|
CLMHD Marks 50 Years at Spring Full Membership Meeting
CLMHD's Spring 2026 Full Membership Meeting brought Directors of Community Services (DCSs) together from across New York State for three days of sessions, discussion, and reflection. Held in Albany from May 11–13, the meeting coincided with CLMHD's 50th Anniversary, a milestone that gave members an opportunity to look back on five decades of advocacy, partnership, and commitment to the communities they serve.
The 50th Anniversary gathering provided a special opportunity to recognize CLMHD's history, long-standing partnerships, and the important role of DCSs across New York State. We extend our sincerest appreciation to our sponsors and all those who supported us in marking this milestone.
| |
The meeting also provided an opportunity to recognize the retirement of Dr. Robert Anderson, DCS for Allegany County. Throughout his career, Dr. Anderson has been a thoughtful, steady, and deeply committed leader whose contributions to both his county and this organization have left a lasting impact. We thank him for his many years of leadership and service and wish him all the best in his retirement.
| |
Children’s Mental Health Visits Have Shot Up, Research Shows
A study of insurance claims for 1.8 million children found that the number of families raising mental health issues at visits to general practitioners rose sharply over a decade, with anxiety by far the fastest-growing complaint. The study, which was published on Monday in the journal JAMA Network Open, found that the number of pediatric visits rose to 9.7% in 2023 from 5.7% in 2014. The study included all insurance claims for children from ages 1 to 18 in Massachusetts, for a total of more than 1.8 million children. Visits were counted as mental health visits if a diagnostic code was included in the claim, either because the child or the family raised the issue or because the child screened positive for mental health symptoms during the visit. Visits for anxiety rose by more than 250% during that period, to 6.1% in 2023 from 1.7% in 2014. Read more here.
Related: NYSED rolls out multi-tiered student mental health support
Access to and Provision of Child and Youth Behavioral Health Services in the Rural and Urban U.S.
The Jed Foundation (JED) Publishes New Report on Mental Health Challenges Among Boys and Young Men
| |
Low Wages, Empty Plates, Heavy Toll: Rethinking Suicide Prevention
As a teenager, Rei Scott spent several weeks living out of a car with four family members and their dog. Each day, Scott worried about where they would spend the following night. One day at school, Scott snuck away to the bathroom and called the national suicide hotline.
Scott, who is transgender and nonbinary, explained to the hotline counselor that the family had struggled with poverty for years. They had lived in crumbling homes with water leaks, or a family member’s basement with no privacy. Sometimes the family worried about having enough food. The stress and anxiety were constant, and Scott had been suicidal many times. The counselor seemed shocked into silence, Scott said. Eventually, the person provided reassurance and kindness. One day at school, Scott snuck away to the bathroom and called the national suicide hotline. Read more here.
Related: SAMHSA Awards $255 Million to Administer 988 Lifeline
| |
Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Ombuds (IDDO) program Annual Report Issued
Last year, the Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Ombuds (IDDO) program, headed by Community Service Society of New York, launched and began accepting calls from people with developmental disabilities and their family members in need of assistance resolving concerns, navigating barriers to services and making the right connections. After its first year in operation, the Ombuds program has issued its inaugural annual report, covering the period January 1, 2025 - December 31, 2025. If you’d like to review the full report, you can find it on their website here: 2025 Annual Report - iddony.org. Read more here.
Related: Autism Increases Odds Of Suicidal Crisis. 988 Is Changing To Better Serve This Group
| |
U.S. Overdose Deaths Fell Again in 2025, but Some Worry About Policy and Drug Supply Changes
About 70,000 Americans died of drug overdoses last year — about 14% fewer than the previous year, according to preliminary government data. It was the third straight annual drop, making it the longest decline in decades, according to federal data released last week. The 2025 total is about the same as the tally in 2019, before the COVID-19 pandemic. Declines were seen across a number of drug types, including fentanyl, cocaine and methamphetamine. Overdose deaths fell in the vast majority of states, although seven saw at least slight increases, including jumps of 10% or more in Arizona, Colorado and New Mexico, the preliminary data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention showed. But the number of Americans dying from overdoses is still high, and deaths declined at a slower pace last year. Read more here.
