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Governor Hochul Joins Attorney General James and Bill Sponsors to Sign Nation-Leading Legislation to Restrict Addictive Social Media Feeds and Protect Kids Online
Governor Kathy Hochul last week signed nation-leading legislation to combat addictive social media feeds and protect kids online. Legislation S.7694A/A.8148A establishes the Stop Addictive Feeds Exploitation (SAFE) For Kids Act to require social media companies to restrict addictive feeds on their platforms for users under 18. Legislation S.7695B/A.8149A enables the New York Child Data Protection Act to prohibit online sites from collecting, using, sharing or selling personal data of anyone under the age of 18, unless they receive informed consent or unless doing so is strictly necessary for the purpose of the website. The Governor was joined at the bill signing by Attorney General Letitia James and bill sponsors State Senator Andrew Gounardes and State Assemblymember Nily Rozic, marking the culmination of a jointly led push to pass and sign this nation-leading legislation. Read more here.
Related: What They Are Saying: Governor Hochul Signs Nation-Leading Legislation to Restrict Addictive Social Media Feeds and Protect Kids Online
How Mark Zuckerberg’s Meta Failed Children on Safety, States Say
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Governor Hochul Announces Funding for SUNY Community Colleges to Prepare the Health Care Workforce, Meet Student Mental Health Needs
Governor Kathy Hochul on Monday announced $8 million in recurring annual funding for the State University of New York’s 30 community colleges — the first increase in nearly a decade — to advance health care and mental health goals for New York State and the SUNY system. $5 million will be used to support investments by community colleges to increase enrollment in and completion of health care educational programs, supporting the Governor’s goal of increasing the State’s health care workforce by 20 percent over the next 5 years. The remaining $3 million will be used to expand mental health support for SUNY students, which is consistently identified as a critical campus need. Read more here.
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Alternative 911 Responses Can Build Trust and Improve Outcomes
Anthony Holloway started his law enforcement career back in 1985. Now the chief of police in St. Petersburg, Fla., he’d long since realized that many officers are sent to address problems that they weren’t trained to handle, but there was no other option. That is, until 2021. At the beginning of that year, the St. Petersburg City Council approved a pilot program allowing dispatchers to send social workers to respond to calls about emergencies such as mental health crises, complaints about the homeless population, truancy or suicide threats. The program, Community Assistance and Life Liaison (CALL), followed a model that has been in place in some communities for decades and has gained momentum in recent years. Read more here.
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Only a Third of Mental Health Clinics Offer Meds for Opioid Use Disorder
Despite high rates of opioid use disorder (OUD) among people with mental health disorders, only a third of community outpatient mental health treatment facilities in 20 high-burden states offered medications for OUD, a cross-sectional study showed. Among the 450 community outpatient mental health treatment facilities surveyed, weighted estimates showed that 34% offered medications for OUD, reported Jonathan Cantor, PhD, of the RAND Corporation in Santa Monica, California, and co-authors in JAMA Network Open. Read more here.
Related: 'Medicaid unwinding' can be dangerous for those who need opioid addiction medications
Politico: Opioid deaths rose 50 percent during the pandemic. In these places, they fell.
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New Data Analysis Guides States on How to Improve Public Safety, the Juvenile Justice System, and Youth Outcomes
Youth across the country are grappling with myriad challenges that include increases in mental health issues, school absenteeism, community violence, and victimization. At the same time, many policymakers and system leaders are struggling with how best to respond, including whether greater reliance on the juvenile justice system and more sanctions-oriented approaches are warranted. Navigating Concerns on Youth Crime, Violence, and Behavioral Health: What Does the Data Say? by The Council of State Governments (CSG) Justice Center, with support from the Prudential and W.T. Grant Foundation, aims to help policymakers better understand and address trends related to these issues. Read more here.
Related: New Analysis Helps States Improve Responses to Youth Who Commit Noncriminal Offenses and Children Who Break the Law
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The Do’s and Don’ts of Value-Based Behavioral Health Contracting
Value-based care has been part of the health care discourse for decades. But behavioral health providers have only recently placed a new emphasis on breaking away from the fee-for-service paradigm. While still nascent in practice across the industry, several behavioral health organizations are seeking to introduce models that feature elements of risk sharing, trading outcomes and processes and accountability. Now, the conversation is about preparing for what could be a swift transition should enough payers get behind value-based care in earnest. Read more here.
