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‘Congress Has So Far Failed’: Former Surgeon General Warns About Social Media Risks for Youth
Former Surgeon General Vivek Murthy again called on parents in an interview Sunday on NBC’s “Meet the Press” to regulate their children’s use of social media to protect their mental health — particularly at younger ages. “Delaying the use of social media for your kid as long as possible is important,” Murthy told host Kristen Welker. “The bottom line is these devices, these platforms, in particular, social media platforms, are having an effect on our children.” He cited 16 years old as a “benchmark” but said that could vary from child to child. “The adolescent brain is not the same as an adult brain. … They are more susceptible to social comparison, to social suggestion, their impulse control is not as well developed, and that puts them more at risk of the negative effects of social media,” Murthy said. Read more here.
Related: JAMA - Social Media Use and Depressive Symptoms During Early Adolescence
Attorney General James Wins Court Victory Against TikTok
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Study Finds a Steep Drop in Mothers’ Mental Health
The mental health of mothers in the United States declined significantly from 2016 to 2023, according to a large new study published in JAMA Internal Medicine on Tuesday. The percentage of mothers who rated their mental health as “excellent” dropped sharply during the study period. At the same time, the percentage of mothers who said their mental health was poor increased — particularly among those who were single parents, or whose children had Medicaid or were uninsured. The findings come at a fraught moment in the national conversation around parenting and declining birthrates. The Trump administration is said to be weighing strategies to persuade more Americans to get married and have children. But just last year, Dr. Vivek H. Murthy, who was then the surgeon general, warned about declining parental mental health in an advisory that described many who were raising children as “exhausted, burned out and perpetually behind.” Read more here.
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New York City’s Mental Health Crisis Response Falls Short, Audit Finds
More than a third of 911 calls in New York City about people in emotional distress that were eligible for a response from mental health workers did not receive one, a new audit by the city comptroller’s office found. The program that sends the mental health workers, called the Behavioral Health Emergency Assistance Response Division, or B-Heard, began as a pilot in 2021 and does not cover the entire city. It dispatches teams of emergency medical workers and mental health professionals to assist people in crisis instead of police officers, who advocates say lack proper training and can escalate situations. But often, B-Heard teams do not arrive at all, and police officers do instead, the audit found. Between 2022 and 2024, the teams did not respond to more than 13,000 calls that met the program’s criteria. That’s about 35% of all eligible calls, according to the audit. “Thousands of people and their loved ones call 911 for mental health emergencies, because our current system has no better way of handling these crises,” Brad Lander, the comptroller, said in a statement announcing the audit. Read more here.
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Medicaid, Denials and Delays: Top Payer Hurdles for SUD Treatment Providers
There’s a strong case to be made that the payer and reimbursement landscape for substance use disorder (SUD) treatment providers is the most challenging in all of behavioral health care due to several deeply entrenched and overlapping issues. For starters, SUD treatment has, in the past, been viewed as less legitimate than other forms of medical or psychiatric care. That flawed view has caused some to see SUDs as a “social issue,” rather than a clinical one, contributing to chronic underfunding and limited reimbursement. Added to that is the SUD space’s significant work in Medicaid, which varies significantly by state and often under-reimburses for intensive services like residential treatment. As the Trump administration and GOP lawmakers work to overhaul Medicaid, it’s extremely likely that new funding challenges will emerge, too. Read more here.
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New York Has Spent $1.71B on “Raise the Age” Law
New York state has appropriated $1.71 billion through State Fiscal Year (SFY) 2025 to help counties implement the provisions of the “Raise the Age” (RTA) law enacted in 2017, with $658.8 million disbursed so far. That’s according to a report released by State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli. RTA changed the age of criminal responsibility as an adult from 16 to 18 years old. The law was phased in over two years. As a result, most 16- and 17-year-old offenders are now adjudicated through procedures in family court, rather than the adult criminal justice system, and can no longer be detained in county jails with adults or in state prisons. “Under the Raise the Age law, counties implement the law locally and are reimbursed by the state for costs,” DiNapoli said. “Our analysis shows a recent uptick in spending, as county implementation progresses.” Counties are reimbursed by the state for all new and ongoing costs associated with the implementation of RTA. Read more here.