Related: Governor Hochul Highlights New Figures Showing Substantial Reduction in Overdose Deaths in New York State Through 2025
| |
SUNY Chancellor King Launches Interactive Mental Health Resource Finder as Part of Mental Health Awareness Month
In observance of Mental Health Awareness Month, State University of New York Chancellor John B. King Jr. today launched the SUNY Mental Health Resource Finder to help support students, faculty, and staff, as well as concerned loved ones, more easily access mental health support systems and essential resources. The initiative aligns with SUNY's goals to reduce mental health stigma and provide essential support for those living with mental health conditions. Read more here.
| |
Addressing Workforce Challenges through the Rural Health Transformation Program
The $50 billion Rural Health Transformation Program (RHTP) provides states with five years of funding to address longstanding rural health challenges, and every state proposes to use at least some of their funding for workforce priorities. Nearly all rural counties are federally designated as Health Professional Shortage Areas (HPSAs). Rural areas account for more than 60% of all HPSAs across primary care, dental, and behavioral health. BPC’s review of all 50 state plans found three common workforce strategies that states are pursuing: 1) recruiting and training providers; 2) upskilling the existing workforce and building infrastructure; and 3) expanding licensure compacts and scope of practice. Building a rural health workforce starts with the pipeline. Early, sustained exposure to health care careers is key to getting and keeping providers in rural communities, yet these opportunities remain scarce in many rural areas. Read more here.
| |
The Broken Pipeline of Mental Healthcare for LGBTQ Teenagers
The first panic attack Quinn Pulsipher remembers having was at 8 years old. They describe it as “a pitch-black ghost that hugs them all over and tries to control their mind.” At the beach on vacation with their family, the wind suddenly picked up, and Quinn began hyperventilating, screaming and crying uncontrollably. Nothing could calm them down. After that first episode, the panic attacks occurred whenever there was a storm, sometimes even when there was just a light breeze. By the time Quinn was 14, they were “spiraling down.” They began failing most of their classes. They rarely left their room, even avoiding going to the store with their mom. Quinn, who is nonbinary, said the deterioration of their mental health was related to the rejection they received for their identity. Read more here.
| |
Addiction Experts Develop Best Practices for Treating Opioid Use Disorder in the Hospital
A new study published in JAMA Network Open on May 7 engaged 42 national experts in hospital-based addiction treatment in a consensus-building process to develop best practices for hospital-initiated medications for opioid use disorder (MOUD). Hospitalization offers a critical opportunity for individuals with opioid use disorder (OUD) to begin treatment with evidence-based medications, such as buprenorphine and methadone. However, clinicians have faced challenges initiating treatment with these medications in patients who are using fentanyl and other high-potency synthetic opioids (HPSOs). Read more here.
Related: Guest Editorial – New ASAM Implementation Guide for Hospital and Emergency Department Substance use Disorder Care
| |
Why Menopause Matters in Substance Use Disorder Prevention, Treatment, and Recovery
For many women, midlife is a period of significant biological, psychological, and social changes. One of the biggest is menopause, and there’s a growing understanding of how these hormonal changes can affect mood, sleep, cognition, and stress response. One important yet often overlooked factor is the connection between menopause and substance use. Emerging evidence shows that going through the menopause transition can influence substance use patterns, including a woman’s risk of escalating substance use and recurrence after a period of recovery. Recognizing menopause as part of the substance use continuum is critical to improving health outcomes for women. Read more here.
| |
Chasing the High: Why Gambling Disorder Belongs in the Addiction Conversation
The clamor of the casino floor has given way to something quieter, harder to see: the silent glow of the smartphone screen. For centuries, gambling carried a recognizable cultural image: it lived in casinos, racetracks and back rooms; it was episodic and spatially bounded. In many cases, it was visible enough that concern would flare before its harms became entrenched, and before gambling could evolve into a gambling disorder. That is no longer the world clinicians face. New digital platforms have made gambling constant, private and frictionless. The ever-expanding perimeter of wagering now includes sports betting apps, online poker, loot boxes and skins betting — prediction markets like Kalshi now let people bet on anything from who will be the next Fed Chair nominee to which musical artist will top the charts. Read more here.
