红领巾瓜报

Insights

红领巾瓜报 Insights: Your source for healthcare news, ideas and analysis.

红领巾瓜报 Insights 鈥� including our new podcast 鈥� puts the vast depth of 红领巾瓜报鈥檚 expertise at your fingertips, helping you stay informed about the latest healthcare trends and topics. Below, you can easily search based on your topic of interest to find useful information from our podcast, blogs, webinars, case studies, reports and more.

Show All | Podcast | Blogs | Webinars | Weekly Roundup | Videos | Case Studies | Reports | Spotlight

Filter by topic:

Receive timely expert insights on topics you care about.

Select Topics

178 Results found.

Blog

National Collaborative Launched to Strengthen US Behavioral Health Crisis System

Read Blog

National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) and 红领巾瓜报 (红领巾瓜报) launch the National Collaborative for Crisis Systems Innovation 

The United States is facing an escalating behavioral health crisis, with growing demand for mental health and substance use services and persistent gaps in access to timely, appropriate care. In response, the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) and 红领巾瓜报 (红领巾瓜报) have launched the National Collaborative for Crisis Systems Innovation, a new initiative focused on improving how the United States responds to people in mental health crisis. 

This collaborative effort comes at a critical moment for the national crisis response system, as policymakers, providers, and communities work to build on recent investments and make further progress on sustainable, systemwide changes so that people experiencing a mental health crisis receive the care they need and deserve. 

The Crisis Response System Still Needs Improvement 

The launch of the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline in 2022 marked a major milestone, making it easier for individuals to access immediate behavioral health support. Although the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline has driven recent progress, significant challenges remain in the US mental health crisis system, including: 

  • Rising demand for crisis services聽
  • Limited access to community-based behavioral health聽services聽
  • Fragmentation across crisis responses systems聽
  • Overreliance on emergency departments and law enforcement聽

Experts increasingly agree that 988 is only one component of a comprehensive crisis system. Effective systems must also include: 

  • Mobile crisis response teams聽
  • Crisis stabilization facilities聽
  • Ongoing care coordination and follow-up services聽

The National Collaborative represents the next phase of work and will focus on connecting these pieces into a more integrated and sustainable system. 

The National Collaborative Is a New Phase of Crisis System Transformation 

Building on four years of foundational work since the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline launched in 2022, the National Collaborative is designed to strengthen the full continuum of behavioral health crisis care, from initial contact to stabilization and follow-up services. 

Its overarching goal is to ensure that individuals experiencing a mental health crisis receive timely, appropriate care rooted in dignity and support. The National Collaborative will: 

  • Serve as a nationwide聽hub for coordination, learning, and action聽
  • Bring together public and private stakeholders聽across sectors聽
  • Support聽states and communities in building coordinated, person-centered crisis response systems聽
  • Advance innovation and shared solutions to improve outcomes聽

The launch of this collaborative also reflects a broader shift in national focus鈥攆rom expanding access to improving system performance and long-term sustainability. This approach recognizes that meaningful progress will require coordination across healthcare, social services, and community-based organizations. 

Why This Matters 

For state Medicaid agencies, health plans, and providers, the collaborative provides a platform to: 

  • Learn from peers across states and sectors聽
  • Access emerging policy and implementation insights聽
  • Align local strategies with national priorities in crisis care聽

As crisis system transformation accelerates, coordinated efforts like this one will be essential to sustain momentum and improve outcomes. 

In the coming months, NAMI and 红领巾瓜报 will engage key interest-holders and experts to identify and elevate the urgent needs in crisis response and ensure alignment on shared outcomes to improve crisis systems. Public and private organizations interested in improving behavioral health crisis systems are encouraged to engage with the . 

For more information on 红领巾瓜报鈥檚 work in Crisis services, contact鈥�Monica Johnson, Managing Director, 红领巾瓜报. 

Expanding School-Based Behavioral Health Access for Children

Expanding School-Based Behavioral Health Access for Children

Download

Interagency Collaboration, Care Coordination, and Rural Implementation: Pediatric Healthcare Landscape Analysis and Blueprint

THE CLIENT

Glenn County Office of Education (GCOE) is a recipient of a Providing Access and Transforming Health (PATH) grant from California鈥檚 Department of Health Care Services to implement a Capacity and Infrastructure Transition, Expansion, and Development (CITED) initiative. As part of implementation, GCOE applied for technical assistance through the CalAIM TA Marketplace to strengthen Enhanced Care Management (ECM) partnerships that connect school-based and school-linked behavioral health (BH) supports with Medi-Cal and community services. The goal was to improve pediatric behavioral health access, care coordination, and closed-loop referral pathways across school districts, county agencies, and local clinical providers.

