Mental Health,Substance Use
Addressing the behavioral health crisis in Michigan: Strategies for enhancing access and coverage
Michigan faces significant challenges in providing adequate behavioral health services, a crisis that has only grown since the COVID-19 pandemic. A substantial portion of adults in Michigan suffering from mental illness and substance use disorders are not receiving necessary treatment. This is attributed to a lack of access to services, even for those with insurance coverage. Coverage varies significantly by …
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Maximizing Michigan’s opioid settlement funds: A strategic approach for recovery
In response to the opioid epidemic’s devastating impact, the Michigan Opioid Partnership asked the Center for Health and Research Transformation (CHRT) to speak with members of the substance use disorder recovery support community to gather suggestions for the investment of Michigan’s state and local opioid settlement funds. As Michigan anticipates receiving over $1.5 billion from opioid settlements, there is an …
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Supporting behavioral health providers in public health emergencies
Support for behavioral health care providers is crucial, especially considering the significant stress and burnout they have experienced prior to and during the pandemic. To understand how to better support behavioral health care providers during public health emergencies, this study explores three topics. Burnout While the literature is limited, studies suggests that burnout can affect physical and mental health for many …
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The value of community health workers in extending the behavioral health workforce
Prior studies suggest that Community Health Workers (CHWs) add significant value in healthcare settings. CHWs can improve physical health outcomes and lower health care costs for their patients, but there is limited research on the roles CHWs fill in behavioral health care. Trusted frontline health workers, CHWs often live in or come from the communities they serve. Importantly, they support hard-to-engage …
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Telehealth for people with disabilities: here are the challenges and opportunities policymakers should consider
Telehealth was a lifeline for people with disabilities during the COVID-19 pandemic. Federal and state policy changes allowed clinics, health systems, and providers to expand telehealth services, which benefitted people with disabilities. People with disabilities, approximately one in every four Americans, are six times more likely to have ten or more physician visits and five times more likely to be admitted …
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Results from the opioid settlement prioritization survey 2021–22
In 2019, Michigan and many of its districts filed lawsuits against numerous companies in the opioid industry. Settlement negotiations regarding some of these lawsuits are ongoing; however, the State of Michigan is currently drafting legislation that would establish a fund for these resources–$766 million–that would be used to support Michigan-based substance use treatment services and to address the harm created …
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Michigan’s physicians and health care providers are burnt out: What can we do to help them navigate pandemic pressures?
Michigan’s latest COVID-19 surge is among the worst in the country, and if there’s one thing we know about COVID’s effect on our nation’s health care system, physician and health care provider burnout will soon follow. Physician burnout is a concern for everyone. It’s tied to lower-quality care, reduced clinical productivity, and increased physician turnover. In the general population, we …
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Children benefit from the integration of behavioral health consultants at pediatric clinics, but can practices bear the cost?
While a growing body of evidence demonstrates the health benefits of embedding behavioral health care consultants into medical practices, many providers–including pediatric practitioners–are rightfully cautious about embarking on integration initiatives. Integration is a complex process–one that requires a significant commitment of time and resources–and not all integration initiatives are economically sustainable. Here, we provide a simple tool for determining whether …
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The advantages of becoming a federally Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinic (CCBHC)–for organizations, communities
The federal application process to become a Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinic (CCBHC) in Michigan opened on December 29, 2020 and closed on March 1, 2021. Becoming a CCBHC offers many advantages to organizations and the communities they serve. The bipartisan Excellence in Mental Health Act of 2009, which was introduced by U.S. Senator Debbie Stabenow (MI), increased federal and financial …
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Learn how states are combatting social isolation and loneliness in adults with disabilities during the COVID-19 pandemic
Forty percent of adults with a debilitating disability or chronic condition report feelings of loneliness or being socially isolated. The significant risk factors for social isolation include living alone, mobility disabilities, major life transitions, and emerging health problems – all which become more prevalent in older age. The health risks associated with social isolation and loneliness are troubling, and include …
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