Integrated behavioral health, which incorporates behavioral health services into general medical settings, is an effective approach to improving access to mental health care. The psychiatric collaborative care model (CoCM), a team-based approach involving a primary care provider, behavioral health care manager, and consulting psychiatrist, has strong evidence supporting its effectiveness for treating conditions such as…
Peer support services have become an increasingly important component of behavioral health care, with growing evidence supporting their effectiveness in helping individuals recover from mental health and substance use challenges. As demand for these services has expanded, particularly following the COVID-19 pandemic, there is increasing need to better understand how Certified Peer Support Specialists (CPSSs)…
The United States is facing a growing youth mental health crisis, with increasing rates of depression, anxiety, and suicidality among children and adolescents. At the same time, shortages of behavioral health providers and other barriers to care limit access to needed services. School-based behavioral health (SBBH) programs have emerged as a promising strategy to improve…
Telepsychiatry has become a critical tool for expanding access to behavioral health care, with utilization increasing substantially during the COVID-19 pandemic alongside federal telehealth policy flexibilities. While some flexibilities have been made permanent, others are set to expire, and the effects on access to care remain unclear. Understanding the extent to which patients receive behavioral…
Substance use during pregnancy remains a major public health concern in the United States, contributing to adverse maternal and infant outcomes, including preterm birth, neonatal abstinence syndrome, and increased maternal mortality. Although universal screening during prenatal care is recommended to identify women with substance use disorders (SUDs) and connect them to treatment, screening and treatment…
Despite the mental health crisis youth face in the United States, little is known about how children differentially access mental health care from primary care providers and psychiatrists. Using the National Ambulatory Medical Care Survey (NAMCS), researchers explored trends over time from 2005-2019. This article examines demographic and diagnostic differences in treatments for child mental…
Peer Recovery Support Specialists (PRSS) play a crucial role in the behavioral health workforce, assisting individuals in their recovery from substance use and mental health challenges. Despite their essential contributions to the behavioral health field, research on resilience among peers remains limited. This article examines how PRSSs’ personal resilience and their satisfaction with supervisor and…
As many as 1 in 5 women will experience a behavioral health condition during their perinatal period, yet the availability of services specifically designed and delivered for individuals who experience perinatal mental health and substance use conditions remains unclear. This article uses the National Substance Use and Mental Health Services Survey (NSUMHSS) to explore the…
A shortage of behavioral health clinicians is limiting access to mental health care across the United States, particularly in areas designated as Mental Health Professional Shortage Areas (mHPSAs). Retaining clinicians in these high-need areas is essential to improving access. This article examines behavioral health clinicians’ assessments of various job and workplace factors associated with their…