As schools increasingly serve as the venue where many children and families first access BH supports, this case study highlights how cross-sector partners can align roles and coordination practices so students experience timely referral and smooth handoffs to community-based and clinical services鈥攅specially in rural and smaller counties. This work is relevant to behavioral health professionals working in schools (school counselors, school psychologists, educational social workers, wellness staff), county and state agencies (behavioral health, public health, child welfare, probation, social services), and clinical settings (licensed providers, FQHCs, managed care) who are strengthening prevention, early intervention, and referral pathways for children, youth, and families ages 0鈥�25.

BACKGROUND

Like many counties, Glenn needed to align multiple agencies and initiatives happening simultaneously. As schools increasingly serve as the primary access point for student mental health, BH prevention, and early intervention, improvement depended on stronger, more reliable connections between education and healthcare鈥攊ncluding clear referral pathways within a multi-tiered system of supports (MTSS) and timely linkage to community-based treatment.

鈥満炝旖砉媳� has been an exceptional technical assistance partner throughout this project. Their team consistently exceeded expectations by accurately assessing our agency鈥檚 baseline needs alongside those of key community partners, facilitating meetings ahead of schedule to maintain momentum, and developing targeted prompts that strengthened both macro- and microsystem design efforts. 

What has stood out most is 红领巾瓜报鈥檚 ability to create structured, collaborative planning processes that increase engagement and accountability across stakeholders. Their facilitation style helped move our organization from early exploration into actionable system design while ensuring partners had the time and support needed to provide meaningful input. We highly recommend 红领巾瓜报 as a trusted and highly effective TA Marketplace vendor.鈥�

Christine Taylor
Educational Administrator
Glenn County, CA

County offices of education can play an important and catalytic role in linking education and healthcare because they are well positioned to convene cross-sector partners serving children, youth, and families. In Glenn County, multiple state-driven changes affecting child and youth BH increased the need for tight interagency collaboration and seamless transitions鈥攕o each partner could act clearly within its lane or locus of control. Improving BH access also required ecosystem-level change management. Partners needed shared governance and practical coordination infrastructure (e.g., decision forums, common workflows, and information-sharing practices) to support closed-loop referrals and smoother movement between school-based supports, clinical care, and community resources. Glenn鈥檚 rural context brought both constraints and advantages: workforce capacity was limited, but long-standing relationships meant partners often knew one another and could be motivated to coordinate.

APPROACH

红领巾瓜报鈥檚 technical assistance focused on building countywide infrastructure for collaboration and care coordination across schools, agencies, and clinical providers. The work centered on three components:

  1. An assessment of ECM readiness to identify the key factors and challenges tied to improving BH access and care coordination across multiple public agencies, schools, and community-based organizations serving county children, youth, and families.聽
  2. Provision of targeted training of direct service providers of ECM such as licensed clinicians, school counselors, educational social workers, Community Health Workers, and Certified Wellness Coaches.
  3. Facilitation of two in-person countywide convenings to advance interagency collaboration across ECM, Community Schools, and the Children and Youth Behavioral Health Initiative (CYBHI), with dedicated work time on referral systems and data sharing for care coordination and transitions.

Partners included county agencies (Education, Behavioral Health, Public Health, Probation, Child Welfare, and Social Services), health care organizations (managed care plans, FQHCs), and community-based organizations supporting children, youth, and families. This cross-sector collaboration supported a whole-child approach by aligning school-based services, youth mental health resources, and referral pathways across education, public systems, and clinical care.

RESULTS 

Convened a countywide ecosystem of agencies and organizations to align around shared goals for children, youth, and family well-being鈥攃reating a common operating picture across school, agency, and clinical settings. 

Established a collective impact model with the County Office of Education serving as backbone, leveraging its convening role to link education and healthcare partners across the county. 

Translated and aligned education and health care initiatives (CYBHI, Community Schools, ECM, and the Behavioral Health Services Act/BHSA) into clear roles, workflows, and decision points鈥攕upporting lane clarity and smoother transitions across agencies and sectors. 

Accelerated design of standardized referral forms, closed-loop protocols, and data/information-sharing agreements鈥攆oundational infrastructure to simplify care coordination and reduce handoff failures for children and youth moving between school, clinic, and community supports. 

Strengthened ecosystem-level change management by identifying governance touchpoints and coordination infrastructure that can be maintained in rural contexts鈥攕upporting ongoing role clarity, continuous improvement, and consistent transitions for children, youth, and families. 

Identified 2鈥�3 near-term projects to 鈥減ractice鈥� new interagency coordination behaviors, paired with governance forums to sustain collaboration and continuous improvement.

