Hazel Health’s Post

UnitedHealthcare Community & State of Iowa has announced a $1.5 million investment in school-based telehealth to expand access to mental health care for K-12 students in Iowa. Read More: https://lnkd.in/dScZSAWR This funding will give Hazel Health, a telehealth provider that focuses on school-based solutions, the resources needed to partner with school systems and build the technological infrastructure required to bring quality mental health services to where students spend most of their day — school and home. “Helping students achieve good mental health is essential for their overall wellbeing and influences their ability to succeed in school and life,” said Dr. Brian J. Masterson, MD, MPH senior behavioral health medical director of UnitedHealth Group, parent company of UnitedHealthcare. “Providing virtual mental health services in schools supports access to care for children who need it, while removing obstacles such as transportation and appointments scheduling difficulties.” #mededgemea #unitedhealthcare #SchoolHealth #telehealth #mentalhealth #StudentWellBeing #HealthcareInnovation #mentalhealthawareness #education #youthmentalhealth #HealthcareAccess #telemedicine #communityhealth #Iowa #HealthEquity

My article in PSQH “Schools have faced many challenges in recent years, but many districts are now starting to prioritize in-school healthcare options. Offering basic physical and mental health services in school is one of the best ways to ensure that students, their families, and staff get the care they need.”

Pressing Issue/ Policy Moment: Preventative and Proactive Mental Health Services ⚕ We think of prevention in healthcare in a very normalized fashion. Doctors direct prevention with healthy habits, routine screenings and physicals. 🔺 Mental Health: School-Based Shift: Integrating Prevention into the School-Based Model- To extend the equity of services access, school-based mental health is a growing infrastructure supported by school district budgets, state departments, and federal funds.  🔺 Access for students/ families is being hubbed through their child’s campus- regardless of and to mitigate financial, transportation, consistency of pediatrician office visits, and otherwise waitlists access to care barriers. ⭕ The policy friction: disconnect currently: 🔻 In moving to school-based mental health systems, preventative screening is often blocked by standard district data privacy agreements, rather requiring parent opt-in consent at a later point/ creating process to gather hundreds or thousands of signatures from individual families once school has already started/ creating access to prevention screening inequity issue 🔻 Parent’s Bill of Rights Policy being enacted by state ex. (TX and NC in comments) - with ultimate goals to give parents the power to “ direct the education and care of their child…To access, review, give permissions to all education and medical records”- move school administrators to being additionally cautious in requesting initial consent for prevention screenings and mental health services instead of standardizing a beginning of year- stakeholder (parents, school administrators, students)  invested process for equitable services, and solutions such as- evidence-based screenings, parent review of questions, parent access to review screening records if prefer, mutually agreed upon pathways to support students with results,  etc. 💡 Will be interesting to see how this is bridged to make sure parents feel empowered in the solution- and prevention can be a more standardized piece of school-based mental health. Would love to know any great examples you are seeing in your home states, districts, local policy, etc. See Mental Health America Prevention Screening and National Alliance on Mental Illness Screening and policy recommendations in the thread #mentalhealthadvocate #mha #nami #schooldistricts #preventivehealthcare #policy #education #educationalleadership #educationpolicy #samhsa

When a child at school needs ongoing support for their behavioral or chronic condition, families typically have to juggle in-person appointments alongside school and work schedules. Without school-based virtual care, children may receive delayed care, unnecessary emergency department visits, avoidable hospitalizations, and missed school and work days. A school-based virtual care program offers children accessible, convenient, and high-quality care for common, non-emergent physical and behavioral health conditions without leaving the school premises. For instance, if a school counselor identifies a child who could benefit from additional mental or behavioral support, they could promptly initiate a consultation with a mental health professional through the school’s virtual care program. Students can receive an initial teletherapy appointment sooner, and connect with their therapist in a vacant room during scheduled sessions. School nurses can also facilitate preventive care and chronic disease management, such as regular virtual check-ins for children with asthma and diabetes. This allows for timely adjustments to their treatment plan and immediate action in case of any concerning symptoms. Family members can seamlessly join these virtual encounters as needed, allowing them to participate in their child’s care, ask questions, and provide relevant information for the diagnosis and treatment plan. Professional interpreters can also be added to help providers engage with children and families with limited English proficiency, enhancing patient-provider rapport, care adherence, and patient outcomes. Most children seen by a virtual care provider can return to class, minimizing disruption to their school day and allowing parents and guardians to remain at work. By leveraging virtual care in schools, children can access comprehensive, accessible, and timely healthcare right where and when they need it. #virtualcare #schoolhealthcare #telebehavioralhealth #teletherapy #studenthealth #healthequity

