloxone prescribing in expansion […]
NASHP Explores the Behavioral Health Workforce Shortage at #NASHPCONF and in a 50-State Scan
/in Policy Blogs Behavioral/Mental Health and SUD, Chronic and Complex Populations, Chronic Disease Prevention and Management, Community Health Workers, Cost, Payment, and Delivery Reform, Health System Costs, Healthy Child Development, Maternal, Child, and Adolescent Health, Medicaid Managed Care, Physical and Behavioral Health Integration, Population Health /by Kitty PuringtonA growing shortage of behavioral health workers persists across the country, posing a significant obstacle for states working to address the opioid crisis and other substance use disorders (SUDs). The National Academy for State Health Policy (NASHP) has recently completed a 50-state scan to identify the full range of strategies states are using to expand […]
States Take Action to Improve Health through Housing
/in Policy Blogs Behavioral/Mental Health and SUD, Chronic and Complex Populations, Chronic Disease Prevention and Management, Cost, Payment, and Delivery Reform, Eligibility and Enrollment, Health Coverage and Access, Health Equity, Housing and Health, Long-Term Care, Maternal, Child, and Adolescent Health, Medicaid Managed Care, Medicaid Managed Care, Medicaid Managed Care, Medicaid Managed Care, Population Health, Social Determinants of Health /by Amy ClaryOn a single January night in 2018, approximately 553,000 people in the United States experienced homelessness, either sleeping on the street or in a variety of shelters, and those numbers have been gradually increasing since 2016. The risk of homeless also looms large for many who are housing insecure, including 25 percent of renters nationwide […]
States May Soon Have to Provide Medication-Assisted Treatment to Inmates, Here’s How to Fund It
/in Policy Blogs Behavioral/Mental Health and SUD, Care Coordination, Chronic and Complex Populations, Chronic Disease Prevention and Management, Cost, Payment, and Delivery Reform, Eligibility and Enrollment, Health Coverage and Access, Health System Costs, Maternal, Child, and Adolescent Health, Medicaid Managed Care, Medicaid Managed Care, Medicaid Managed Care, Medicaid Managed Care, Physical and Behavioral Health Integration, Population Health /by Kitty Purington and Chris KukkaState policymakers on the frontlines of the opioid epidemic understand that treating justice-involved individuals with opioid use disorder (OUD) offers a critical opportunity to expand access to treatment. While there is strong evidence that medication-assisted treatment (MAT) promotes recovery, saves lives, and reduces re-incarceration, states must surmount significant policy and financial challenges to provide MAT […]
States Take Action to Improve and Expand Early Childhood Education
/in Policy Blogs, Featured News Home Behavioral/Mental Health and SUD, Care Coordination, CHIP, CHIP, Chronic and Complex Populations, Eligibility and Enrollment, Eligibility and Enrollment, EPSDT, Health Coverage and Access, Health Equity, Healthy Child Development, Infant Mortality, Integrated Care for Children, Maternal, Child, and Adolescent Health, Population Health, Social Determinants of Health /by Megan LentParticipation in early childhood education programs has been linked to better health, higher educational achievement, and higher socioeconomic status in adulthood. Given that programs have been shown to yield a $2 to $4 return for every $1 invested, many states are looking upstream and investing in the education of their youngest residents. What governors are […]
Eliminating Hepatitis C: New State Payment Models for Treatment and Emerging Evidence
/in Policy Louisiana, Washington Blogs Administrative Actions, Behavioral/Mental Health and SUD, Chronic and Complex Populations, Chronic Disease Prevention and Management, Cost, Payment, and Delivery Reform, Health Coverage and Access, Health IT/Data, Health System Costs, Maternal, Child, and Adolescent Health, Medicaid Managed Care, Medicaid Managed Care, Medicaid Managed Care, Medicaid Managed Care, Population Health, Prescription Drug Pricing, Value-Based Purchasing /by Maureen Hensley-QuinnWith hepatitis C infections on the rise and curative, but expensive, prescription drugs now available, state leaders across the country are compelled to address this public health crisis, and Louisiana and Washington are developing innovative drug-purchasing strategies within their efforts. At the same time, the Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI) is investing in patient-focused studies […]
New Eight-State Policy Academy Advances Access to Care for Pregnant/Parenting Women with SUD
