Path Forward for Mental Health & Substance Use

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Path Forward for Mental Health & Substance Use

Giving mental healthcare the brightest possible future.

02/04/2026

Medicare telehealth flexibilities just got a two-year extension.

Read more 👉️ https://www.forbes.com/sites/brucejapsen/2026/02/03/congress-extends-medicare-telehealth-coverage-for-two-years/

01/21/2026

Medicare’s expanded telehealth coverage flexibilities are set to expire on January 30, 2026. Telehealth is a proven lifeline for access to mental health and substance use care — especially in rural and underserved communities.

Together with our partners, the American Psychiatric Association, Meadows Mental Health Policy Institute, National Alliance of Healthcare Purchaser Coalitions, National Council for Mental Wellbeing, NAMI, Healthy Minds Policy Initiative, and Shatterproof, Path Forward calls on Congress to extend and make permanent Medicare telehealth benefits.

📄 Read the full consensus statement at the link below in the comments.

🔁 Repost to help amplify this call to protect access to care.

12/30/2025

2025 was a year of measurable progress for mental health care.

From new national data on employer accountability, to the first-ever heat map of Collaborative Care adoption, to Medicaid payment wins in two more states, Path Forward and its partners helped turn evidence into action.

There’s more work ahead, but the path forward is clearer than ever.

🔗 Read the full year-end review: https://pathforwardcoalition.org/article/a-year-of-measurable-progress-and-a-clear-path-ahead/

12/09/2025

Real-world proof that Collaborative Care works.

Baptist Health in Jacksonville took behavioral-health wait times from 14 months to just 14 days—not by adding more psychiatrists, but by redesigning how care is delivered.

Their approach reflects the heart of the Collaborative Care Model (CoCM):

🔸 Team-based care: primary care providers, a behavioral health care manager, and a psychiatric consultant working together.

🔸 Standardized screening and triage, so people get the right level of care at the right time.

🔸 Treating mild-to-moderate conditions in primary care, freeing specialists to focus on higher-acuity needs.

🔸 Clear, streamlined care pathways that reduce friction and meet patients where they already are.

The result? Faster access. Better follow-up. Higher patient satisfaction. And a more sustainable workload for clinicians.

This is Collaborative Care in action: a practical, scalable solution that helps people get care when they need it—not a year later.

As demand for mental health care continues to climb, models like CoCM show what’s possible when systems invest in integration, smart triage, and coordinated teams.

A path forward worth celebrating and expanding.

🔗 Read the article: https://www.beckersbehavioralhealth.com/behavioral-health/how-baptist-health-cut-behavioral-health-wait-times-from-14-months-to-14-days/

12/03/2025

CCBHCs are one of the most promising tools we have for expanding access to mental health and substance-use care — and Path Forward partner National Council for Mental Wellbeing is at the center of that momentum.

Across the country, CCBHCs are offering comprehensive services, rapid access, and strong crisis response. National Council’s leadership in technical assistance, workforce support, and policy advocacy continues to help states and clinics adopt, scale, and sustain this model.

🔗 Resource: National Council’s CCBHC Success Center — an overview of the model, tools, and state activity:
https://www.thenationalcouncil.org/program/ccbhc-success-center/ccbhc-overview/

The takeaway: When policymakers, health systems, advocates, and clinics align around integrated care, communities benefit.

11/05/2025

Today is Stress Awareness Day. A reminder to pause, breathe, and notice how you're really doing.

Stress is part of being human. But when it goes unchecked, it can affect everything...our work, our relationships, our physical health, our mental health.

Awareness is the first step toward change. When you acknowledge your stress, you take a small but powerful step toward better mental health.

Take a moment today to check in with yourself and your community:

🧡 What do you need right now?
🧡 Who might need your support?
🧡 What would make today feel just a little lighter?

By making space for emotional awareness, you help create a culture where mental health is just as important as physical health.

10/14/2025

Most employers offer mental health benefits—but few know if they’re working.

Fierce Healthcare spotlights Path Forward’s Anna Bobb and findings from our new national employer survey conducted by the Employee Benefit Research Institute.

🔗 Read it at --> https://www.fiercehealthcare.com/payers/employers-can-do-more-track-efficacy-mental-health-benefits-study-says

hashtag hashtag hashtag hashtag

09/26/2025

One of the most alarming findings from the Employee Mental Health Survey:

💡 62% of respondents with a mental health condition visited the ER in just six months.

They were:

👉️ 50% more likely than others to need emergency care

👉️ 2x as likely to visit the ER three times

👉️ 4x as likely to go four or more times

These visits are costly—financially and personally—and many could be avoided with timely, integrated mental health care.

Read the executive summary: https://www.ebri.org/docs/default-source/executive-summaries/ebri_es_mentalhealthee.pdf?sfvrsn=bc76052f_1&inf_contact_key=2de5982dcb78a4805b7b8939d8b79540

08/15/2025

As of 2023, there are over 430 CSC programs nationwide in every state—up from just 59 in 2014—thanks to federal Mental Health Block Grant support and Medicaid state plan amendments.

But access remains spotty: even with 215 programs by 2021, most young people experiencing first-episode psychosis still lack local CSC access.

Scaling CSC requires:

👉🏻 Team-based funding mechanisms (e.g., braided block grants, Medicaid waivers).

👉🏻 State-level policy and investment—like Illinois using $225K for program startup per site.

Tag a policymaker or funder who cares about youth mental health—and let’s ensure everyone has access to coordinated, recovery-focused care.

Learn more: https://www.nami.org/advocacy/policy-priorities/improving-health/coverage-of-coordinated-specialty-care-csc-for-early-or-first-episode-psychosis/

08/14/2025

Evidence-based models like Collaborative Care and CCBHCs deliver results, but need real investment to scale.

Philanthropy, public payers, and private plans all play a role in transforming access.

What funding strategies are helping scale mental health access in your community? Let’s share what works.

Learn more: https://bipartisanpolicy.org/report/the-future-of-behavioral-health-care/

08/13/2025

From school partnerships to early intervention and crisis response, CCBHCs are designed to support kids, teens, and families.

They offer care that’s accessible, family-centered, and built to respond to the unique challenges young people face today.

Learn how CCBHCs support youth:
https://www.thenationalcouncil.org/program/ccbhc-success-center/

08/08/2025

Coordinated care costs a bit more up front—but it pays off quickly. A U.S. study found inpatient and ER costs dropped significantly in CSC participants, with ~$3,000 net savings per person in the first year . International reviews show CSC is cost-effective 14 out of 15 times.

Source: SAMHSA - https://library.samhsa.gov/sites/default/files/pep23-01-00-003.pdf?utm

For funders/providers: how have you measured ROI on CSC? Share what’s worked.

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https://pathforwardcoalition.org/

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