It is well known that there is a child mental health crisis. One national study by the CDC shows that nearly all signs of poor mental health among teens worsened between 2013 and 2023.
That's why the Bipartisan Policy Center created the Task Force on Youth Mental Health and Substance Use. This task force is focused on creating policy solutions for Congress and the administration that center youth mental health. And on Tuesday, the group released the second of three reports. This focuses on redesigning the health system to support young people, with the first centering on safe and secure social media use and the third on prevention and early detection of mental health disorders. Targeted.
“Health care professionals who serve children often say that the health care system and its funding mechanisms are not designed to optimally serve young people and their families. BPC Youth 's Task Force on Mental Health and Substance Use aims to change this,” the report states.
According to the second report, here are five ways health care delivery systems can support young people more effectively.
1. Strengthening the behavioral health workforce: The task force will reduce insurance credentialing challenges, expand behavioral health provider participation in insurance networks, strengthen participation in interstate licensure agreements, and improve licensure. It recommends supporting the expansion of states' behavioral health workforce by improving portability.
For example, the report says Congress should authorize the Department of Health and Human Services to provide grants of up to $2 million over three years to establish 10 community behavioral health education centers. The task force also streamlines the Medicaid eligibility process by allowing providers to submit one eligibility application packet with standardized criteria rather than applying to multiple Medicaid managed care plans. We recommend streamlining it.
2. Increase transparency and ensure compliance with screening and treatment requirements: Governments must ensure compliance with the Mental Health Parity and Addictions Equity Act (MHPAEA). The law requires insurance coverage for mental health conditions to be no more restrictive than for medical conditions.
For example, Congress would need to authorize up to $10 million in annual grants to state Medicaid agencies to build MHPAEA expertise. Additionally, managed care contracts for state Medicaid programs and Children's Health Insurance Programs should be required to include provisions requiring Medicaid managed care plans to conduct an equivalence analysis.
3. Promoting integrated primary care and behavioral health: According to the report, there is a need to improve screening, consultation, referral, and treatment for mental health and substance use in both primary care and pediatric settings.
The task force recommends that CMS provide education and technical assistance to states to promote integration in pediatric settings. Additionally, Congress should increase reimbursement rates to increase support for pediatric health care providers.
4. Supporting young people with the most serious needs: The Task Force will provide substance use treatment and intensive home- and community-based support for young people, especially those at high risk and those involved in the justice system. We encourage you to expand access to our services.
The report's specific recommendations include directing the National Institutes of Health to study treatments for youth with co-occurring mental health and substance use disorders. Additionally, the Department of Justice should increase data collection on incarcerated youth to determine how to reduce suicide and suicide risk among youth in jails, prisons, and after release.
5. Improve crisis and stabilization systems: Governments should take steps to increase the capacity of crisis responders, such as emergency medical workers. Financing for crisis systems also needs to be improved.
For example, SAMHSA and CMS should write to state Medicaid directors to encourage the use of evidence-based crisis and stabilization models that include mobile response and stabilization services for children. CMS is also required to provide technical assistance to states on how to access the enhanced federal match for mobile crisis services under the American Rescue Plan Act and extend this funding opportunity for an additional three years.
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