/in Policy Alabama, Colorado, Kentucky, Mississippi, New Jersey, South Carolina, Texas, Virginia Blogs Behavioral/Mental Health and SUD, Care Coordination, Chronic and Complex Populations, Chronic Disease Prevention and Management, Cost, Payment, and Delivery Reform, Healthy Child Development, Integrated Care for Children, Integrated for Pregnant/Parenting Women, Maternal Health and Mortality, Maternal, Child, and Adolescent Health, Medicaid Managed Care, Medicaid Managed Care, Physical and Behavioral Health Integration, Population Health, Primary Care/Patient-Centered/Health Home /by Erin BonzonSubstance use disorders (SUD) and mental health conditions are prevalent among pregnant and parenting women in the United States, and they have far-reaching consequences for the health and well-being of women and their children. Integrated care models that support pregnant and parenting women’s physical and behavioral health and social service needs can improve outcomes for […]
New Report Highlights Successful, Cross-Agency Strategies to Address Substance Use Disorder
/in Policy Reports Behavioral/Mental Health and SUD, Chronic and Complex Populations, Chronic Disease Prevention and Management, Cost, Payment, and Delivery Reform, Health Equity, Healthy Child Development, Integrated Care for Children, Integrated for Pregnant/Parenting Women, Maternal, Child, and Adolescent Health, Medicaid Managed Care, Medicaid Managed Care, Medicaid Managed Care, Population Health /by NASHP WritersStates are realigning policies, funding, staffing, and data across agencies to better meet the needs of people living with or at risk of developing substance use disorder (SUD). In 2018, NASHP and the Association of State and Territorial Health Officials (ASTHO) convened a group of Medicaid and public health leaders to discuss state strategies for […]
Webinar: Cross-Agency Approaches to Substance Use Disorder Prevention and Treatment
/in Policy Webinars Behavioral/Mental Health and SUD, Chronic and Complex Populations, Chronic Disease Prevention and Management, Cost, Payment, and Delivery Reform, Medicaid Managed Care, Medicaid Managed Care, Physical and Behavioral Health Integration, Population Health /by NASHP StaffWednesday, March 20, 2019 4-5 p.m. (ET) Watch this NASHP-ASTHO webinar. Cross-agency collaborations are critical to develop and execute comprehensive approaches to substance use disorder (SUD) prevention and treatment. State public health and Medicaid agencies must look beyond their traditional roles to design a strategy greater than the sum of individual agency activities to achieve […]
How the President’s Proposed Budget Impacts Critical State Health Programs
/in Policy Blogs Administrative Actions, Behavioral/Mental Health and SUD, CHIP, Chronic and Complex Populations, Chronic Disease Prevention and Management, Cost, Payment, and Delivery Reform, Eligibility and Enrollment, Eligibility and Enrollment, EPSDT, Health Coverage and Access, Healthy Child Development, Maternal, Child, and Adolescent Health, Medicaid Managed Care, Medicaid Managed Care, Medicaid Managed Care, Population Health, Prescription Drug Pricing, State Insurance Marketplaces /by NASHP WritersThe President’s 2020 budget request proposes a 12 percent reduction in the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) budget, compared to 2019 federal fiscal year (FFY) funding levels. The following highlights some of the key components of the President’s proposed $87.1 billion HHS budget proposal that could impact state health programs. Affordable Care […]
For individuals living with complex, often chronic conditions, and their families, palliative care can provide relief from symptoms, improve satisfaction and outcomes, and help address critical mental and spiritual needs during difficult times. Now more than ever, there is growing recognition of the importance of palliative care services for individuals with serious illness, such as advance care planning, pain and symptom management, care coordination, and team-based, multi-disciplinary support. These services can help patients and families cope with the symptoms and stressors of disease, better anticipate and avoid crises, and reduce unnecessary and/or unwanted care. While this model is grounded in evidence that demonstrates improved quality of life, better outcomes, and reduced cost for patients, only a fraction of individuals who could benefit from palliative care receive it. 
Understanding Opioid Settlement Spending Plans across States: Key Components and Approaches
/in Opioid Center, Policy Featured News Home, Reports Opioid Use Disorder /by Sam Mermin, Rebekah Falkner and Katie Greene