Blogs

Minding the Nation's Health

All about behavioral health and healthcare reform.
by David Shern, Ph.D.
David Shern, Ph.D., founded the National Center for the Study of Issues in Public Mental Health. He currently heads Mental Health America. See full bio

Minding the Nation's Health

February 5, 2010

What's Next for Parity-Part I

Although the federal mental health parity law became fully effective January 1, work remains to ensure the law works as Congress and advocates intended.

At the end of last month, the three federal departments charged with implementing the law issued interim regulations. Read More

December 10, 2009

Medical Homes: Making Room for Mental Health

Our health care system is plagued by a lack of coordination. Fragmentation is particularly acute in the mental health system, affecting both cost and quality.

A large percentage of individuals with mental health conditions rely on primary care for treatment, making it important these settings adequately address these problems. Read More

October 29, 2009

A Recovery for Americans’ Mental Health

As Congress and the administration consider a new stimulus, they need to repair the recession's damage to Americans' mental health.

We are seeing what we've known for decades: job losses and economic uncertainty increase the rate of psychiatric symptoms, the rate for suicide and the demand for mental health services.

Calls this year to suicide crisis lines have increased sharply Read More

September 28, 2009

Prevention and Health Reform

While the value of prevention has won a seat at the table in the ongoing debate over health reform, the method of "scoring" potential savings has elbowed out a broader discussion of the advances made in identifying cost-effective interventions that lower the incidence of disease and produce healthier lives. Read More

Subscribe to Minding the Nation's Health

Current Issue

Heartbreak and Home Runs: The Power of First Experiences

How early life experiences shape our character.