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Governor Hochul Announces $20 Million for Addiction Services Providers Impacted by COVID-19 Pandemic
Governor Kathy Hochul on Monday announced up to $20 million is available to support addiction services providers in New York State that have been impacted by the ongoing effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. Administered by the New York State Office of Addiction Services and Supports, the federal funding will assist providers with fiscal recovery and enable them to continue offering COVID-safe substance use disorder prevention, treatment, harm reduction, and recovery services. Read more here.
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Governor Hochul Announces $10 Million to Support the Creation of Threat Assessment and Management Teams in Counties Across New York State
Governor Kathy Hochul last Friday announced $10 million available to all 57 counties and the City of New York to support the development of Threat Assessment and Management Teams, a key component of local Domestic Terrorism Prevention Plans required under Executive Order 18. The Executive Order was issued by Governor Hochul in the immediate aftermath of the Buffalo attack in May and is designed to fight the troubling surge in domestic terrorism and violent extremism frequently inspired by, planned on and posted about on social media platforms and internet forums. Pursuant to Executive Order 18, the plans must include input from law enforcement, mental health professionals, school officials, social service agencies, and other key stakeholders within their jurisdictions. Read more here.
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Medicaid Providers Press Hochul to Sign Bill Limiting Auditors’ ‘Punitive’ Fines
Medicaid providers are calling on Gov. Kathy Hochul to sign legislation that would limit the Office of the Medicaid Inspector General’s powers to impose exorbitant fines for administrative or technical issues discovered during an audit. The bill, S.4486B/A.7889A, passed the state Senate and Assembly unanimously in May and now heads to Hochul’s desk for her signature or a veto. It would require the Office of the Medicaid Inspector General to notify providers if their compliance program is unsatisfactory and allow them 60 days to submit a proposal to make it satisfactory. In addition, it would prohibit repeat reviews or audits of the same records within three years, unless the office has good reason to believe the previous audit was erroneous. Read more here.
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How Tragic Events Impact Mental Health
Many people are experiencing mental health challenges as the result of the tragic shooting in Buffalo on May 14, other national tragedies, and continued repercussions from the COVID pandemic. Mental Health America reports that over half of adults with a mental illness do not receive treatment, totaling over 27 million adults in the U.S. The percentage of adults with a mental illness who report unmet need for treatment has increased every year since 2011.
According to Laura Kelemen LCSW-R, director, Niagara County Department of Mental Health & Substance Abuse Services, some people are finding it challenging to get back to a typical routine and find themselves not motivated to get day to day tasks like cooking, cleaning and shopping accomplished. Read more here.
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OMH Launches Partnership to Help Black New Yorkers Heal from Buffalo Tragedy and Increased Rates of Trauma
The NYS Office of Mental Health is partnering with the Association of Black Psychologists (ABPsi), Inc. to provide specialized “healing circle” support groups for individuals and families traumatized by the racially-motivated mass shooting in Buffalo earlier this year and increased incidents of hate crimes in general. The virtual support groups, known as “Sawubona” provide assistance and support to individuals and families dealing with elevated levels of grief, anxiety and trauma. Read more here.
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New York State Education Department Awards $7.1 Million in Federal Grants to Programs Supporting Homeless Students
The New York State Education Department (NYSED) awarded more than $7 million in grants authorized by the McKinney-Vento Homeless Education Act, State Education Commissioner Betty A. Rosa announced today. NYSED awarded grants to 27 school districts, five Boards of Cooperative Educational Services (BOCES)-led consortiums, three district-led consortiums, and one charter school consortium. Funds will promote school success for more than 116,500 students in temporary housing in more than 70 Local Education Agencies (LEAs) across the state. Read more here.
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CMS to Mandate State Reporting of Behavioral Health Quality Data
The U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) could require states to report additional health quality data — including more behavioral health quality data. A proposed rule released late Thursday, if finalized, would make it mandatory for states to report behavioral health measures on the Core Set of Adult Health Care Quality Measures for Medicaid. States were doing so under a voluntary basis, but CMS is seeking to make it mandatory moving forward. Read more here.
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Despite Lackluster Operator Adoption, EHRs Positioned to Shape Behavioral Health Care’s Future
Electronic health record (EHR) adoption has skyrocketed in the last decade for the medical community. Yet behavioral health operators have been left behind. In fact, only about 6% of behavioral health providers are using EHR systems. Whereas, more than 80% of hospitals use the technology, also referred to as electronic medical records (EMR).
The lack of federal incentives and difficulties for smaller operators to incorporate systems has led to the slow adoption. However, new federal funding, the shift toward value-based care and the focus on outcomes measurement could lead to more EHR implementation moving forward, behavioral health insiders believe. Read more here.
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A Teen’s Journey Into the Internet’s Darkness and Back Again
Puberty hit C early — in the fourth grade — and hard: acne, breasts, attention, humiliation. C found refuge in the internet.
Every night, often well past midnight, C lay in bed with an iPod Touch they received from their grandparents as a 10th birthday gift. (C, who is being identified by their first initial for privacy reasons, is gender nonbinary and takes the pronoun “they.”) On the new device, C made friends on social media and uploaded selfies. Viewers posted compliments on a photo of C standing in an orchard, holding an apple and “looking like a full adult,” C said. Read more here.
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Use of Marijuana and Psychedelics Is Soaring Among Young Adults, Study Finds
Marijuana and hallucinogen use among young adults reached an all-time record last year after having leveled off during the first year of the coronavirus pandemic, according to federal survey data.