Takeaway for practitioners: When schools are a primary access point for prevention and early intervention, sustainable improvement depends on ecosystem-level change management鈥攕hared governance, clarified roles, integrated behavioral health workflows, and coordination infrastructure (including closed-loop referral and interoperable data/information-sharing practices) that helps students and families move seamlessly between school-based supports, specialty BH care, and community youth mental health services.

红领巾瓜报 brings together nationally recognized expertise in pediatric behavioral health, hospital-based mental health integration, and public-sector policy and operations. Our clients serve rural and frontier communities, including state and local governments, health systems, federally qualified health centers, tribal organizations, providers of every specialty, and community-based groups

Contact our experts to learn more about how 红领巾瓜报 can help your organization.

The Pediatric Behavioral Health Service Continuum in New Orleans

The Pediatric Behavioral Health Service Continuum in New Orleans

Download

Landscape Assessment and Gap Analysis of School-Based Primary Care and Behavioral Health for Medicaid-Eligible Youth Pediatric Healthcare Landscape Analysis and Blueprint

THE CLIENT

The client team is a coalition including a group of local and national funders seeking city-level solutions to address gaps in youth behavioral health services, a non-profit educational 鈥渜uarterback鈥� organization supporting New Orleans schools as they respond to students鈥� primary and behavioral health needs, and a children鈥檚 hospital with a robust, grant-funded school-based primary and behavioral health program exploring where it could uniquely expand impact.

Together, the partners set out to identify system-level opportunities for aligned funding, reduce the extent to which school-based staff are asked to take on additional care coordination work, and expand access for children and families to school-based primary and behavioral health services as well as community- and facility-based behavioral health services. The work focused on strengthening school-based mental health and integrated care pathways for Medicaid-eligible children and adolescents across the full pediatric behavioral health continuum.

BACKGROUND

In New Orleans, youth behavioral health and pediatric mental health needs were becoming more urgent, but the system designed to respond remained fragmented across schools, community providers, hospitals, and public agencies. School leaders and clinicians described referral pathways that were inconsistent and difficult to navigate, limited visibility into where services existed, and few shared accountability mechanisms across sectors鈥攃reating gaps in care coordination, crisis response, and follow-up. This made it difficult for stakeholders to coordinate strategy, align resources, or plan for scale.

In parallel, Manning Family Children鈥檚 Hospital and its ThriveKids student wellness initiative saw a significant opportunity to expand school based physical and behavioral health services across New Orleans Public Schools. 

School teams were increasingly operating as de facto care coordinators, triaging crises, managing referrals, and filling behavioral health gaps they were not equipped or designed to address. Stakeholders saw school-based health clinics and school-based health centers as a meaningful opportunity to close gaps in behavioral health screening and response, strengthen connections to primary and behavioral health care, and provide care navigation for students and families鈥攊ncluding trauma-informed supports, universal screening, warm handoffs, and alignment with multi-tiered systems of support (MTSS).

This project brought together multiple stakeholders鈥攊ncluding philanthropy, education, hospitals, and non-profits鈥攖o fund and lay the foundation for a shared view of need and opportunity. Because 红领巾瓜报 has credibility across these sectors, we were able to support cross-sector collaboration and create a common fact base to guide investment decisions. Partners also recognized a specific local imperative: Medicaid-eligible youth and public school students needed better access to coordinated primary and behavioral health care, and the community needed a neutral, trusted convening entity to provide backbone coordination and accountability mechanisms.

APPROACH

红领巾瓜报 applied a mixed-methods, system-level approach to understand both the supply of services and the lived experience of accessing care. This behavioral health needs assessment combined service mapping, Medicaid data analytics, and stakeholder input to evaluate the continuum of care鈥攆rom prevention and early intervention to crisis stabilization, day treatment, and residential treatment. This included: 

Quantitative analysis of Medicaid utilization data to assess service reach, gaps, and demand across the pediatric behavioral health continuum 

Survey of school-based and community-based services, including primary care, behavioral health, and higher-acuity treatment options 

Stakeholder engagement through 20+ interviews, focus groups, and surveys of school staff and providers to capture real-world barriers and system dynamics 

Gap analysis using national benchmarks to estimate unmet need and quantify where the system falls short 

Feasibility and opportunity assessment, evaluating not just need, but financial viability, workforce constraints, and implementation pathways

红领巾瓜报 used a unique approach for this analysis. in the absence of extensive utilization data and services, 红领巾瓜报 used the Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry鈥檚 framework for the continuum of pediatric behavioral health services as a standard. We cross-referenced this with New Orleans population and Medicaid enrollment data and national utilization data to estimate how many children in New Orleans would be expected to participate in each service on the continuum and assessed the feasibility of launching or expanding each service based on an assessment of the regulatory landscape, viable revenue sources, and projected demand for each service. 