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The Olmstead Decision 25 Years Later
The Olmstead decision came about through decades of tireless advocacy by disabled people. It effectively freed millions of disabled people from unnecessary segregation just because they need help getting out of bed, bathing, grooming, dressing, cooking, eating, etc. — a type of health care also known as long-term services and supports (LTSS). At the 25th anniversary of the June 22, 1999 Olmstead v. L.C. decision, we explore the impetus behind this landmark ruling, its widespread impact, and opportunities for further cultural and legal change. Read more here.
Related: OPWDD - Celebrating the 25th Anniversary of the Olmstead Decision
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Integration – Bridging The Gap
In a recent OPEN MINDS Executive Briefing on refining integrated care models, Leveraging The Whole, the gap between policy and the market was front and center. To make whole person care models work, the executive team needs work arounds on everything from interoperability, billing codes, licensure requirements, and more. A recent report, The Integration Of Primary Care, Public Health, And Community-Based Organizations: A Federal Policy Analysis, cited the Affordable Care Act (ACA), the Pandemic and All-Hazards Preparedness Act (PAHPA), which was due for reauthorization in 2023, and the recent CARES Act as supporting the move to integrated care. But the authors concluded that “few laws exist that specifically aid in the integration of primary care, public health, and community-based organizations.” Despite the lack of legislative and regulatory support for health care systems using whole person care models in integrated delivery systems, the market is moving ahead – albeit unevenly. Read more here.
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US Surgeon General Declares Gun Violence ‘a Public Health Crisis’
U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy declared firearm violence a public health crisis, as gun deaths and injuries punctuate daily life in America. On nearly every day of 2024 so far, a burst of gunfire has hit at least four people somewhere in the country. Some days, communities have endured four or five such shootings. The nation’s top doctor called on policymakers to consider gun safety measures such as bans on assault weapons and high-capacity ammunition magazines and universal background checks for all firearm purchases. His advisory also urges a “significant increase” in funding for research on gun injuries and deaths, as well as greater access to mental health care and trauma-informed resources for people who have experienced firearm violence. Read more here.
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Bridging the Gap: Building Partnerships Between Managed Care Plans and Homeless Service Providers
In California, managed care plans (MCPs) are seeking more effective ways to partner with homeless service providers to better address the health and social needs of people experiencing homelessness. In particular, under CalAIM, California’s Medicaid transformation initiative, MCPs are encouraged to provide new Community Supports services — including, for example, housing services and medically tailored meals — to help address members’ health-related social needs. MCPs have flexibility regarding which Community Supports to offer and how to partner with homeless service providers to successfully provide these services. The Center for Health Care Strategies (CHCS) recently spoke with Kris Kuntz, Program Director of Housing and Homeless Strategy at Anthem Blue Cross, about how MCPs can partner with homeless service providers to enhance care and services for people experiencing homelessness. Read more here.
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A 988 Crisis Lifeline For LGBTQ Youths Launched a Year Ago. It's Been Swamped.
The numbers are staggering: 39% of young people who identify as LGBTQ+ seriously considered attempting suicide within the last year. The data, from a May 2024 study by the Trevor Project, a crisis intervention nonprofit for LGBTQ+ youth, also shows that more than 1 in 10 (12%) actually attempted suicide. For transgender and nonbinary young people, it's even worse – 46% report having considered suicide within the last year. And only half of those who wanted mental health care were able to access it, the Trevor Project report said. The 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, which went national in 2022, launched a subnetwork in 2023 for LGBTQ+ young people, aimed at closing the gap in care for a vulnerable population and offering specialized care. And, after nearly a year, the subnetwork is making an impact, its data shows. Read more here.
