Recruiting behavioral health professionals can be challenging. If you’re looking for some fresh ideas, background information, or other resources to help you, check out the 3RNET Behavioral Health Resources for Employers. You’ll find a long list of links to web tools and sites on recruitment and retention, rural workforce, demographics, workforce development, licensing and credentialing, and more.

There is some very good news in the fight against drug overdose deaths. According to the CDC, drug overdose deaths dropped 10% from April 2023 to April 2024, the first such decline in a decade. Previous years have seen either small drops or, more commonly, double-digit percentage increases. The total number of deaths last year was 112,470. That number has since dropped to 101,168. While the cause for the drop in deaths is still a mystery, some researchers have attributed the decrease to better drug treatment and overdose prevention. “Expansion of naloxone and medications for opioid use disorder — these strategies worked,” said Dr. Nora Volkow, head of the National Institute on Drug Abuse.

HRSA announced $240 million in awards to launch and expand mental health and substance use disorder (SUD) services in more than 400 community health centers across the country that care for more than 10 million people. These grants will support expanding access to needed care to help tackle the nation’s mental health and opioid crises — two pillars of the Biden-Harris Administration’s Unity Agenda for the nation. Read the press release on HHS’ website. Congratulations to the 13 FQHCs in Pennsylvania that received an award: Broad Top Area Medical Center, Centerville Clinics, City of Philadelphia, Community Health and Dental Care, Cornerstone Care, Greater Philadelphia Health Action, Keystone Rural Health Center, Keystone Rural Health Consortia, Laurel Health Centers, North Side Christian Health Center, Squirrel Hill Health Center, Sto-Rox Neighborhood Health Council, and Union Community Care. See a list of all awardees on HRSA’s website. HRSA published videos of two incredible patients, including Aaryn Hunt from North Side Christian Health Center, sharing their personal behavioral health stories on their Health Center Stories website.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved FluMist for self- or caregiver-administration. FluMist is approved for the prevention of influenza disease caused by influenza virus subtypes A and B in individuals 2 through 49 years of age. FluMist is sprayed into the nose and has been used safely and effectively for many years. It was initially approved by the FDA in 2003 for use in individuals 5 through 49 years of age, and in 2007 the FDA approved the use of FluMist to include children 2 through 5 years of age. It is the first vaccine to prevent influenza, more commonly known as the flu, that does not need to be administered by a health care provider. More information is available.

CMS recently finalized the rule, Medicaid Program: Misclassification of Drugs, Program Administration and Program Integrity Updates Under the Medicaid Drug Rebate Program. Find a corresponding fact sheet here. In the rule, CMS finalizes their proposals to: 1) address misclassification of drugs by manufacturers, 2) limit the time period for manufacturers to initiate disputes concerning utilization data to 12 quarters, 3) require that managed care contracts include new information on spread pricing, and 4) require that ingredient cost reimbursement and professional dispensing fee reimbursement be based on cost data and not market-based research. Notably, CMS did not finalize their proposal to create a Medicaid drug price verification survey.

More than 75% of Medicaid beneficiaries receive their health care services from Medicaid managed care plans. Therefore, it is important to ensure that pharmacy benefits in these plans are operated efficiently and provide quality services to Medicaid beneficiaries. As part of the Final Rule, CMS requires that states, via their managed care contracts, instruct Medicaid managed care plans to assign and exclusively use a Medicaid-specific Bank Identification Number/Processor Control Number (BIN/PCN) combination and group number on Medicaid managed care beneficiaries’ cards, to help ensure the appropriate scope of benefits are delivered and help avoid duplicate discounts under the 340B Drug Discount Program. Learn more.

House and Senate Democrats are pressing leadership to quickly pass legislation extending Obama Care’s enhanced subsidies before they expire at the end of 2025. Read more.

A bipartisan group of six Representatives began circulating for signatures a letter to HHS urging the agency to stop J&J’s rebate model. To date, they have more than 130 bipartisan co-signers. Contact your member of the U.S. House of Representatives and ask them to sign on to the letter. PACHC has already reached out to each Representative’s office.

The U.S. House Energy & Commerce Committee unanimously advanced H.R. 7623, the bipartisan Telehealth Modernization Act. This NACHC-endorsed bill includes a two-year extension of existing Medicare telehealth coverage flexibilities and fixes the gap in payment between in-person and telehealth medical visits. Congress hears your advocacy as they continue to work toward passing legislation later this year that maintains access to telehealth services.

Leadership from the Pennsylvania Departments of Human Services (DHS), Health (DOH), and the Pennsylvania Insurance Department (PID) joined Black Maternal Health Caucus Members Rep. Morgan Cephas and Rep. Gina Curry for a roundtable discussion centered on improving maternal health outcomes in Pennsylvania. During the roundtable, the Shapiro Administration officials met with maternal health advocates and community members at North 10 Philadelphia to collect feedback and develop strategies for Pennsylvania’s maternal health. The strategic plan will address health disparities, the high rates of maternal mortality – especially among black women – and help pregnant women in Pennsylvania get the prenatal and postpartum care they need to live healthy lives for both them and their children. The maternal health strategic plan will include priorities centering on equity and diversity, with a focus on increasing access to high-quality care, expanding and diversifying the maternal health care workforce, and addressing behavioral health and substance use disorder services and supports. The Shapiro Administration will launch an online survey and host additional community events throughout Pennsylvania this fall to help gather input from Pennsylvanians with lived experience in maternal health. The survey and events will help the departments inform and expand the planned strategies to improve maternal health outcomes across the state. Learn more.