We then translated these findings into a practical, phased roadmap, grounded in local context and designed to align funders, providers, and schools around a shared strategy.

RESULTS

This effort provided the first-ever integrated view of the pediatric behavioral health system in New Orleans, spanning school-based health centers/clinics, community providers, and facility-based care鈥攁nd translating findings into practical options to improve access, care navigation, and crisis stabilization for Medicaid-eligible youth. 

For behavioral health professionals working in schools, state agencies, and clinical settings, the assessment produced an actionable picture of where the system breaks down鈥攁nd where investments and operational changes can measurably improve access and outcomes for Medicaid-eligible youth and public school students. Only ~2% of Medicaid-eligible youth are currently receiving school-based behavioral health services. 

Clarified the role schools are being asked to play in a fragmented system鈥攐ften functioning as care coordinators and first responders to behavioral health need鈥攕trengthening the case for school-based health clinics/centers with standardized screening, warm handoffs, and care navigation supports. 

Documented drivers of avoidable acute-care utilization, including gaps in community-based care: an insufficient number of providers willing to accept Medicaid, limited availability of evidence-based treatment, and the absence of respite and crisis residences鈥攆actors that can push families toward emergency departments and inpatient settings. 

Balanced a community-first strategy with realistic capacity planning鈥攊dentifying opportunities to mitigate the need for some facility-based services by strengthening community-based behavioral health, while also underscoring the continued need for day and residential treatment facilities to address behavioral health and substance use needs when higher levels of care are clinically indicated. 

Elevated the need for intermediary coordination to reduce silos and improve accountability across healthcare and education. The work provided a concrete rationale and initial design considerations for a neutral, trusted convening entity to coordinate primary and behavioral healthcare for Medicaid-eligible youth and public school students in New Orleans鈥攁n increasingly important model for cross-sector collaboration that has been difficult to implement effectively in practice.

Overall, the work supports a scalable model for integrated school-based behavioral health, Medicaid-aligned financing, and cross-sector care coordination鈥攈elping communities strengthen prevention, early intervention, and access to the right level of treatment.

Importantly, 红领巾瓜报鈥檚 work does not stop at identifying gaps鈥攚e help clients prioritize investments, structure partnerships, and build the infrastructure needed for long-term system transformation. 红领巾瓜报 can help organizations implement this kind of organizational change, by bringings a unique combination of: 

Deep expertise in Medicaid, behavioral health systems, and school-based care, enabling rigorous analysis of both financing and service delivery 

Proven ability to integrate quantitative data with stakeholder insight, ensuring recommendations reflect both system realities and lived experience 

Experience designing and implementing system-level solutions, not just conducting assessments 

Cross-sector credibility, allowing 红领巾瓜报 to convene and align funders, healthcare providers, educators, and public agencies 

Practical, implementation-focused approach, translating complex findings into actionable strategies that are financially and operationally viable 

Contact us to learn more.

Blog

Turning Insight into Action: The New Operating Reality in Behavioral Health

Read Blog

Thousands of behavioral health leaders, clinicians, advocates, and industry partners convened during NatCon 2026, April 27鈥�29 in Denver, CO鈥攐ne of the sector鈥檚 largest annual gatherings. This year, the event was more focused and pragmatic than in recent years. Although behavioral health providers still face significant pressure, there was also a noticeable shift toward how organizations can move toward sustainable models for growth, technology adoption, and integrated care delivery.

红领巾瓜报 (红领巾瓜报) colleagues attended the event to listen, connect, and contribute to the meaningful conversations. Many of the themes and industry trends we have been tracking emerged consistently throughout the conference. In this article, our behavioral health experts discuss their collective insights and the road ahead for behavioral health interest-holders.

Key Themes from聽NatCon聽2026聽

Financial resilience聽remained at the forefront.

Behavioral health organizations continue to respond to constrained funding conditions, evolving reimbursement dynamics, and the need to diversify revenue beyond unstable and uncertain grant support and rate reimbursement volatility.

Operational visibility was closely tied聽to聽financial resilience.

Leaders discussed the need for a clearer, more real-time understanding of their performance. Performance was considered broadly to include financial indicators, clinical outcomes, and workforce capacity. Data and measurement have moved from a 鈥渘ice to have鈥� to 鈥渆ssential鈥� for effective engagement with payers.

Innovation聽conversations are shifting toward聽implementation.

Artificial intelligence (AI) and digital tools were still hot topics, but the discussion has moved toward implementation and effective deployment. Conversations centered on practical use cases such as clinical documentation support, measurement-based care linked to improved health outcomes, and better integration with electronic health records (EHR).

