Behavioral Health Providers

The Action Alliance’s Mental Health & Suicide Prevention National Response to COVID-19 (National Response) is a diverse, nonpartisan public-private partnership committed to driving meaningful, lasting change in mental health and suicide prevention through collaboration, leadership, and action. The National Response is working to create sustainable and comprehensive solutions to the mental health impacts of this pandemic, while also preparing to address future needs by mitigating risks and building resiliency.

The de Beaumont Foundation and Well Being Trust released an action guide for local leaders that emphasizes the urgency of addressing the growing mental health and addiction issues in their communities resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic. “Supporting a Nation in Crisis: Solutions for Local Leaders to Improve Mental Health and Well-Being During and Post-COVID-19” includes more than 60 evidence-based policies, practices, and programs that can prevent further loss of life and livelihood from the nation’s growing mental health crisis.

This guide is a resource for health care systems to improve mental health and well-being in the communities they serve, focusing specifically on saving lives from deaths of despair. The guide endeavors to provide a comprehensive framework in which multiple stakeholders (e.g., people from marginalized populations and communities and leaders in sectors such as health care, education, justice system, local government, employers) can identify themselves and their contributions.

The CY 2021 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule Final Rule was placed on display at the Federal Register on December 2, 2020. This final rule updates payment policies, payment rates, and other provisions for services furnished under the Medicare Physician Fee Schedule (PFS) on or after Jan. 1, 2021. This final rule updates policies affecting the calculation of payment rates and includes misvalued codes. It also adds services to the telehealth list including a third temporary category for services added under the PHE, as well as certain other revisions to telehealth services.

The Opioid Prevention Campaign is a public health media campaign to help prevent adolescent substance use. The stress and uncertainty that surrounds COVID-19 has resulted in a rise in drug and alcohol use. Take action today to prevent opioid use disorder among teens and adolescents.

This Opioid Prevention Campaign toolkit translates the science of prevention into simple strategies parents and caregivers can incorporate into busy daily lives -- to do what we can to protect our kids from developing an addiction later in life.

Language matters when it comes to treating substance use disorders (SUD). Stigma has been proven to have a negative impact on health outcomes, not only leading many individuals with SUD to not seek treatment, but also influencing how health professionals treat their patients. Using non-stigmatizing, person-centered, and recovery-oriented language can help providers facilitate engagement in treatment for individuals with SUD.

This resource provides practical information about a variety of approaches to prevent addiction-related stigma. Some are especially simple and can be initiated by individuals on their own. These include tips on using stigma-free language and writing letters to the editor. Some approaches are comprehensive, such as developing a community action group and implementing a community-based campaign.

Provider Bridge is a platform that will streamline the process for mobilizing health care professionals during the COVID-19 pandemic and future public health emergencies. Utilizing communications pathways and new technology, Provider Bridge will make it easier to connect health care professionals with state agencies and health care entities in order to quickly increase access to care for patients via telehealth.

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services is responding to the opioid epidemic by promoting safe and responsible pain management, making sure patients can access treatment for opioid use disorder, and using data to target prevention and treatment.