Contact us Menu Search for: Behavioral Health & Substance Use Providers Home / Services / COVID-19 Resources & Support / Behavioral Health & Substance Use Providers Behavioral Health & Substance Use Providers Challenge: Behavioral health (BH) and substance use disorder (SUD) providers are facing numerous complex challenges to continue their work providing care during the COVID-19 pandemic. The preventive solution for stopping the spread of COVID-19 is in direct opposition to many established best practices for delivering effective BH and SUD care, such as meeting with individuals and families face to face, whether in clinics, community settings or in-home services. Further, individuals with significant impairments as a result of their BH and SUD condition sometimes require that they live in community environments such as group homes or residential facilities. Although telehealth options can help in many situations, that is not the case across the board. Individuals with significant conditions must receive care face to face, including the need for psychiatric medications that are administered by injection or access to medication in lockboxes in their home. Further, as with any community emergency, the demand for services from BH and SUD providers increases as unfamiliar, overwhelming fears and anxieties escalate. These feelings impact both those with previous BH and SUD conditions and the general population as a whole. Like many other past national or local community emergencies, our nation is seeing increased demand for BH and SUD supports including increased calls to crisis lines. Past experiences with community emergencies show that, in addition to the real-time response, planning for the aftermath needs to begin immediately (e.g. devastation due to economic impact). BH and SUD Provider Issues – COVID-19 BH and SUD providers must continue everyday operations while simultaneously addressing critical COVID-19 issues, including: BH and SUD healthcare worker health and safety BH and SUD healthcare worker emergency staffing capacities (e.g. increased telephonic and mobile crisis response) Continuing access to psychotropic medications and highly regulated SUD medications and understanding the temporary alternative options allowed by regulators and payers (e.g. prescribing and dispensing for medication-assisted treatment) Accessing available emergency funding Understanding and maximizing the use of changes in reimbursement Sifting through the vast array of new science and policy information and adapting practices and workflows being issued by CMS, SAMHSA, DEA, and state agencies (e.g. use of telehealth including use of telephonic services) Utilizing technologies and virtual care to address multiple issues (e.g. social distancing to stop the spread of the virus while maintaining communications with patients and family members) Implementing internal communication plans including plans for health protections for clients and BH and SUD healthcare workers, and implementing effective escalation procedures Implementing external communication plans with public health officials, payors, social service community providers, first responders and the community at large Coordinating with regional health system response efforts Supply chain needs to address COVID-19, including personal protective equipment (PPE) and soap and hand sanitizer Accessing and posting needed COVID-19 signage Enacting emergency governance/decision-making command centers and modifying existing emergency plans for COVID-19-specific critical issues Planning for the next wave – addressing increased demand for BH and SUD services as the health and economic impact grows Addressing the Critical Unfolding Needs of BH and SUD Providers HMA has been supporting the unique needs of BH and SUD providers for decades. HMA has both policy and clinical practice professionals (MDs, RNs, behavioral health professionals) who understand the needs of the BH and SUD populations, including those with child welfare and justice involvement and those with co-occurring mental and physical disabilities. We are adapting our tools to the current environment in real-time and supporting BH and SUD providers as they navigate through the COVID response. At HMA, we have the contacts and expertise to help you navigate this rapidly changing landscape. Let us help you today. Contact us for help with BH & SUD provider needs Services COVID-19 Resources & Support Behavioral Health & Substance Use Providers Connect to HMA Frequently Asked Questions on BH Workforce in COVID-19 Community Based Organizations and COVID-19 Healthcare Workforce Hospitals & Hospital Associations LTSS Providers & Nursing Homes Public Health and COVID-19 Telehealth Connect to HMA Frequently Asked Questions on BH Workforce in COVID-19 Join Us In Learning Together SUBMIT YOUR QUESTIONS HERE Ready to talk? Want to talk to an expert about COVID‑19 to discuss how we can support your needs? Simply submit the contact form and an HMA consultant will contact you shortly. First Name Last Name Company Name Email Address Phone Number Notes Recent Reports HMA report compares quality outcomes across state Medicaid program delivery models November 22, 2021 A recently completed analysis of the impact of Medicaid managed care on key quality indicators found managed care organizations (MCO) outperformed fee-for-service (FFS) and primary care case… READ MORE VIEW ALL REPORTS Blog Missouri Releases Medicaid Managed Care RFP December 2, 2021 This week our In Focus reviews the Missouri MO HealthNet (MHD) Medicaid Managed Care Program request for proposals (RFP), released on November 19, 2021, by the Department… READ MORE VIEW ALL POSTS Locations Corporate Office 120 North Washington Square Suite 705 Lansing, MI 48933 Telephone: (517) 482-9236 Fax: (517) 482-0920 VIEW LOCATIONS NATIONWIDE ©2021 Health Management Associates. All rights reserved. Career Opportunities | Contact Us | Privacy Policy