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UPCOMING EVENTS & TRAININGS
Nine Years of Stepping Up: Reflections on County Progress and Pathways toward Success
June 27, 12 - 1:30 pm, NACo
Nine Years of Stepping Up: Reflections on County Progress and Pathways toward Success
June 27, 12 - 1:30 pm, CSG Justice Center
Healthcare Policies to Reduce Overdose and Other Drug-related Harm
June 27, 1 - 2 pm, Network for Public Health Law’s Harm Reduction Legal Project
Building a Behavioral Health Continuum of Care: The Role of Rural Leaders and Behavioral Health Directors
June 27, 2 - 3 pm, NACo
Pride at the Intersections: An LGBTQ+ Panel
June 27, 2 - 3:30 pm, National Council for Mental Wellbeing
Start with Hope: How Providers Can Navigate Culturally Responsive Substance Use Treatment and Care
June 27, 3 - 4:30 pm, National Council for Mental Wellbeing
Psychiatric Advance Directives to Promote Community Living
June 28, 1 - 2 pm, SAMHSA
MOUD in Recovery Housing: An Exemplary Case Study of Implementing Holistic Care in Indiana
July 8, 1 - 2 pm, National Council for Mental Wellbeing
Justice-Involved Veterans: Causes and Solutions
July 9, 11 am - 12 pm, NY Health Foundation
Ask the Expert: Specialized Mental Health Caseloads in Probation
July 9, 2 - 3:30 pm, CSG Justice Center
CCBHC’s Synergies with Crisis System
July 12, 1:30 - 3 pm, National Council for Mental Wellbeing
Continuous and Collaborative: Best Practices for Family Treatment Court Screening and Assessment
July 16, 1:30 - 3 pm, SAMHSA's GAINS Center
Evidence Meets Innovation: The Crucial Role of Clinical Research in AI Development for Behavioral Health
July 16, 2 - 3 pm, National Council for Mental Wellbeing
The Intentional SUD Clinical Supervisor
July 17, 3 - 4:30 pm, NAADAC
Youth Mental Health and Social Media: From Posting to Influencing
July 17, 3:30 - 4:30 pm, National Council for Mental Wellbeing
Promoting Social Equity for Underrepresented Individuals in the Workforce
July 18, 12 - 1 pm, National Council for Mental Wellbeing
Understanding the Adolescent Behavioral Health Crisis
July 18, 1 - 2 pm, United Hospital Fund
SafeSide Prevention: Workforce education for suicide prevention (Zero Suicide) - ONLINE
June 20, July 25, August 1, or August 15 12 - 3:30 pm, UR Medicine Recovery Center of Excellence, HRSA
Improving Quality Of Life, Functioning & Well-being In Individuals Living With Bipolar Disorder
July 25, 12 - 1 pm, PsychU
Navigating Concerns on Youth Crime, Violence, and Behavioral Health: What Does the Data Say?
July 29, 12 - 1 pm, CSG Justice Center
Clinical Community Partnerships to Support Behavioral Health in Service Members, Veterans and their Families
July 30, 1 - 2:30 pm, SAMHSA
Navigating the Suicidal Crisis with your Outpatient Client
August 8, 2 - 3 pm, National Council for Mental Wellbeing
What Is Harm Reduction for Alcohol?
August 14, 3 - 4 pm, NAADAC
Ask the Expert: Collaborative Approaches to Providing Mental Health and Law Enforcement Services
August 20, 2 - 3:30 pm, CSG Justice Center
Barriers to Care: Solutions for Mental Health and Substance Use Treatment Provision in Rural Communities
August 21, 12 - 1 pm, National Council for Mental Wellbeing
Peer Recovery Support Series: Passionate Professionals; Dispassionate Practice — Ethical Boundaries in Non-Clinical Roles
August 22, 12 - 1:30 pm, NAADAC
Ask the Expert: Family-Centered Reentry Programming
September 25, 2 - 3:30 pm, CSG Justice Center
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CLMHD CALENDAR
JUNE
LSP Support Session #4
June 27: 1 - 2:30 pm
JULY
Executive Committee Meeting
July 3: 8 - 9 am
CLMHD Office Closed - Independence Day
July 4
LGU Clinic Operators Meeting
July 9: 10 - 11:00 am
Addiction Services & Supports (ASR) Committee Meeting
July 11: 11 am - 12 pm
Developmental Disabilities Committee Meeting
July 11: 1 - 2:30 pm
Mental Health Committee Meeting
July 11: 3 - 4 pm
Children & Families Committee Meeting
July 16: 11:30 am - 1 pm
Membership Call
July 17: 9 - 10:30 am
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