California bill would address unfair denials of youth mental health treatment / Public News Service

Children’s advocates are pressuring California lawmakers to pass a bill that would increase oversight of health plans when they deny mental health services to children. Currently, parents must request a review from their health insurance plan when a child’s mental health condition is not covered by their insurance – and if service is still denied, they can request to the State an independent medical examination.

Lishaun Francis, senior director of behavioral health at the nonprofit Children Now, the bill’s sponsor, said it’s a critical issue.

“This bill states that if plans deny care from a youth mental health service, they must automatically review that refusal, rather than a parent calling and asking them to take a second look. If it is an emergency service, this examination is transmitted to the state automatically,” she explained.

The California Association of Health Plans opposes the bill, arguing that additional testing could delay care and generate more unnecessary costs in the health care system. Case histories posted on the state Department of Managed Health Care website suggest that the types of services most commonly denied by health plans include residential mental health treatment and medication or surgery for gender dysmorphia.

Francis said when parents escalate their fight to an independent medical examination, they often win.

“Nearly 70% of all claims that come into the state are overturned through the independent medical review process, which tells us that a lot of this is something health plans should actually cover,” she declared.

Senate Bill 294 would also require the state to make public the number of independent medical review requests it receives each year and how they were resolved. The bill has already passed the state Senate and is now before the Assembly Health Committee.

receive more stories like this by email

Nationwide, 70% of parents say they are now more concerned about their child’s mental health than their physical health, according to a new survey by CVS Health-Morning Consult.

Nearly half of families say social media impacts their children’s development, from body image to self-perception.

CVS Health Associate Vice President and Deputy Psychiatric Director Dr. Deborah Fernandez-Turner said young people face many challenges that lead to increased rates of depression, anxiety and suicidal thoughts.

She said there are resources available to help adults and children, including online depression screening tests.

“If someone is struggling and needs support, one of the best things you can do is work with your primary care physician,” Fernandez-Turner said, “or remember to work with your program employee assistance, it’s really a great way to get support.”

Social media is a major contributor to the country’s mental health crisis.

According to the survey, more than a third of adults have started turning off notifications from social media apps and are trying to spend less time on social media.

At the same time, one in three adults say being online has given them a better understanding of mental health issues.

Joe Bargione – licensed psychologist, certified school psychologist and executive committee member of the Bounce Coalition of Kentucky, which provides statewide training on childhood trauma and adverse experiences and mental health – has said they recently partnered with the CVS Health Foundation through a grant to increase the reach of its work.

He said he thinks it’s critical that schools and community groups have the services children need, like therapy or counseling.

“Data tells us that approximately 20 percent of children have a diagnosable mental health condition in the state of Kentucky.”

The survey also reveals that 65% of adults are worried about their mental health or that of a friend or family member, an increase of more than 20% compared to 2020.

Pew research finds that more than half or more Americans say they are extremely or very comfortable talking about their mental health with a close friend, immediate family member, or mental health therapist.

receive more stories like this by email

Social services leaders say Minnesota faces a mental health crisis, complicating efforts to manage behavioral health facilities.

Plans to close some sites have been averted, but staff want overall improvements to the care system.

The Department of Human Services recently announced plans to close two drug treatment centers and repurpose one of them to serve more patients with serious mental health needs.

New funding will keep one building open, but the other will still be repurposed for patients there by court order.

Lynn Butcher, who works for one of the DHS programs as the quality manager for forensic mental health services in St. Peter, said she believes there are solutions that are not highlighted.

“What’s happening right now is people aren’t getting early intervention,” Butcher said, “they’re not getting the support they need and they’re ending up in our prison system.”

She said patient needs are putting increased pressure on the system as a whole, creating such debates in facilities, as well as concerns about safety and quality of care for staff.

Butcher said strengthening early intervention programs, such as school counseling, could help.

DHS officials say they understand these concerns, but must respond to an urgent need with limited options.

Butcher, who is also a member of the Minnesota Professional Employees Association, said she worries about worsening turnover if some workers are removed from their current positions.

“People get into this work because it’s the work they want to do,” Butcher said. “And it’s one thing to provide drug treatment to people who need it – it’s another, you know, to work with dangerous, mentally ill people.”

The department describes the current approach as a short-term solution to a long-term problem, noting that lawmakers are asking the agency to explore how it can strengthen substance abuse care in the future.

A report is expected by mid-January next year.

receive more stories like this by email

In Tennessee and across the country, Black women who serve as school superintendents are addressing the challenges faced by students from marginalized communities, particularly their social and emotional well-being.

The most recent data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reveals that more than four in ten college students reported feeling “constantly depressed or hopeless.”

Adrienne Battle, principal and superintendent of Metro Nashville Public Schools, will participate in a virtual event today on this topic. At the “Superintendents of Color Leading with Excellence” event, she will discuss ways to meet the social, emotional and academic needs of students through initiatives such as their “navigators” program, connecting students to resources and complete services.

“We assign every student in our district to a navigator and/or really a caring adult who contacts them frequently,” Battle explained. “To make sure they have an advocate and they have someone to talk to when needed.”

Battle added that the district has also invested heavily in mental health and social-emotional learning support by increasing the number of psychologists, social workers and other specialists in schools.

Battle noted that she grew up in the metro Nashville area school system and credited her decision to become an educator to the inspiring women who nurtured her as a student. She noted that fewer women of color are serving in superintendent positions.

“As teachers, we know that over 70 percent of teachers are women,” Battle noted. “We know that there is a lower percentage of teachers who are Black women. We know that national data indicates that less than 30% of superintendents are women, and even fewer Black superintendents.”

During the virtual event, Battle will also share information about advocacy centers established in elementary schools and peace centers in middle and high schools. The centers focus on de-escalation techniques and restorative practices to foster a positive school environment.

receive more stories like this by email