Substance Use Disorder

Nurse Practitioners Continue Long Wait for Independence as Nursing Board Deliberates

Heather Stringer

Gaps in care persist as regulators set the terms of AB 890 implementation that will govern California nurse practitioners' transition to practice.

How CHCF Helped California Respond to the Opioid Epidemic

Behavioral Health, Medi-Cal

A complex body of work funded by CHCF is the subject of a new article in a peer-reviewed journal of philanthropy.

Early Data Show Overdose Deaths and Substance Use Rose During Pandemic

Heather Tirado Gilligan

Behavioral Health

Stories That Caught Our Attention: Recent data on overdose deaths and substance use paint a grim picture of what the COVID-19 pandemic year has been like for people who are predisposed to substance use.

Coping with COVID-19: How Young People Use Digital Media to Manage Their Mental Health

Behavioral Health

As the COVID-19 pandemic has worn on, teens and young adults report growing levels of depression, stress, and anxiety. CHCF partnered with Common Sense and Hopelab to better understand how young people have used social media and digital health tools to take care of their mental health during the pandemic.

New Laws Strengthen California’s Response to Mental Health Crises

October 5, 2020

Xenia Shih Bion

Behavioral Health, Medi-Cal

Stories That Caught Our Attention: Governor Gavin Newsom has signed into law four bills intended to improve Californians’ access to mental health and substance use disorder services.

Equal Treatment: A Review of Mental Health Parity Enforcement in California

Behavioral Health

Researchers at Georgetown University's Center on Health Insurance Reforms assessed California's progress in enforcing the 2008 federal parity law.

Clinicians Call for Making COVID-19 Emergency Telehealth Benefits Permanent

August 21, 2020

Elizabeth Morrison, Elizabeth Horevitz

Behavioral Health, Telehealth

Telehealth has shown itself to be a critical tool for increasing access to vital behavioral health services and reducing health inequity.

How Medi-Cal Expanded Substance Use Treatment and Access to Care

Allison Valentine, Patricia Violett, Molly Brassil

Behavioral Health, Medi-Cal

Five years after the pilot program was implemented, 96% of Californians insured through Medi-Cal live in a county with a program. More people who need substance use disorder treatment are accessing it, and patient surveys of treatment are very positive.

CHCF’s Response to the COVID-19 Behavioral Health Crisis in California

Catherine Teare, Katherine Haynes

Behavioral Health, Medi-Cal, Telehealth

CHCF remains dedicated to partnering with mental health and substance use disorder providers and leaders to advance behavioral health care in the face of the pandemic.

CIBHS Webinar Series for Behavioral Health Providers

Behavioral Health, Telehealth

The California Institute for Behavioral Health Solutions hosted webinar series for behavioral health providers. Their 11-week series from April through July 2020 focused on telehealth. A five-week series from August through September 2020 discussed strategies for eliminating inequities in behavioral health care.

Gilbert Shifts Gears As He Leads Medi-Cal Through COVID-19 Pandemic

Behavioral Health, Medi-Cal, Payment & Financing, Workforce

It’s a huge job, and Bradley Gilbert brings a career’s worth of experience to it.

New University of California Program Will Double Pipeline of Specialized Mental Health Providers in Response to Growing Crisis

January 29, 2020

Workforce, Behavioral Health

With California facing an urgent and growing shortage of mental health professionals, three schools of nursing within the University of California system (UCSF, UC Davis, and UCLA) are announcing the launch today of a new online certificate program that will prepare 300 psychiatric mental health nurse practitioners by 2025.

Health Affairs’ Rural Health Issue Has Special Relevance to California

December 9, 2019

Xenia Shih Bion

Behavioral Health, Maternal Health, Workforce

Stories That Caught Our Attention: Millions of Americans in rural areas face significant barriers to care and in almost every state are burdened with higher mortality rates than people in urban areas.

Mass Media Explore Behavioral Health Issues — to Great Effect

November 11, 2019

Xenia Shih Bion

Behavioral Health

Stories That Caught Our Attention: Popular cultural platforms are adapting messages to address current social issues like behavioral health and addiction.

Can Behavioral Health Entrepreneurs Finally Break Through?

September 20, 2019

Investing in Innovation, Behavioral Health

In 2018, health tech start-ups raised nearly $400 million in funding for technology investments related to behavioral health. In what areas are innovators making genuine progress?