Mental Health

American Rescue Plan Offers States Funding to Address Critical Need for Improved Access to Mental Health Services

The American Rescue Plan passed in March included provisions providing states with new funding opportunities to leverage Medicaid to improve access to mental health services. Recent announcements by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) provide states with more information about how they can take advantage of the new opportunities. Section 9817 Additional Support […]

Shifting the Paradigm: How Medicaid Can Strengthen Behavioral Health Crisis Response

Police respond to a wide range of situations beyond crimes — everything from traffic stops to domestic disputes to homelessness. They are also generally the first responders in situations involving mental health or substance use crises. This unexpected, largely unrecognized role reflects an unmet need for behavioral health care, gaps in community-based services for mental […]

Postpartum Depression Can Persist Well Beyond a Child’s First Birthday – Medicaid Should Adjust Accordingly

Postpartum depression can last up to three years, new research from the National Institute of Health has found, and symptoms can often emerge well after the first months following delivery and get worse over time. The findings, published in the journal Pediatrics, suggest that providers, particularly pediatricians, should screen new mothers for depression through at […]