Blog.

Behavioral health information, particularly substance use disorder (SUD) treatment data, is among the most sensitive information in health care. Extra confidentiality protections have been established for this data to ensure patients feel safe seeking treatment without fear of stigma, discrimination, or misuse of their records. At the same time, appropriate information-sharing is essential to delivering coordinated, integrated, high-quality care.

The rule is effective January 1, 2026, through December 31, 2026.

Without full telehealth flexibility, too many individuals are forced to travel long distances for care or cannot access care at all due to health limitations, transportation challenges, or cost.

In the third installment of our Best Practices for Children and Youth Behavioral Health series, we focus on how medication can support a child’s overall behavioral health. 

Examine how recognizing and addressing early behavioral changes can help reduce the risk of children developing more serious behavioral health challenges later in life.

Three leading expert share their perspectives on early identification, effective treatment, support systems, and ongoing care. Their insights shed light on the evidence-based approaches that can help families access the right support at the right time. 

September marks National Recovery Month, a time to recognize the 48 million Americans living with substance use disorders and to spotlight the urgent need for accessible, integrated, and stigma-free care.

The 988 Lifeline’s strength lies in its ability to offer localized care, supported by a unified national standard. More than 200 local crisis centers form the backbone of the national continuum of mental health care.

September is National Suicide Prevention Month, a time to shed light on the importance of mental health and to remind ourselves that no one has to struggle alone.

The prevalence of mental health challenges among children and youth requires our urgent attention. ABHW’s Advancing Behavioral Health and Policy Summit and its report on the current state of children and youth behavioral health demonstrate the robust positive impact we can have when stakeholders work together to effectively address and improve children and youth behavioral health.

As demand grows and the behavioral health workforce struggles to keep pace, managed collaborative care is proving to be one of the most effective strategies to deliver high-quality, cost-efficient, and patient-centered care.

As we get settled in the new year – and administration – we had the privilege of sitting down with Debbie to discuss her journey, vision, and the future of the behavioral health industry.

The Association for Behavioral Health and Wellness (ABHW), in collaboration with The Healthcare Innovation Company (thINc), hosted their annual Advancing Behavioral Health and Policy Summit from October 28-29, 2024 at the iconic Watergate Hotel. The forward-thinking program brought together leaders from health plans, health systems, employers, government and public agencies, and state, local community, and advocacy organizations to discuss major initiatives and the driving forces to advance behavioral health.

If Congress doesn’t act in the next few months and allows the in-person visit requirement to go into effect, seniors will have to find a provider to visit in-person before they can receive audio/visual care.

Despite improvement in both clinical and cost outcomes, provider hesitancy/trust and a lack of patient satisfaction and access improvement have impeded VBP and APM adoption. However, the health care industry as a whole is shifting away from fee-for-service payments toward VBP models.

If finalized, the Tri-Departments’ proposed rule will significantly impact patient access to virtual behavioral health providers, particularly through new start-up companies with providers trained to treat eating disorders, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), and SUD.

As the nation continues to grapple with an escalating demand for mental health and substance use disorder care, the conversation surrounding behavioral health has shifted and evolved.

The new rules propose sweeping changes to current operations, suggesting that parity is viewed as a magic bullet that will solve all the challenges of modern-day behavioral health care. However, no matter how far health plans bend to comply with parity, we will still be left with behavioral health care issues.

With more great minds, funding, and innovation than ever before, the digital health space is poised to put forth digital solutions that are scalable and clinically effective, and that transform mental healthcare as we know it.

While rising vaccination rates across the country have fostered optimism that we are inching closer to winning the fight against COVID-19, the pandemic’s effect on our nation’s collective mental health and well-being may shape demand for behavioral health services for years to come.

Now more than ever, the U.S. government is looking to expand and improve access to telebehavioral health services.

In the wake of Hurricanes Harvey, Irma, and Maria, three of the most devastating natural disasters in U.S. history, the Association for Behavioral Health and Wellness (ABHW) member companies and their employees reached out beyond themselves and answered the call of communities in need.

ABHW and its member companies use their behavioral health expertise to improve health care outcomes for individuals and families across the health care continuum. Our vision, stated below, is to advance a health care system that embodies the six aims of the Institute of Medicine’s Improving the Quality of Health Care for Mental Health and Substance Use Conditions.