HHS releases roadmap in addressing national mental health crisis

HHS has released its “Roadmap for Behavioral Health Integration,” which details policy solutions to help integrate mental health and substance use care into large health care systems.

The 15-page document is based on feedback that HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra received from patients and providers during his national tour to address mental health, which began in March.

“From Wilmington, Delaware, to Seattle, Washington, and cities and towns in between, I have heard directly from Americans and their providers about our nation’s behavioral health care challenges — including the pervasive and persistent disparities in access that exist across the country,” Becerra said in a statement from HHS.

Key points of the roadmap include:

• HHS is committed to providing integrated, equitable, evidence-based, culturally appropriate and person-centered behavioral health care to the populations it serves.
• HHS has evaluated barriers to transforming behavioral health care and has identified policy solutions to overcome these barriers.
• HHS will develop a diverse workforce prepared to practice in integrated settings and investing in infrastructure for integrated care.
• HHS will leverage health financing arrangements, including efforts to fully realize the potential of parity.
• HHS will invest in behavioral health promotions, upstream prevention and recovery.

“In order to ensure equity in access to affordable, high-quality, culturally appropriate care for mental health and substance use, we must fully integrate behavioral health into the larger health care system and other systems,” Becerra said. “This roadmap provides a path for getting there.”

References:

HHS Roadmap for Behavioral Health Integration. https://aspe.hhs.gov/reports/hhs-roadmap-behavioral-health-integration. Published Sept. 16, 2022; Accessed Sept. 16, 2022.