Mental Health

On May 10, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) issued an Informational Bulletin encouraging states to leverage available opportunities in Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) to improve access to mental health and substance use disorder services for eligible individuals experiencing homelessness. Topics covered include: Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinic Demonstration ; Section 1115 Demonstrations for Improving Community Reentry Following Incarceration ; Addressing Health-Related Social Needs ; Section 1115 Demonstrations Focusing on Improving Treatment for Substance Use ; Additional Resources

The U.S. Department of Labor’s (DOL) Employee Benefits Security Administration (EBSA) has recently released resources to guide individuals in understanding mental health benefits and their rights. One such publication, "Understanding Your Mental Health and Substance Use Disorder Benefits," provides information on accessing mental health services covered by job-based health plans. Additionally, for parents, family members, or other caregivers for someone in need of or using mental health or substance use disorder benefits, "Understanding Parity: A Guide to Resources for Families and Caregivers," provides information and tools necessary to secure behavioral health services for their loved ones.

National Consumer Voice and the National Ombudsman Resource Center (NORC) have released materials from their recent webinar titled "Resources for Supporting Nursing Facility Residents with Mental and/or Behavioral Health Needs." The webinar addressed the growing population of people with mental and/or behavioral health needs living in long-term care facilities and discussed the challenges these facilities encounter in delivering personalized care. Specifically, the discussion centered on the Center of Excellence for Behavioral Health in Nursing Facilities (COE-NF), a new free resource established by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) and the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) in September 2022

The U.S. Department of Labor's Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP) recently released a new training video titled "Mental Health and the Federal Workplace: What Can I Do?" This video offers insights into how federal employees, regardless of their positions, can contribute to cultivating a mental health-friendly workplace for themselves and their peers. The video, developed in partnership with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and the Office of Personnel Management, along with the U.S. Department of Education and Access Board, serves as a valuable resource for agencies aiming to promote awareness and foster discussions about workplace well-being.

The Employer Assistance and Resource Network on Disability Inclusion (EARN) has released a toolkit highlighting the significance of promoting mental health equity in the workplace, particularly for underserved communities. The organization's recently updated Mental Health Toolkit offers a structured approach, centered around the "4 A's" framework—awareness, accommodations, assistance, and access—to help employers create a mental health-supportive workplace culture. The toolkit addresses challenges arising from the COVID-19 pandemic and emphasizes strategies for acknowledging and addressing systemic issues, providing summaries of research, case studies, and accessible resources for initiating workplace mental health initiatives.

ACL has released a new brief, Leveraging Innovation, Collaboration, and Data with Assistive Technology to Reduce Social Isolation and Loneliness: Success Story from Illinois. This brief highlights a model and innovative partnership at both the federal and state levels that successfully purchased and distributed technology devices to older adults and people with disabilities served by local agencies in order to reduce social isolation and loneliness.

NCOA has published a resource to help older adults navigate mental health information online. The resource discusses important details to pay attention to when reviewing digital content, including the source, author, and date of publication. The resource also explores how individuals can identify misinformation on the internet.

NCOA has published a resource to help older adults navigate mental health information online. The resource discusses important considerations to pay attention to when reviewing digital content, including the source, author, and date of publication, as well explains how to identitfy misinformation.

This blog post by Keri Lipperini, ACL's Director of the Office of Nutrition and Health Promotion Programs, discusses how social isolation during COVID-19 has affected the health and wellbeing of older adults. The post also highlights ACL programs that are targeting this issue, including PEARLS, Healthy IDEAS, and BRITE, which are three evidence-based programs that aim to reduce the risk of suicide by tackling depression and substance abuse among older adults.

ACL is announcing two new grants to University Centers for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities Education, Research, and Service (UCEDDs) including Community-Based Transitions Planning and Implementation Grants and a National Training Initiative to Support People with IDD Experiencing Co-Occurring Mental/Behavioral Health Issues.