This year鈥檚 conference highlighted enduring opportunities and challenges for the field, including:

  • Core service priorities,聽such as聽crisis response,聽suicide prevention, collaborative care聽and聽increased opportunities around聽Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinics聽(CCHBCs), and value-based payment strategies聽for financial resilience聽
  • Workforce sustainability, with organizations looking聽to reduce administrative burden, strengthen recruitment and retention, and support staff well-being while demand for services continues to rise

Behavioral Health Industry Trends

The industry trends emerging from NatCon 2026 suggest that behavioral health organizations are entering a more disciplined operating environment to maximize efficiencies and ensure long-term sustainability in what seems sometimes to be a chaotic environment. Organizations are placing greater emphasis on their Medicaid strategy, managed care contracting, and value-based arrangements that reward outcomes and continuity of care. There is also continued momentum behind integrated models that connect behavioral health with primary care, public health, and community-based supports. Rather than treating mental health and substance use services as isolated programs, providers are increasingly building coordinated systems that address whole-person needs across settings.

Another notable trend is that technology is becoming a clearer differentiator. Some organizations are piloting or scaling technology, while others are taking a more cautious approach. Discussions surrounding AI in particular appeared to have matured significantly, with attention moving from abstract concerns toward change management, sequencing of use cases, return on investment, governance, and clinician trust. In that sense, technology is moving from being a side initiative to a strategic differentiator.

Transformation in the Behavioral Health Field

We were struck by the level of alignment across different parts of the field. Many of the themes we heard reinforced what providers experience daily鈥攖he need to manage uncertainty while continuing to meet the growing demand for services and more intentional use of data, infrastructure, and outcomes measurement.

More broadly, the conversations throughout the conference pointed to a field that is moving toward greater pragmatism. There is still a clear need for additional resources, but there is also growing recognition that adaptability will serve an equally important role.

贬辞飞听奥别听颁补苍听贬别濒辫

One of the most valuable aspects of NatCon is the opportunity to compare experiences across organizations and regions. The themes emerging from this year’s conference reflect broader shifts happening across the behavioral health landscape. 

A key role of our team is to connect what we hear in different settings and share it in a way that is useful for others in the field鈥攈ighlighting emerging approaches, surfacing common challenges, and creating opportunities for peer exchange.

For questions about the market dynamics or approaches to strengthen your organization鈥檚 adaptability,  contact one of our 红领巾瓜报 experts.

Blog

Why Children鈥檚 Behavioral Health Demands Action Now

Read Blog

Practical Strategies for Medicaid, Schools, Hospitals, and Communities

During Children鈥檚 Mental Health Awareness Week, May 3鈥�9, and Mental Health Awareness Month, we are spotlighting actionable solutions across the US children鈥檚 behavioral health system. This post is intended for children鈥檚 behavioral health providers, state Medicaid agencies, school-based health centers, hospitals, local government agencies, local education agencies (LEAs), child welfare agencies, and philanthropic organizations that are working to strengthen prevention, crisis response, care coordination, and community-based continuums of care. 红领巾瓜报 has a robust and growing team of behavioral health experts who support this work and have developed a series of case studies showcasing practical strategies implemented with clients鈥攆rom crisis system design and referral pathway improvements to financing and implementation roadmaps.

Children鈥檚 Mental Health Awareness Week is a reminder that children鈥檚 behavioral health and youth mental health are not niche issues. They are systemic issues that require coordinated action across Medicaid, education, public health, hospitals and health systems, child welfare, and local government鈥攅specially where schools and community partners are on the front line.

The need remains substantial. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention鈥檚 results, released in 2024, showed that 40% of high school students reported persistent feelings of sadness or hopelessness, even as some measures improved from 2021 levels. CDC also highlighted how bullying, safety concerns at school, racism, unfair discipline, and frequent social media use are tied to youth mental health risks.

The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration鈥檚 (SAMHSA鈥檚) , released in 2025, adds another important dimension. Among adolescents ages 12鈥�17, the 2024 survey found that:

  • 15.4% experienced a major depressive episode within the past year
  • 10.1% had serious thoughts of suicide
  • About 40% who had a major depressive episode in the past year did not receive mental health treatment

The data show that progress is possible when systems respond with real capacity, access, and support. That is why this moment calls for more than awareness. It calls for action that is operational, financeable, and grounded in what works.

At 红领巾瓜报, we work with child-serving systems that are trying to solve real problems, including how to strengthen crisis response, improve referral pathways, build a more coherent continuum of care, and connect strategy with implementation.

Over the coming weeks, we will feature three examples that reflect different parts of the children鈥檚 behavioral health landscape.

