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IN CASE YOU MISSED IT
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid (CMS) recently updated its roadmap for the eventual end of the COVID-19 public health emergency (PHE) for health care providers. While the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has not announced its intention to end the PHE, it encourages providers to prepare for the end of the PHE. Many of the waivers and flexibilities that were critical to respond to the pandemic will terminate when the PHE ends. CMS continues to update its resources and materials to help providers with the transition from the PHE. For more information on COVID-19 blanket waivers, click here and for additional resources.
Main Stories:
- Report: A Unified Vision for Transforming Mental Health and Substance Use Care
- CCBHC Notice of Funding Opportunity Expectations
- Funding for Youth Substance Use Prevention Groups
- Webinar on Preventing Suicide in Children and Adolescents
- Become a NatCon23 Speaker!
Report: A Unified Vision for Transforming Mental Health and Substance Use Care
The CEO Alliance for Mental Health, a leadership collective of the 15 leading organizations dedicated to improving the lives of people with mental health and substance use challenges, released a new report outlining a unified vision to improve lives through transforming care. The Alliance outlines seven elements which are critical to address in order to meet this goal: early identification and prevention, emergency and crisis response, equity, integration, parity, standards of care, and workforce. Intended to serve as a guide, the report illustrates common goals and pathways for success across the field.
CCBHC Notice of Funding Opportunity Expectations
HHS will be releasing the Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinic (CCBHC) planning grant Notice of Funding Opportunity in October 2022, with a planned 60-day application period and announcement of awards in March 2023. States will need to complete these planning grants in order to participate in the 2024 expansion of the Medicaid Demonstration authorized in the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act. Existing CCBHC demonstration states will be able to add additional CCBHC sites in this application. More information about the process will be released in the coming months. If states have specific concerns they would like HHS to consider, reach out directly to the agency at CCBHC@samhsa.hhs.gov.
Funding for Youth Substance Use Prevention Groups
Last week, the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) announced nearly $12.4 million in grants as part of the Biden-Harris Administration’s strategy to combat the nation’s overdose epidemic. The grants will be made available to 99 new coalitions across the country as part of the Drug Free Communities (DFC) Support Program. Community coalitions receiving funds will raise awareness about the dangers of prescription drugs, marijuana, tobacco, and alcohol, as well as working to educate communities about illicit fentanyl and counterfeit pills. To learn more, click here.
Webinar on Preventing Suicide in Children and Adolescents
On September 6, from 2-3pm ET the National Council for Mental Wellbeing, along with RELIAS, will host a webinar on current considerations for preventing suicide in children and adolescents. The webinar will discuss the problem of suicidality in children and adolescents, including who is at highest risk, cultural and COVID related considerations for providing care to children and adolescents; explore the role of parents, guardians, and other caregivers in suicide prevention; and talk through next steps and tools to effectively screen for suicide in this population. To register for the webinar, click here.
Become a NatCon23 Speaker!
Save the date for NatCon23 from May 1-3 in Los Angeles, California! Want to become a NatCon23 speaker? Our “call for presentations” is now open! Don’t miss your chance to inspire thousands of people at the largest conference in mental health and substance use treatment – apply by Friday, September 23 (11:59 p.m. PT/2:59 a.m. ET). Questions? Contact us.
ADVOCACY CORNER
Advocacy Tip of the Week. Check out our Advocacy Handbook! The Handbook has tips and tricks for virtual meetings with legislators, as well as templates for scheduling meetings and sending follow-up emails. Please share with your colleagues and let us know if you have any questions. Also, never miss an alert from the National Council by signing up for our Advocacy Alerts!
HAPPENING ON THE HILL
Proposed Rule Amends State Reporting Requirements of Quality Measures. CMS recently proposed a new rule to implement mandatory state reporting on the quality of mental health and substance use disorder services in Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP). The proposed rule would require states to report annually all mental health and substance use measures established in the Core Set of Adult Health Care Quality Measures for all beneficiaries starting in 2024. For dually eligible beneficiaries, receiving both Medicare and Medicaid coverage, states would be required to report at least 12 of the 13 quality measures.
