The COVID-19 pandemic has taken an unprecedented toll on children’s mental health, exacerbating long-standing gaps in mental health care for children in the United States. Fortunately, a number of states plan to invest in initiatives that support youth behavioral and mental health by leveraging funds made available by section 9817 of the American Rescue Plan […]
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services kept busy over the holidays with the release of new guidance to states on the American Rescue Plan Act’s new Medicaid state option to provide qualifying community-based mobile crisis intervention services. As discussed here on Say Ahhh!, ARPA included a provision allowing state Medicaid programs to provide community-based […]
This week, the U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy issued an Advisory highlighting the urgent need to address the nation’s youth mental health crisis. As discussed here on Say Ahhh!, the pandemic has taken an unprecedented toll on the mental health and wellbeing of children, exacerbating long standing gaps in mental health care for children […]
On November 19, 2021, the House of Representatives passed the Build Back Better Act, the budget reconciliation bill, with the Senate expected to consider the legislation in coming weeks. The Build Back Better Act includes numerous provisions that would dramatically strengthen and expand both public and private health insurance coverage. Some of the new provisions […]
This week, the American Academy of Pediatrics, the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, and the Children’s Hospital Association joined together to declare a National State of Emergency in Children’s Mental Health. As previously discussed here on Say Ahhh!, the COVID-19 pandemic has taken an unprecedented toll on children’s mental health, further exacerbating long […]
This week, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) announced that it awarded $15 million in planning grants to 20 state Medicaid agencies to support expanding access to community-based mobile crisis intervention services for Medicaid beneficiaries. As mentioned in our previous blog, the American Rescue Plan created a new state option for state Medicaid […]