1. Children鈥檚 hospital mental health strategy and crisis response

This case study will highlight work to help a children鈥檚 hospital strengthen its mental health approach and support next-stage crisis system design.

In this engagement, 红领巾瓜报 partnered with Rady Children鈥檚 Hospital Orange County to move pediatric behavioral health from strategy to implementation鈥攁ligning emergency department (ED) mental health workflows, clarifying pediatric crisis pathways, building an investment-ready fiscal pro forma, and advancing priority programs to strengthen access and care coordination. This work can inform hospitals and health systems, Medicaid agencies, and community partners seeking to reduce ED boarding and improve pediatric crisis response.

2. County-level ecosystem and referral system improvement

This case study will show how local systems can bring multiple stakeholders together to improve referral pathways and make behavioral health more accessible for children, youth, and families.

红领巾瓜报 supported a county-led effort to strengthen cross-system referral pathways by aligning agencies around shared intake and triage practices, clearer roles and accountability, and more navigable access points for families. This approach is relevant for local government agencies, LEAs, school-based health centers, child welfare agencies, and community providers working to reduce fragmentation and speed connection to the right level of care.

3. Building a stronger children鈥檚 behavioral health continuum in New Orleans

This case study will focus on assessing gaps, identifying opportunities, and supporting a more coherent community-based continuum for children鈥檚 behavioral health.

红领巾瓜报 helped deliver the first integrated view of pediatric behavioral health in New Orleans, LA, aligning schools, healthcare, philanthropy, and government around a shared understanding of unmet needs and critical system gaps, as well as charting a prioritized roadmap to strengthen and better coordinate the continuum of care.

What It Means for Key Child-Serving Audiences

  • Children鈥檚 behavioral health providers: Prepare for stronger care coordination expectations (warm handoffs, follow-up after crisis, shared care plans) and increased demand for community-based alternatives to the ED
  • State Medicaid agencies: Focus on financeable crisis continuums (including pediatric crisis response), payment and contracting approaches that support access and continuity, and data/reporting that demonstrates outcomes
  • School-based health centers and LEAs: Strengthen referral pathways, clarify roles between schools and providers, and build protocols that support early identification while keeping students connected to safe learning environments
  • Hospitals and health systems: Improve pediatric ED mental health workflows, create clearer crisis pathways, and develop investment-ready business cases for behavioral health capacity and partnerships
  • Local government agencies: Convene cross-system partners, establish shared intake/triage and accountability, and use implementation roadmaps to move from planning to operational change
  • Child welfare agencies: Align behavioral health access for children and youth involved with child welfare, reduce handoff failures, and integrate crisis planning into placement stability and permanency strategies
  • Philanthropy: Target catalytic investments that fill continuum gaps, build capacity for implementation (not just planning), and support cross-system governance and measurement

The common thread among these examples is a simple belief: Children鈥檚 behavioral health improvement does not happen through aspiration alone. It happens when organizations and public systems translate urgency into design, partnerships, financing strategies, and implementation steps.

That is also why children鈥檚 behavioral health is so relevant. National data still point to high levels of distress and suicide risk among adolescents, despite recent improvements. CDC鈥檚 findings show how strongly youth mental health is shaped by the environments in which they live, learn, and play鈥攅specially their schools and communities.

For leaders in Medicaid, behavioral health, child welfare, education, county government, hospitals, and provider organizations, the question is not whether children鈥檚 behavioral health deserves attention, but rather is how to build systems that respond earlier, coordinate better, and support children and families more effectively.

We hope this series contributes to that conversation by sharing practical examples of work that can inform future action.

Other Resources on Children鈥檚 Behavioral Health and Youth Mental Health

Contact us to discuss how 红领巾瓜报 can support your children鈥檚 behavioral health strategy鈥攚hether you work for a Medicaid agency, hospital/health system, school-based health partner, LEA, local government agency, child welfare agency, provider organization, or philanthropic funder. We can help with crisis continuum planning, care coordination design, referral pathway improvement, financing and pro forma development, and implementation support.

Solutions

Children鈥檚 Behavioral Health Consulting

Read More

红领巾瓜报 Solutions

Children鈥檚 Behavioral Health Consulting

Cross鈥慡ystem Solutions for Schools, Health Systems, and State & Local Agencies

The US children鈥檚 behavioral health system is facing significant strains. Workforce shortages, fragmented funding and accountability, and rising demand are converging in the places where children spend time and receive care. Healthcare systems are seeing the impact in emergency departments and inpatient units, schools are expected to respond to student needs without sufficient capacity, and state and local agencies face pressure to align policy, financing, and programs across behavioral health, Medicaid, child welfare, and education.