The findings, part of the government’s annual survey of drug use among young Americans, also found that nicotine vaping and excessive alcohol consumption continued to climb in 2021 after a brief pause. Another worrying trend among young people, ages 19 to 30: mounting consumption of alcoholic beverages suffused with THC, the psychoactive ingredient in cannabis. Read more here.
Additional article of interest: New study estimates over 5.5 million U.S. adults use hallucinogens
A Growing Problem: Preteens Exhibit an Outsized Interest in Substance Use
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NYSAC County Conversations Podcast: New Battlefronts in the Opioid Epidemic
The most recent episode of NYSAC's County Conversations Podcast features a conversation on efforts underway in Erie County to address the opioid epidemic, and the status of the statewide opioid settlement fund advisory board. Joining NYSAC’s Multimedia Specialist Kate Pierce-Nimz is Cheryll Moore, Medical Care Administrator, and director of the Erie County Department of Health Opioid Program.
Click here to listen to the podcast.
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FORE Releases Request for Proposals to Support Community-Driven Responses to Opioid Use Disorder and Overdose Mortality
The Foundation for Opioid Response Efforts' (FORE) newly released request for proposals (RFP) titled "Community-Driven Responses to Opioid Use Disorder (OUD) and Overdose Mortality" will provide grants supporting community-based organizations' (CBO) capacity to address OUD and overdose mortality through work such as organizational strengthening, skills development, and community partnerships. Funding is for specific activities or projects designed to strengthen an organization’s operations, leadership, technology, programmatic, and administrative capacity to achieve sustainable OUD mitigation initiatives. Read more here.
Informational Webinar - September 9, 2 - 3 pm:
Community-Driven Responses to Opioid Use Disorder and Overdose Mortality
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How Payers Are Increasing Access to Behavioral, Mental Healthcare Services
Payers are offering providers and consumers a broad range of services and supports related to mental healthcare and are taking steps to increase access to mental healthcare, according to a survey conducted by AHIP. The survey asked participants 14 questions in May and June 2022. Participants were individual market and group health plans representing a total of 95 million lives. Read more here.
Additional article of interest: Empire BlueCross BlueShield Announces Four New Partnerships to Address Behavioral Healthcare Needs in New York
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CSG Justice Center Brief: Trauma-Informed Approaches Across the Sequential Intercept Model
People in the criminal justice system experience alarming rates of trauma prior to and as a result of their involvement in the system. Yet criminal justice professionals have often struggled to recognize and respond to trauma among this population. This brief explores how criminal justice professionals can take a trauma-informed approach to their work at each point of contact in the justice system. By employing this approach, they can help to reduce recidivism and incidents of violence while also improving service engagement and recovery.
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UPCOMING EVENTS & TRAININGS
Trauma (Historical & Intergenerational) and Resiliency
August 29, 12 - 1:30 pm, Social Justice Leadership Academy
Panel Discussion On The Role Of Psychotherapy, Cognitive Training, & Digital Platforms For Treatment Of Major Depressive Disorder
August 30, 12 - 1 pm, PsychU
Prioritizing Equity for Deaf/DeafBlind/HOH Individuals Receiving Behavioral Health Services
August 30, 1:30 - 3:30 pm, OMH's Office of Diversity and Inclusion
Pulling Back the Curtain on Successful Prevention Campaigns
August 31, 1 - 2 pm, National Council for Mental Wellbeing
Critical Connections: Strategies for Fostering Engagement and Retention Among People Reentering the Community from Prison or Jail
August 31, 2 - 3 pm, SAMHSA's GAINS Center
Reaching Rural: Advancing Collaborative Solutions Solicitation Informational Webinar
August 31, 2 - 3 pm, COSSAP
The Opioid Response Network: A Free and Localized Resource to Enhance County-Led Efforts
August 31, 3 - 4 pm, NACo
Using PSYCKES Quality Indicator Reports
September 1, 1 - 2 pm, OMH
988: What’s The Scoop? A Discussion With Experts In Suicide Prevention & Mental Health
September 13, 12 - 1 pm, PsychU
Kinship Families Affected by Substance Use and Mental Health Disorders
September 14, 1 - 2 pm, SAMHSA
Fostering Connection Across the Lifespan: 2022 New York State Suicide Prevention Conference
September 20 - 22, OMH SPCNYS
Consent, Emergency, Quality Flag: PSYCKES Levels of Access
September 21, 10 - 11 am, OMH
Defining, Evaluating, & Implementing Digital Health Tools
September 21, 12 - 1 pm, PsychU
Quality Matters: An Update From NCQA On Behavioral Health Measurement Trends
September 27, 12 - 1 pm, PsychU
Decreasing Disparities and Improving Outcomes: A Closer Look at Standardization Tools Around Service Intensity
September 29, 2 - 3 pm, National Council for Mental Wellbeing
NYS Justice Center Code of Conduct Train-the-Trainer
October 4, 9:30 am - 12:30 pm, NYSJC
NYS Justice Center Code of Conduct Train-the-Trainer
November 9, 9:30 am - 12:30 pm, NYSJC
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CLMHD CALENDAR
SEPTEMBER
CLMHD Office Closed - Labor Day
September 5
CLMHD Executive Committee Meeting
September 7: 8 - 9 am
Addiction Services & Recovery Committee Meeting
September 8: 11 am - 12 pm
Mental Health Committee Meeting
September 8: 3 - 4 pm
LGU Clinic Operators Meeting
September 13: 10 - 11:30 am
Children & Families Committee Meeting
September 20: 11:30 am - 1 pm
CLMHD Membership Call
September 28: 9 - 10:30 am
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