“Make mental health and well-being for all a global priority” is the theme of this year’s World Mental Health Day, an international day for global mental health education, awareness, and advocacy against social stigma. The day was first celebrated in 1992 as an initiative of...
Experts fear a “second pandemic” is sweeping the nation as the urgent need for mental health counseling continues to exponentially grow. COVID-19 created a sense of general uncertainty, spurred major financial adjustments, created a healthcare crisis, and spurred social isolation from government mandated measures. Not...
In the last year and a half, we’ve watched in awe as first responders like doctors, nurses, paramedics, and even coroners and medical examiners have stepped up to the incredible demands put on them by COVID-19. Most trained professionals could see the crushing wave of sickness...
As a behavioral healthcare provider, you know all too well that running a successful organization involves much more than providing quality care for your clients. The reality is, you cannot provide effective care if you neglect the operational elements of your business which also require your time...
First in a Series Since the beginning of 2020, we’ve seen the unemployment rate reach a staggering 14.8%. The resulting economic strain hasn’t just affected unemployment – it’s crept across almost every facet of our lives, including our access to healthcare. Many of the individuals experiencing...
Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, telehealth services have increased significantly. For mental health practitioners, teletherapy has become an essential method for treating patients while keeping all parties safe and healthy. Although the technology was ready and available to easily deliver individual and group...
COVID restrictions and proximity to care are two reasons why more children with behavioral health needs are seeking telemedicine options for their care. But a virtual visit is very different from an in-person visit, especially for those with autism and ADHD. There are a number...
It's hard to believe we’ve been dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic for a little over a year now, and we’re all still grappling with what we need to do. Many school districts are still using virtual learning or hybrid models, extracurricular activities look nothing like...
It's hard to believe it’s been just over a year since the first COVID-19 cases were discovered in the United States. It’s easy to feel like you’re stuck in some sort of time loop, as school districts are still grappling with reopening procedures, and extracurricular...
Though it may be hard to believe, the first US cases of COVID-19 were discovered a little over a year ago. After massive state-mandated shut downs, almost every state and city is now in some form of reopening, however, case counts remain worryingly high, and...
The COVID-19 pandemic has created an opportunity to grow behavioral health services in communities across the United States. Now, the behavioral health community must rise to the occasion. It is make or break time, and the world is watching. It's up to behavioral health providers...
The need for quality behavioral health services has been heightened and highlighted during the COVID pandemic. The value and importance of behavioral health services have become part of the national conversation in recent months. It is clear that a therapists services are an essential part...
Addiction does not happen in a vacuum. Every client you see who is dealing with addiction has people in his or her life who are also being impacted by that addiction. The American Society of Addiction Medicine defines addiction as a ‘treatable, chronic medical disease involving complex interactions...
The holidays can bring about a wide variety of emotions, but this year has added another layer of stress. With cases still escalating during the COVID-19 pandemic, many people are making the tough decision to stay home for the holidays, forgoing big traditional gatherings. While...
Families benefit from the support and structure of their community. Sheltering in place during the coronavirus pandemic has thrown social networks into disarray, and anxiety associated with COVID-19 has magnified everyday stressors. Sudden loneliness and stress can increase susceptibility to substance misuse, addiction, and relapse....
A Home Within was founded in 1994 with a mission to heal the wounds of complex trauma and loss experienced by many foster youth. Local networks of volunteer clinicians provide individual, open-ended, relationship-based psychotherapy for young people who are, or previously were, in foster care....
Widespread shutdowns due to the COVID-19 pandemic have put Americans with substance use disorder (SUD) at high risk for relapse. Alcohol misuse and drug overdose are on the rise. People with SUD are often vulnerable and marginalized, and many rely on in-person behavioral healthcare for...
The global coronavirus pandemic has had world-wide mental health repercussions. Long-term stress has exacerbated existing behavioral health conditions, and social isolation has increased feelings of loneliness, anxiety, and depression. Chronic stress and economic instability has created a breeding ground for psychological distress. When it comes...
Rural, isolated regions have historically lacked resources and infrastructure to adequately address the behavioral healthcare needs of its population. People living in remote areas have limited access to specialty services for mental health and substance use disorders, creating a rural-urban divide. Fortunately, technological innovation and...
COVID-19 changed everything we thought we knew about how to run our day to day lives, including the way we work. If you're a behavioral health therapist who was suddenly thrust into the world of teletherapy, you may be wondering whether you're as effective now...
COVID-19 upended life as we know it. Although some states have eased initial lockdown restrictions, indoor gatherings of unrelated people remain risky, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Some communities continue to prohibit them, and nearly all continue to recommend working...
All behavior is learned and displayed within the contexts of society. Each individual’s culture is a unique blend of ethnicity, demographics, socioeconomic status, language, and affiliations. If practitioners assess and evaluate behavior through a client’s frame of reference, human behavior becomes more evident in light...
The field of behavioral healthcare has changed. 60-65% of human service agencies bound to a fee-for-service model fail. Medicaid margins are razor thin when you consider the exceedingly low payments mental health counselors receive versus the escalating costs of delivering quality care, forcing many direct...
For patients battling substance use disorder, each day brings new challenges as they manage their addiction and take small steps towards recovery. Coping with sobriety during a pandemic, with social distancing orders in place, adds a whole new set of obstacles individuals must overcome to...
With the outbreak of Coronavirus, everyday life has become difficult for millions of people across the globe. The disease, also known as COVID-19, is highly infectious and can have varying effects on different people. According to the World Health Organization, the virus primarily spreads through...
Access to behavioral health therapy is quite different now compared to the way clients accessed sessions a few years ago. Telehealth is becoming an important part of mental health treatment, but it’s not as simple as signing on to an online Skype session or Google...
A lot of discussion that takes place around electronic health records is rarely about the system’s ability to provide marketing tools. Often, the discussion centers on the clinical abilities of the software, billing, and ease of use. Any system that is gathering data should be...