How 红领巾瓜报 Can Help

红领巾瓜报 partners with child-serving systems to translate urgency into practical, financeable, implementable improvements, strengthening the continuum from prevention and early intervention to crisis response and recovery. Examples of services we provide include:

Landscape assessments and needs analyses (qualitative and quantitative)

Stakeholder engagement and facilitated convenings (including family, youth, community, and cross-agency partners)

Gap analysis and service continuum design (school-, community-, and facility-based)

System and model redesign, including governance, referral pathways, and care coordination across settings

Strategic planning and implementation support (operational roadmaps, change management)

Regulatory and policy analysis to support compliant, scalable program models

Workforce strategy and provider training to build sustainable capacity

Financial modeling, including fiscal pro formas and revenue cycle considerations

Site assessments and facility studies to support service expansion and optimization

Who We Serve

We support providers, health systems, children鈥檚 hospitals, schools, school-based entities (including local education agencies [LEAs]), state and local government agencies and community-based partners working to improve children鈥檚 behavioral health.

Common Challenges

Fragmentation across child-serving systems,

Workforce shortages and training needs,

Misaligned financing and accountability, and

The operational challenge of coordinating care across school, community, and clinical settings.

Where We Help

Hospitals and Health Systems
Strengthen pediatric behavioral health strategy and operations鈥攊mproving crisis pathways, clarifying roles across ED/inpatient/outpatient settings, and connecting clinical services to community and school-based partners

Schools, LEAs, and School-Based Entities
Build sustainable school mental health approaches鈥攔ight-sizing service tiers, strengthening referral and care coordination, and aligning school-based services with Medicaid, community providers, and crisis systems

State and Local Government, Child-Serving Agencies, and Community-Based Partners
Advance cross-system solutions鈥攁ligning policy, financing, and accountability across behavioral health, Medicaid, child welfare, and education, while building implementable continuums of care that improve access and equity. 

红领巾瓜报 Differentiators

Cross-setting expertise. We work across schools, community-based systems, and healthcare delivery settings, helping partners design handoffs and shared accountability rather than isolated programs.

Implementation and financing. We connect strategy to operations and the realities of financing, reimbursement, and sustainability so plans can move toward successful implementation and delivery.

Multidisciplinary team. Our team includes clinicians, program administrators, researchers, and former state and local leaders with deep knowledge of children鈥檚 behavioral health ecosystems. Many of us are parents and grandparents ourselves who are passionate about and personally invested in this work.

Partnership-first approach. We bring a collaborative, community-grounded process that centers children, youth, and families and builds durable cross-sector relationships.

Local context, national perspective. We tailor solutions to market dynamics, resources, and policy environments while bringing lessons learned from diverse geographies and client types.

Other Resources

Blog

Why Children鈥檚 Behavioral Health Demands Action Now

Read more

Spotlight

Improving Youth Behavioral Health Through School-Based Initiatives

Read more

Spotlight

From Crisis to Coordinated Care: Six Behavioral Health Priorities for Hospitals and Health Systems

Read more

Let鈥檚 strengthen children鈥檚 behavioral health鈥攖ogether.

Whether you鈥檙e leading in a hospital or healthcare system, a school or LEA, or a state or local agency, we can help you align partners and build an implementable plan across the continuum of care.

Contact us to discuss your priorities and identify next steps.

Brief & Report

Case Study Report: Lessons Learned from HealthySteps Technical Assistance in California

Download

This report synthesizes insights from multiple efforts to support the financial sustainability of HealthySteps sites in California, including federally qualified health centers (FQHCs), community clinics (non-FQHCs), private practices, and other settings. Led by the HealthySteps National Office and 红领巾瓜报 (红领巾瓜报), the technical assistance (TA) elevated challenges, strategies and best practices to achieve sustainability informed by learning collaboratives, individualized TA sessions, and financial modeling exercises. This report complements additional resources that the HS National Office and 红领巾瓜报 developed which are available via the HealthySteps (HS) Sustainability website.

Solutions

Solutions for behavioral health workforce shortages

Read More

红领巾瓜报 Solutions

Solutions for behavioral health workforce shortages

Growing demand and need for BH services is outpacing workforce capacity nationally.
 
In 2024, 43 of the 44 states responding to an NRI survey reported a behavioral health workforce shortage[1]. States, Health Plans and Provider Associations are all struggling with how to manage the problem.
 
A standardized approach to assessing BH workforce shortages can help states and organizations better design sustainable workforce solutions, especially considering challenges federal funding changes and the need for diverse care needs across rural and urban areas across the US. Recommendations are grounded in lived experience, policy fluency, and practical feasibility.

