For many parents, raising kids that have a healthy relationship with social media can be a challenge. Why? Because social media is ubiquitous. 4.48 billion people currently use social media worldwide, a number that has more than doubled from 2.07 billion users in 2015. As...
It’s supposed to be the happiest time of the year, but is it? Emotions are more intense during the holidays than other times throughout the year, and celebrating with family and friends brings about a diverse range of feelings. While many people experience joy and...
As it turns out, giving thanks is quite good for you. The act of feeling grateful - and actively appreciating these moments in your life - has been proven to improve physical health, boost mental health, increase empathy and self-esteem, and may even help you...
Part Two in a Series On October 19th, 2021, a variety of leading pediatric organizations including the Children’s Hospital Association and the American Academy of Pediatrics declared a national emergency in children’s mental health. This emergency was brought on by challenges related to the COVID-19 pandemic,...
Part One in a Series More than a year and a half into the COVID-19 pandemic, it’s no surprise that Americans continue to struggle with their mental and behavioral health. Within our families and communities, there have been irreparable changes that continue to affect us, even...
If your behavioral health practice is like most, you have been busier than ever this year. Today’s challenges are manifold: applying and enforcing safety measures, navigating the new world of virtual therapy, and facing a new need for services due to pandemic-related increases in anxiety,...
In the early morning of August 30th, the last plane carrying U.S forces left Kabul International Airport in Afghanistan, bringing an official end to America’s longest war. For 20 years, American troops fought in the desert of Afghanistan, first searching for 9/11 mastermind Osama Bin Laden,...
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...
September is Suicide Prevention Awareness Month. Why is it so important that we create awareness and take action? Because the data is alarming. Every day, approximately 130 Americans die by suicide. That is one person every 11 minutes. There is one death by suicide for...
For a variety of reasons, the 2020 Summer Olympics was vastly different from previous Olympic games. First, they were delayed by a year due to the COVID-19 pandemic, forcing many athletes to train for much longer periods of time than they could have imagined. They...
September is recognized as Suicide Prevention Awareness Month-- a time meant to raise awareness and open the dialog around suicide, while advocating for better mental health care. As part of this awareness month, September 5th-11th is recognized as National Suicide Prevention Week, and September 10th...
Part Six in a Series Within the United States, it’s an undeniable reality that within two decades, older adults will outnumber young children for the first time in our nation’s recorded history. As of 2018, there were more than 52 million adults aged 65 and over....
40% of LGBTQ youth have seriously considered suicide in the past year. Over half of transgender and non-binary youth have considered suicide, and 20% have attempted it. The Trevor Project provides evidence-based support for LGBTQ youth through crisis services, peer support, advocacy and education. The organization...
Part Five in a Series Within the United States, many mental health and criminal justice experts believe that jails and prisons have become our nation’s largest psychiatric facilities. This may be surprising to someone who does not have frequent contact with the American criminal justice system,...
Every child gets scared or anxious sometimes. It’s normal for kids to be afraid of the dark, shy around new people, or nervous before a big test. It becomes an issue when fear and anxiety cause distress or interfere with everyday activities. Anxiety disorders in...
Part Four in a Series An interesting aspect of living in the United States is the incredible variety of religious and cultural traditions practiced by our 328.2 million neighbors. As our country has evolved, distinct customs have developed alongside it, creating new cultural traditions and religious...
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...
Part Three in a Series Within the United States, roughly 5.6% of the population identifies as a member of the LGBTQ community. Despite being a relatively small population within the United States, the LGBTQ community is vastly overrepresented when it comes to mental and behavioral health...
An unfortunate reality is that many children experience devastating ordeals in their young lives. A close family member commits suicide. Parents get divorced. The child experiences abuse or neglect. These traumatic events are referred to as adverse childhood experiences (ACEs). They are closely linked to...
What is population-based care and why should it matter if you’re a behavioral healthcare provider? In this podcast, "Understanding Population-Based Care", you’ll learn about this emerging healthcare model, how it goes hand-in-hand with value-based payments, and the impact it will have on your practice. According to...
Part Two in a Series When they sign up for active duty, military members know that they’re putting everything on the line to protect their country. But what they can not prepare for is the impact their service will have on their own mental health. For...
Children in America face an unprecedented rise in chronic childhood illness, from allergies to autism. The current healthcare system is set up to treat acute diseases, but lacks the capacity for complex cases. In contrast, the whole child approach uses collaborative care, including physical, behavioral,...
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...
Asking for help is not a sign of weakness--it’s actually a sign of strength and confidence. Yet, so many people are reluctant to reach out for help with their mental health needs because of the stigma that is still (incorrectly) associated with mental health. Military...
Medication-Assisted Treatment (MAT) involves using specific medications to help substance use patients better manage their withdrawal symptoms during recovery. This technique is often used to treat substance use disorder--and specifically opioid addiction. According to a 2016 study published in The New England Journal of Medicine,...
If you want your organization to thrive in the behavioral healthcare market, you must start thinking about value-based care now. As the focus shifts away from traditional fee-for-service (FFS) systems that pay for the amount of treatment, value-based payments (VBP) are becoming increasingly important to...
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...
Making self-care a priority is essential when you work in behavioral healthcare. Day in and day out, you help others navigate challenges in their own lives – which can take a personal toll on you. In addition to the work you do normally, COVID has...
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...
The Challenge Modern behavioral health practices don’t have room for human errors and oversight in today’s competitive world. Margins are razor thin and guidelines for reimbursements from third party payers are not always easy to follow. It’s difficult, if not next to impossible, to keep up...
The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted much more than the physical health of people who have the virus. It has also impacted the mental health of many people, including those who are dealing with the illness, those who have lost a loved one, caregivers, and people...
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...
Before the COVID-19 pandemic, suicide was the 10th leading cause of death in the United States. According to data compiled by Mental Health America (MHA), a nonprofit mental health advocacy organization, suicidal ideation has been growing rapidly since the start of the pandemic. Here’s what...