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The NRI Newsletter is a bi-monthly publication offers news and events relevant to the public behavioral health system.
January 27, 2022

State & FederalResearch | Upcoming Events | Funding | Helpful Resources

SPOTLIGHT

NRI Demonstrates New State Mental Health Agency (SMHA) Profiles Website with Information about the Organization, Policies, Services, and Financing of the Nation’s Public Mental Health System

During the January 20th NASMHPD State Mental Health Commissioners’ Meet-me-call NRI demonstrated its new State Mental Health Agency (SMHA) Profiles website with information about the organizations, policies, services, clients, and funding of state mental health systems. This new website includes a series of short topical public reports detailing high priority issues being addressed by SMHAs and a restricted access page designed for SMHA staff to access detailed state-level information. The state-restricted access site includes spreadsheets and a new, evolving Tableau data visualization that lets SMHA staff interact with their state’s information and other state data.

The 2021 SMHA Profiles project is entirely funded by SMHAs and is led by a State Steering Committee--co-chaired by Dena Stoner (Texas) and Wendy Morris (Kentucky) and with representatives from 20 states. The Steering Committee identified high-priority topics related to services, policies, and funding for collecting comparative information from the states.
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STATE AND FEDERAL

'I Matter' Program Offers Free Mental Health Sessions for all Colorado Youth

The ‘I Matter’ program is funded by the Colorado Department of Human Services, Office of Behavioral Health and offers at least three free trauma-informed mental health sessions for any youth in Colorado and reimburses participating providers, who are licensed clinicians from agencies and independent contractors. Learn more.

Commissioner Marie Williams Named Chair of The Council of State Governments Justice Center Advisory Board

Marie Williams, Commissioner of the Tennessee Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services, will oversee the CSG Justice Center’s efforts to advance safety and second chances across 50 states and all three branches of government. Read more.

Maine Groups Improve Care for Patients with Intellectual/Developmental Disabilities

A partnership between the Maine Developmental Disabilities Council (MDDC) and two AHRQ-listed patient safety organizations (PSOs) is helping improve care for patients with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD). Read more.

Green Bandanas Signal Support for Those with Mental Health Struggles

The Green Bandana Campaign is an initiative of Gloucester High School’s Mental Health Ambassador program. It comes at a time when students and the wider community face mental health challenges due to the COVID-19 pandemic, pressures from social media, and recent deaths within the school community. Read more.

Mental Health Needs Spike During Pandemic, But Help in Utah Abundant, Free

The COVID-19 pandemic has generated another pandemic: the need for mental health and substance-use care in Utah and throughout the country. A Utah mental health expert discussed growing issues and emphasized free help is available for those in need. Read more.

13 States Experiencing Workforce Shortages in At Least 25% of Hospitals; 23 Anticipate it

Almost 17 percent — or 908 of 5,451 — of hospitals reporting staffing levels in the U.S. are experiencing critical staffing shortages, according to HHS data. Read more.

Telemedicine Services in Substance Use and Mental Health Treatment Facilities

Data from the National Survey of Substance Abuse Treatment Services (N-SSATS) and the National Mental Health Services Survey (N-MHSS) shows an increase in the percentage of substance use and mental health treatment facilities providing telemedicine services between 2015 and 2020. Read more.

Study Warns of High Levels of Depression and Suicidal Thoughts in Latin American Health Workers During Pandemic

Health workers in 11 Latin American countries show elevated rates of depressive symptoms, suicidal thinking, and psychological distress, according to the results of a study led by the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) in collaboration with the University of Chile and Columbia University. Read more.

RESEARCH


Pandemic Sparks Increase in Mental Health, Substance Use Outpatient Visits Among Physicians

The number of outpatient visits for mental health and substance use by physicians jumped 27% in the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic, a study published today in JAMA Network Open has found. Read more.

National Trends of Mental Health Care Among US Adults Who Attempted Suicide in the Past 12 Months

Despite the substantial increase in suicide attempts among U.S. adults over the last decade, use of mental health services by these individuals didn't match that growth, data from the National Surveys on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH) revealed. Read more.

GAO Releases Report on Behavioral Health and COVID-19: Higher-Risk Populations and Related Federal Relief Funding

A new Government Accountability Office (GAO) report, as required by the CARES Act, provides a review of the issues and programs related to Behavioral Health during the pandemic. The review shows that the COVID-19 relief funds for behavioral health, as awarded through the six programs, could generally serve the six higher-risk populations identified by stakeholders. Read more.

SAMHSA Releases National Mental Health Services 2020 Survey Report

The 2020 National Mental Health Services Survey (N-MHSS) contains information on the different services and treatment modalities provided by mental health treatment facilities in the United States and its territories. Read more.

JCOIN and NIDA Publish Study on Association Between Buprenorphine and Reduction in Recidivism

A study conducted by the Justice Community Opioid Innovation Network (JCOIN), with funding from the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), found that individuals with opioid use disorder who were incarcerated and received buprenorphine were less likely to face rearrest and reconviction after release. Read more.

Psoriatic Arthritis Linked to Depression, Anxiety, and Anhedonia

Individuals with psoriatic arthritis (a form of psoriasis characterized by chronic inflammation of joints, tendons, and ligaments) have higher rates of depression than those with non-arthritic psoriasis (a skin disease that causes red, itchy patches), according to a report in the Journal of Consultation-Liaison Psychiatry. Read more.

More Behavioral Issues Reported in Children When School Is Virtual

The behavior of children forced to switch learning formats during the pandemic was worse when their learning was remote, according to surveys of their parents. The findings were published in JAMA Pediatrics. Read more.
If you have news to contribute please share with us here.
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