| | |
Hixny and New York State Office of Mental Health Expand Access to Behavioral Health Data Through PSYCKES Integration
Hixny, the Healthcare Information Xchange of New York, and the New York State Office of Mental Health (OMH) on May 7 announced the availability of PSYCKES (Psychiatric Services and Clinical Knowledge Enhancement System) data directly within Hixny's snapshot application. The integration is the result of a collaborative effort between the two organizations to make behavioral health information more accessible to providers across New York State. The PSYCKES database is managed by OMH and is designed to give clinicians a line of sight into a patient's behavioral health history. The tool supports clinical decision-making, improves care quality, and helps facilitate more informed conversations around safe and effective treatment. Read more here.
| |
UPCOMING EVENTS & TRAININGS
Developing Leaders, Delivering Results: The ROI of Strong Managers
May 21, 1 - 2 pm, National Council for Mental Wellbeing
Improving Access to Specialty Care in Rural Communities Through Project ECHO
May 21, 2 - 3 pm, Center for Health Care Strategies
Case-Based Discussion: Gambling and Alcohol Use Disorder
May 21, 3:30 - 4:30 pm, PCSS-MOUD
Preparing to Apply for a SAMHSA Grant
May 27, 2 - 3 pm, SAMHSA
Peer Impact Panel: Advancing the Role of Peers in Integrated Care Systems Registration
May 27, 2 - 3:30 pm, National Council for Mental Wellbeing
Combating Stigma: From High School to the Professional World
May 27, 7 - 8 pm, MHANYS
Provider Investigation Topics Series: Photographic Evidence
May 28, 11 am - 12 pm, NYS Justice Center
Integrated Care in MHOTRS Webinar
May 28, 2 - 3 pm, MCTAC
Lessons from the Front Lines of Mental Health Legislation: How Arizona Is Advancing Behavioral Health Legislation
May 28, 3 - 4 pm, Advocates for Human Potential
Best Practices for Writing a SAMHSA Grant Application
June 3, 2 - 3 pm, SAMHSA
Informed Care in Psychiatric Medication Use and Withdrawal
June 3, 2 - 3:30 pm, SAMHSA OCMO
State Peer-to-Peer Learning Session: Innovative Post-Crisis Follow-Up Procedures
June 9, 3 - 4 pm, SAMHSA
Beyond Dual Diagnosis: Understanding the Relationship Between Personality Disorders and Substance Use Disorders Among Adults
June 10, 12 - 1:30 pm, CTAC
From Coding to Braiding: Strategies for Financing and Sustaining Integrated Behavioral Health in Primary Care Settings
June 10, 1 - 2:30 pm, AHRQ Integration Academy
Safe Community Activities and Outings
June 10, 1:30 - 2:30 pm, NYS Justice Center
TAC Problem-Solving Series: Innovative Approaches to SMI - Competency Solutions
June 10, 7 - 8 pm, Treatment Advocacy Center
Balancing Public Meeting and Records Transparency Amid Rising Threats and Public Pressure
June 11, 2 - 3 pm, NACo
Essential Clinical and Peer Supervision Practices in Substance Use Disorder Services
June 17, 12 - 1:30 pm, NAADAC
Reframing Opioid Use Disorder and Co-Occurring & Co-Morbid Disorders Through a Systems Lens
June 23, 1 - 2 pm, National Council for Mental Wellbeing
Identifying Service Members, Veterans and Their Families
June 24, 12 - 1:30 pm, Suicide Prevention Coalition Academy
Provider Investigation Basics - 3-Day Virtual Training
July 7 - 9, 9:30 am - 12:30 pm, NYS Justice Center
| |
CLMHD CALENDAR
June
Executive Committee Meeting
June 3: 8 - 9 am
Mental Hygiene Planning Committee Meeting
June 4: 1 - 3 pm
Quarterly AOT Coordinators Call
June 5, 10 - 11:30 am
LGU Clinic Operators Call
June 9, 10 - 11 am
Addiction Services & Recovery Committee Meeting
June 11: 11 am - 12 pm
Mental Health Committee Meeting
June 11: 3 - 4 pm
Children & Families Committee Meeting
June 16: 12 - 1:30 pm
Membership Call
June 17: 9 - 10:30 am
Developmental Disabilities Committee Meeting
June 18: 1 - 2 pm
CLMHD Offices Closed - Juneteenth
June 19
| |
