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In tonight’s State of the Union address, President Biden is expected to mention specific ways his administration will address America’s mental health crisis, beat its opioid overdose epidemic, and ensure parity.

In a fact sheet about the speech, “mental health” is mentioned 32 times, and “fentanyl” 23 times, signaling the Biden’s administration commitment to tackling two of the nation’s toughest domestic problems. The White House will also discuss these issues in a briefing on Wednesday, Feb. 8 at 2:30 p.m. ET. Click here to register for the webinar.

In a boost for parity, President Biden is expected to say that this administration will propose new rules this spring to ensure that insurance plans do not impose inequitable barriers to care and that mental healthcare providers are being paid by health plans on par with other healthcare professionals.
 
President Biden is also expected to provide details on how his administration will help expand access to mental healthcare services for all who need it, such as expanding peer support specialists for veterans; creating healthy environments for children, adolescents, and teens; and supporting the nation’s mental healthcare workforce.

The Biden administration also intends to improve the capacity of the 988 lifeline by investing in expanding the nation’s crisis care workforce; scaling mobile intervention services; and developing additional guidance on best practices in crisis response. To enhance telehealth services, HHS will triple resources dedicated to promoting interstate license reciprocity to deliver mental health services across state lines, according to the White House.

Meanwhile, Congress and the nation can expect to hear about this administration’s aggressive plans to combat the nation’s ongoing opioid crisis. News reports Tuesday quoted Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) Director Rahul Gupta, M.D. as saying President Biden will apply a “forceful approach” for going after fentanyl and expanding public health efforts to reduce overdose deaths. Such measures will include disrupting the trafficking, distribution, and sale of fentanyl. Tonight the president is expected to announce that his administration will add 123 new, large-scale scanners at land points of entry along the nation’s Southwest border by 2026, and also lead a sustained, diplomatic push to address fentanyl and its supply chain abroad.

The president is also supposed to announce a commitment to expanding access to evidence-based prevention, harm reduction, treatment, and recovery. In the last year, the Biden administration has permitted using $50 million for local public health departments to purchase naloxone; released guidance making it easier for programs to obtain and distribute naloxone to at-risk populations; and prioritized reviewing over-the-counter naloxone applications.

President Biden will deliver his State of the Union address at 9 p.m. ET.

NABH is pleased to announce that the NABH Education and Research Foundation today released an issue brief that shows how telehealth services effectively augment traditional partial hospitalization programs (PHP) and intensive outpatient programs (IOP).

The telehealth issue brief is the first resource from the NABH Education and Research Foundation, which worked with NABH members and Manatt to compile and evaluate data to measure the impact that telehealth services have had on access and outcomes.

Results from the study show that using telehealth services improved access to care and optimized the reach of existing personnel. The initial findings from several NABH members also indicated that, relative to in-person services, telehealth delivery-of-care produced similar or better outcomes for PHP and IOP patients.

The telehealth issue brief’s key findings also include:

• During the COVID-19 crisis, regulatory flexibilities enabled traditional in-person PHPs and IOP programs to implement telehealth services rapidly.
• Using telehealth to deliver PHP and IOP services has improved access to care for remote patients and those facing other access obstacles.
• Emerging research is showing that, relative to in-person care, the use of telehealth in PHPs and IOPs generally is improving the quality of clinical care, patient satisfaction and the overall efficiency of the healthcare system.

NABH urges its members to read the issue brief and share it with others. The association has also created a social media toolkit with shareable graphics that highlight key research from the study. Members can access the issue brief and social media toolkit on the NABH Education and Research Foundation’s Resources page.

Manatt will host a webinar about the issue brief’s findings on Wednesday, March 1 at noon ET. Click here to learn more and register for the free webinar.

The NABH Education & Research Foundation fields independent studies and partners with other
organizations to identify and develop best practices and improve NABH members’ ability to support the country’s behavioral health needs.