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5 Years After Anti-Police Protests, Initiatives for Officer Mental Health Have Traction
ATLANTA — A day rarely goes by when Officer Jonnie Moeller-Reed's eyes don't fall on a small, framed photograph on the bookshelf in her office. It shows two smiling young men in casual, colorful shirts and shorts. Both died by suicide in the past few years. Looking at the photo of her late colleagues "is my daily reminder of what truly motivates me," says Moeller-Reed, her voice quivering ever so slightly. Moeller-Reed is a law enforcement veteran of 25 years and the wellness officer at the Marietta Police Department in suburban Atlanta. It's a new position the agency created a year ago. The move is part of a larger trend that's tied to the killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis in May 2020. Waves of anti-police protests swept the country, exacerbating the already poor state of officers' mental health and bringing the issue onto a broader public radar. Read more here.
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State Strategies to Enhance Behavioral Health Care in Nursing Facilities
Nursing facilities serve residents with a range of behavioral health needs — from mild depression, substance use, and anxiety to serious mental illness (SMI) and dementia with co-occurring psychiatric conditions. Up to 90 percent of nursing facility residents have a mental health condition, but barriers such as insufficient staff training, poor coordination with community providers, and inadequate referral systems make providing behavioral health services difficult. States are exploring a range of new and existing policy tools to enhance workforce training, expand access to behavioral health services, and improve quality measures. Strengthening collaboration across behavioral health and aging state agencies and initiatives can improve care coordination and support community-based alternatives. This brief highlights examples of state strategies that can inform efforts to strengthen cross-agency collaboration and improve behavioral health care in nursing facilities.
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Funding for 988 Crisis Line Holding Steady for Now
With all of the healthcare funding cuts currently going on in Washington, there is one health service that has survived mostly unscathed -- the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. "As of now, federal funding for 988 is holding steady," said Hannah Wesolowski, chief advocacy officer for the National Alliance on Mental Illness in Washington. According to an HHS "passback" document -- a preliminary budget outline, which was leaked to the press -- the department is planning to hold funding for the crisis line steady at $500 million, but is considering cutting a specialized service by which LGBTQ+ youth who call the crisis line can press a button and be connected to a specially trained counselor, she explained. Democratic members of Congress wrote to HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. on May 13 to urge him not to cut off the specialized support line. Read more here.
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Veterans with Mental Health Conditions Receiving VA-Purchased Community Care Face Higher Suicide Rates, Report Lower Satisfaction
Veterans with mental health conditions are not satisfied with the quality of care they receive from clinicians outside of the Department of Veterans Affairs. The new report, published in JAMA, highlights a concerning lack of specialization and effectiveness from community providers in meeting the specific needs of vulnerable veterans. This comes at a time when the federal government is simultaneously suggesting increased funding for veterans’ care. Funding for VA community care has increased by – 134% – $10.6 billion, since 2014, but quality has remained relatively the same and is consistently ranked lower than other VA-funded services. Read more here.
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UPCOMING EVENTS & TRAININGS
Patient Treatment Preferences in Bipolar-I Disorder: Are We Really Listening?
