National Council for Behavioral Health

Dr. Joe Parks

Vice President of Practice Improvement and Co-Chair of the Medical Director Institute

There is no avoiding the concern over the outbreak of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), or the extent to which it could impact the physical health of our communities, families and ourselves. As the disease spreads and confusion over this public health crisis grows, we must acknowledge that it also can have implications on our behavioral […]

Read More on Navigating the Behavioral Health Impacts of the Coronavirus  View Comments of Navigating the Behavioral Health Impacts of the Coronavirus

William Glanz

Senior Writer

Seven years ago, the Northwestern Mental Health Center saw an opportunity to diversify services in the eight-county area of rural Minnesota that it serves. Today, their goal to be more things to more people has succeeded – for clients, the community and the clinic. “We kept hearing these cries from other partners – like our […]

Read More on Minnesota Mental Health Clinic Diversifies … and Thrives  View Comments of Minnesota Mental Health Clinic Diversifies … and Thrives

Jody Levison-Johnson and Jeremy C. Kohomban, Ph.D.

President and CEO of The Council on Accreditation, and President and CEO of The Children’s Village (respectively)

Since 2004, human service organizations have served thousands of unaccompanied immigrant children. With their support, the majority of these children were safely reunited with family or a sponsor in the U.S. However, recent media stories raise questions about the treatment and mental health needs of these children, who often suffer from fear, anxiety and depression. […]

Read More on Meeting Unaccompanied Minors Where They Are  View Comments of Meeting Unaccompanied Minors Where They Are

Nicholas Addison Thomas

Director of Content Marketing, National Council for Behavioral Health

Left unaddressed, the impacts of trauma can be far-reaching. That’s especially true for children who experience trauma at a young age. According to the National Child Traumatic Stress Network, trauma can contribute to behavioral health and chronic physical health conditions, as well as poor verbal skills and learning disabilities, in children. But recovery is possible […]

Read More on Minimizing Trauma and Maximizing Treatment for Migrant Children  View Comments of Minimizing Trauma and Maximizing Treatment for Migrant Children

Nicholas Addison Thomas

Director of Content Marketing, National Council for Behavioral Health

The demand for behavioral health care knows no boundaries. Every day, we are connecting vulnerable populations – like migrant families and their children – to the care they deserve. With this in mind, we’ve put together a collection of external resources to help you maximize your impact in your community. Click on the links below […]

Read More on A Collection of Resources for Community Impact  View Comments of A Collection of Resources for Community Impact

Nicholas Addison Thomas

Director of Content Marketing, National Council for Behavioral Health

In this membership spotlight, we talk with Tami Lewis-Ahrendt, executive vice president and COO of CenterPointe, about what it takes to run a treatment, rehabilitation and housing provider for homeless and low-income individuals in Lincoln, Nebraska. Tell us about your organization. What role does CenterPointe play in the community? “Our mission is to ‘help the […]

Read More on Membership Spotlight on Tami Lewis-Ahrendt: Tension, Transformation and Taking a Vacation  View Comments of Membership Spotlight on Tami Lewis-Ahrendt: Tension, Transformation and Taking a Vacation

Rachel Huggins

Communications Manager, National Council for Behavioral Health

All young people deserve to grow into healthy, resilient adults. Yet the mental health and well-being of young people in the U.S. is in an alarming state. Depression diagnoses among adolescents increased 63 percent between 2013 and 2016. Suicide attempts are four times more likely among LGBTQ youth and deaths by suicide are roughly two […]

Read More on Cultivating Connections to Help Communities Thrive: Shining A Spotlight on Youth Mental Health Champions  View Comments of Cultivating Connections to Help Communities Thrive: Shining A Spotlight on Youth Mental Health Champions

Cory Gunkel

Social Media Manager, National Council for Behavioral Health

About 20 veterans a day die by suicide, and fewer than 50 percent of our returning service members who need mental health care receive it. The statistics are as startling as they are revealing. As veterans return and transition back into civilian life, they too often suffer in silence or reach out for help in […]

Read More on CCBHCs: Serving Those Who Serve Us  View Comments of CCBHCs: Serving Those Who Serve Us

Pahoua K. Yang

Vice President, Community Mental Health and Wellness, Amherst H. Wilder Foundation

When Cha* was brought to us at the Wilder Foundation, he was out of control and struggling with addiction. He was homeless, had no insurance, no job and no path to recovery. His parents, who were his main support, didn’t speak English.  They didn’t know much about substance use or mental health disorders, but they […]

Read More on Amherst H. Wilder Foundation’s CCBHC Story  View Comments of Amherst H. Wilder Foundation’s CCBHC Story

Sarah Linden, MPH

Project Coordinator, National Council for Behavioral Health

It’s a statistic you’ve probably seen before – people with serious mental illness die an average of 15 to 30 years younger than those without. This difference represents the largest health disparity in the U.S.; larger than gender, racial or socioeconomic differences. And unlike some of the other gaps that are slowly closing, it isn’t […]

Read More on The Largest Health Disparity Gap in the Nation: What You Can Do to Close It  View Comments of The Largest Health Disparity Gap in the Nation: What You Can Do to Close It