We have just submitted our response to the Department for Education's consultation "Improving non-medical help for disabled students in higher education: Government call for evidence". We know that there are improvements that can be made in Disabled Students' Allowances (DSAs), but we believe that DSAs are a funding stream that the Government should be proud of - an unparalleled support ecosystem which draws on a range of qualified professionals to deliver person-centred support. At UMHAN we understand the value of good NMH support, and believe that the fact of a student having Specialist Mental Health Mentoring (SMHM) support in place lowers risk and increases attainment and retention. This is not by providing what DfE understands is “therapeutic” input, or by going outside of the boundaries of the role, but by offering person-centred, holistic mentoring support. Indeed, The Health Foundation notes that person-centred care can not only improve the individual’s experience, quality of care and outcomes but is also an effective, efficient and economic use of resources because it builds on the needs of people rather than the “convenience of providers” (The Health Foundation, 2016). Mental Health Mentoring is now also a recognised form of support funded through Access to Work, where it is described as one of a number of steps that may help people remain in or return to work. We know that well-trained and experienced SMHM help to contain and manage risk in a way that often prevents students having to reach out for additional support from either their HEP or NHS services, both of which are becoming more overstretched. Without this very specialist support being in place, we believe that the workload for HEP staff in Disability and Mental Health/Wellbeing services would increase, and that the likelihood of serious self harm and suicides would also increase. You can read our full reponse here: https://lnkd.in/etBiGsGC #StudentMentalHealth #DSA #DisabledStudents #NMH #Mentoring #PersonCentred

In my work in the pediatric ER, I've seen firsthand how essential it is to address the rising mental health needs of students. Nearly 70% of public schools report increased demand for mental health services since 2020. Medicaid, covering over 41 million children, could provide sustainable funding for comprehensive school-based mental health programs. These programs can offer direct services like counseling, preventive programming, staff training, family engagement, and collaborations with community providers. While Medicaid pays about $4 billion annually for school-based services, the reimbursement process is often burdensome, especially for smaller districts. Recent legislation aims to streamline these processes, increasing access and reducing administrative hurdles. However, challenges like administrative burden, complex billing, and consent issues remain. To improve school-based mental health services, states and districts can provide targeted funding, foster collaboration, and make program impact data public. By effectively leveraging Medicaid, we can ensure students get the mental health support they need. #healthcare #children #mentalhealth #schools #hospitals

🚨 Higher Incidence of Burnout in Women The numbers don't lie: women, especially those in caregiving roles and high-stress professions, are experiencing burnout at unprecedented levels. The COVID-19 pandemic has only fanned the flames, adding to the already heavy load of balancing work, family, and personal well-being. The impact isn't just emotional—it's physical too. Chronic stress and burnout are strongly linked to increased cardiovascular disease (CVD) in women. Elevated heart rates and blood pressure levels raise the risk of serious heart problems. But there's hope. At Loyola University Chicago Stritch School of Medicine (SSOM), we've piloted a program for medical students that’s making a difference. By focusing on emotional preparedness, we're reducing burnout and improving overall well-being. Are you a Medical School Administrator looking to deliver evidence-backed support, reduce student burnout, and improve student well-being? Grab a complimentary copy of our guide, "How Loyola University Reduced Medical Student Burnout," by following the link in the comments below. Sources: - Centers for Disease Control and Prevention - https://lnkd.in/gR-Tfve - World Economic Forum - https://lnkd.in/gXfxuzk - BMJ Journal - https://lnkd.in/gsZeYyyd - Springer Nature - https://lnkd.in/g2PjtjaM

As we think of the role CCA plays in advancing caregivers, this month we are reflecting on the particular role we play in moving forward the Alzheimer’s goals of the state. CCA’s Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Dementia programming is positioned to help move California forward, as we have intentionally used recommendations from the Governor’s Task Force on Alzheimer’s Prevention and Preparedness as a blueprint. By leveraging our partnerships with universities like UCSF School of Nursing (and Jarmin C. Yeh) to show connections between our programs and quality of care and workforce retention, CCA’s goals advance research around the impact of quality caregiver training programs. With a curriculum taught in eight languages, IHSS caregivers build skills to deliver culturally competent care to consumers. By increasing knowledge gain and self-confidence, CCA is building the framework for career advancement within home care, while advancing racial equity for the workforce.     #AlzheimersAwarenessMonth #ENDALZ #NationalAlzheimersMonth