May 29, 12 - 1 pm, PsychU
Navigating Consent and Respecting Autonomy in Treatment for those with Serious Mental Illness
May 29, 1 - 2 pm, National Council for Mental Wellbeing
Trauma-Informed Supervision for Supervisors (in Rural Communities)
May 29, 1 - 3 pm, NCROTAC
Addressing Hepatitis C in Behavioral Health Settings
May 28, 3 - 4 pm, SAMHSA
Youth & Young Adults with Serious Mental Health Conditions – Reflections of 30 Years: Part 2
June 2, 12 - 1 pm, Transitions ACR
Key Considerations for Optimizing EMRs to Support Tobacco Use Treatment in Behavioral Health
June 3, 1 - 2 pm, The National Center of Excellence for Tobacco-Free Recovery
Clinical Quality In Behavioral Health: Driving Impact Through Data & Practice
June 3, 1 - 2 pm, OPEN MINDS
Rooted in Purpose: Advancing Whole-Person Care for Individuals with IDD & Autism
June 3, 1 - 2 pm, Netsmart
STAR LRP Application Webinar
June 3, 2 - 3 pm, HRSA
Integrating Minds and Models: Exploring the Comprehensive Health Integration (CHI) Framework in School-Based Health Centers (SBHCs)
June 3, 3 - 4 pm, National Council for Mental Wellbeing
Using a Narrative Approach Therapy in Addressing PTSD Self-Stigma
June 4, 12 - 1 pm, PsychU
An Affirming and Effective Substance Use Disorder Curriculum for the LGBTQ+ Community
June 4, 12 - 1:30 pm, NAADAC
Meeting the Complex Needs of Young People
June 4, 1 - 2 pm, Social Current
What's the Latest? EMS-Initiated Buprenorphine
June 4, 3 - 4 pm, SAMHSA
Adversity to Access - Culturally Informed Mental Health Care
June 4, 3 - 4 pm, NAMI
What It Takes to Build a Community-Based Healthcare Workforce
June 5, 1 - 2 pm, Camden Coalition
The Key Role of Families in Vocational Recovery for People with Serious Mental Health Conditions
June 5, 4 - 5 pm, NAMI
Unveiling ADHD's Complex Relationship with Substance Use and Young Adults
June 11, 12 - 1:30 pm, NAADAC
Bridging Divides Where Systems Meet for Youth & Families - Part 3: Sustainability in Uncertainty
June 11, 12 - 1:30 pm, NTTAC
Integrating Harm Reduction into Health Care Facilities Serving Medicaid Members
June 11, 2 - 3:15 pm, Center for Health Care Strategies
Substance Use and Child Welfare: Rebuilding Family-Centered Systems of Care
June 12, 11:30 am - 1 pm, National Council for Mental Wellbeing
Low-Threshold Access to Care: Initiating MOUD in the Emergency Department and Encouraging Treatment Retention
June 12, 12 - 1 pm, PCSS
Housing Instability Access to Care: Best Practices for Health Centers
June 12, 1 - 2 pm, Corporation for Supportive Housing
Advancing licensure: Growing the mental health care workforce
June 12, 2 - 3 pm, Kaiser Permanente
The Next Five Years: How Addiction Treatment Has and Will Change in the Decade Since COVID Changed Everything
June 12, 2 - 3 pm, Behavioral Health Business
Proposed Payment System Rules – What to Know for 2025
June 16, 3 - 4 pm, Netsmart
Supporting Young Adults Experiencing Early Serious Mental Illness in the Shift from Child to Adult Mental Health Services
June 17, 12 - 1 pm, SAMHSA
The Future of Behavioral Healthcare: Trends Shaping the Next Decade
June 17, 1 - 2 pm, National Council for Mental Wellbeing
Measurement-Based Care in Practice: Impact and Strategies for Implementation
June 17, 1 - 2 pm, Qualifacts
Next Steps for Cultural Responsiveness in Ethical Decision-Making
July 9, 12 - 1:30 pm, NAADAC
Schools on the Frontline: Early Identification, Intervention, and Support
July 14, 2:30 - 4 pm, National Council for Mental Wellbeing
Breaking the Cycle: Interrupting Intergenerational Trauma in Substance Use Disorders
July 23, 12 - 1:30 pm, NAADAC
Substance Use and Psychiatric Care: Bridging the Divide for Whole-Person Treatment
August 18, 2:30 - 4 pm, National Council for Mental Wellbeing
Toward Whole-Person Care: Integrated Substance Use and Primary Care Integration
September 8, 2:30 - 4 pm, National Council for Mental Wellbeing
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CLMHD CALENDAR
JUNE
CLMHD Executive Committee Meeting
June 4: 8 - 9 am
AOT Coordinators Meeting
June 6: 10 - 11:30 am
LGU Clinic Operators Call
June 10: 10 - 11:30 am
Addiction Services & Supports (ASR) Committee Meeting
June 12: 11 am - 12 pm
Developmental Disabilities Committee Meeting
June 12: 1 - 2 pm
Mental Health Committee Meeting
June 12: 3 - 4 pm
Children & Families Committee Meeting
June 17: 11:30 am - 1 pm
Membership Call
June 18: 9 - 10:30 am
CLMHD Office Closed - Juneteenth
June 19
Mental Hygiene Planning Committee Meeting
June 26: 1 - 3 pm
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