Prevention Pulse

1. HHS Awards More Than $380 Million to Strengthen America’s Behavioral Health System on 988 Day

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services awarded $383.4 million to expand behavioral health treatment, prevention and crisis response nationwide, including $252 million for 988, suicide prevention and mobile crisis services. Additional funding will support overdose prevention, youth and family substance use treatment, underage drinking prevention, school trauma services and other behavioral health programs. (Source: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services)

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2. Higher Overdose Risk and Less Care for People With Autism and Substance Use Disorder

A national Medicaid study found that people with both autism and substance use disorder had higher rates of overdose and hospitalization while using most addiction treatment services less often than people with substance use disorder without autism. Researchers say the findings highlight the need for better-integrated, evidence-based treatment designed to address the needs of autistic patients. (Source: Penn LDI)

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3. States Are Increasing Access to Methadone Clinics

States are revising methadone regulations following federal changes that expanded access to take-home doses and telehealth initiation of treatment for opioid use disorder. New Jersey is among the states that recently loosened restrictions, including removing mandatory counseling as a condition of treatment and allowing medication units in additional settings such as pharmacies. (Source: The Pew Charitable Trusts)

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4. How Social Media and AI Chatbots Are Reshaping Youth Mental Health, and What Congress Can Do About It

Social media and AI chatbots are playing a growing role in how young people seek connection and mental health support, creating potential benefits alongside concerns about harmful content, privacy, manipulative design and untested tools. The Bipartisan Policy Center says stronger digital literacy, privacy protections, platform transparency, safety standards and research could help protect young users while preserving the benefits of emerging technology. (Source: Bipartisan Policy Center)

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5. Insurers and Hospitals Can Advance Best Practices in Suicide Care

A Pew-supported analysis suggests hospitals may be more likely to adopt evidence-based suicide prevention practices if insurers tie reimbursement to how consistently those services are implemented. Recommended practices include safety planning, lethal means counseling, connections to outpatient care and follow-up after discharge, yet a national survey found only 8% of accredited hospitals had implemented all four. (Source: The Pew Charitable Trusts)

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