[1] Source:

Design and Implementation

Support infrastructure and policy alignment grounded in community partnerships

Expert Analysis

Interpret data using specialized tools, knowledge, experience, and context

Strategic Planning

Define goals, align resources, and guide decisions

A Standardized Approach

红领巾瓜报鈥檚 framework helps states, health plans, and provider associations and organizations design sustainable workforce solutions, especially considering challenges like the need for diverse care needs and regionally appropriate strategies. Our work delivers measurable, generalizable, lasting improvements, and provides a window into obvious partnership opportunities for workforce development projects in both rural and urban communities. The recommendations are grounded in lived experience, policy fluency, and practical feasibility.鈥�

Our Services

With a deep understanding of current and emerging shifts in care and policy, our BH workforce consultants are well equipped to provide support and implementation of workforce initiatives across a variety of content areas over a flexible duration.

Rapid Deployment of Existing Strategies

Preparation & Education

Evaluation & Analysis

Implementation & Support

Strategic Assessment

Regulatory & Policy Consulting

Proven Results

红领巾瓜报 has worked on national projects aimed at resolving workforce shortages.  红领巾瓜报 is a founding member of the Workforce Solutions Partnership, a collaboration among the College for Behavioral Health Leadership and the National Council for Mental Health Wellbeing.  红领巾瓜报 has a national lens on the behavioral health workforce experiences and has worked with clients to identify pathways to strengthen and diversify the workforce in ways that are equitable, sustainable, and community informed. Our established services ensure that we translate insights from our methods into actionable and meaningful recommendations for workforce development. 

红领巾瓜报 Differentiators

Many of our team members are former executives and clinical leaders from the BH workforce sector, including doctors, policy experts, social workers and administrative leaders from health plans, health systems, community-based organizations, FQHCs, and government agencies at the local, state and national levels. Our clinicians bring decades of experience leading BH care in inpatient, outpatient and emergency department settings.

OUR EXPERTISE

红领巾瓜报 subject matter experts with national BH workforce experience analyze existing data鈥攕uch as strategic plans, funding streams, licensing, and workforce initiatives鈥攖o identify policy gaps, infrastructure readiness, and innovative care models.

With a deep understanding of current and emerging shifts in care and policy, our BH Workforce consultants are well equipped to provide specialized services.

Contact our experts:

Headshot of Paul Fleissner

Paul Fleissner

Senior Principal

Working to integrate services across systems and communities, Paul Fleissner is a seasoned executive who has developed programs and policies … Read more
Headshot of Allie Franklin

Allie Franklin

Managing Director

Allie Franklin is a licensed clinical social worker with decades of experience in public, private, and non-profit behavioral health, healthcare, … Read more
Headshot of Jill Kemper

Jill Kemper

Senior Consultant

Jill Kemper has extensive experience improving access to care and care delivery, especially for vulnerable or complex patient populations and … Read more
Blog

MAHA Children’s Health Strategy Report: Driving a New Era for Child Health Policy

Read Blog

The September 2025 release of the “” marks a pivotal moment in the Trump Administration鈥檚 effort to address childhood chronic disease. Building on the work of the Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) Commission鈥攅stablished by in February 2025 and led by US Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr.鈥攖he Strategy Report provides a proposed road map for federal, state, and local action.

The MAHA child-focused Strategy Report is already driving the Trump Administration鈥檚 healthcare agenda. Though the report sets ambitious goals, public health entities, state governments, and other experts have raised concerns that several recommendations run counter to established scientific research or lack sufficient evidence.

In this article, 红领巾瓜报 (红领巾瓜报) experts highlight the areas of focus in the Make Our Children Healthy Again Strategy Report and offer specific recommendations, initiatives, and considerations for stakeholders. Earlier editions of In Focus have addressed the commission鈥檚 formation, initial assessment, and the administration鈥檚 growing focus on childhood health (Spotlight on Development of President Trump鈥檚 Children鈥檚 Health Strategy).

Key Components of the MAHA Strategy

Advancing Critical Research to Drive Innovation

The strategy identifies broad areas of research to inform healthy outcomes and positions HHS to direct initiatives in collaboration with the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and other agencies. Examples include:

  • Support the MAHA Chronic Disease Initiative, advance the Real-World Data Platform linking data from claims, electronic health records (EHRs), and wearables
  • Establish a working group on mental health diagnosis and prescription, led by several HHS agencies, to focus on SSRIs (selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors), antipsychotics, mood stabilizers, and stimulants
  • Study food for health, with the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Office of Nutrition coordinating research initiatives across HHS and the US Departments of Agriculture and Veterans Affairs (VA)
  • Identify opportunities to strengthen the use of repurposed drugs for chronic disease
  • Address vaccine injury data collection and analysis, as well as mental health research focused on screen time and prescription practices

Realigning Incentives and Systems to Drive Health Outcomes

The report recommends improvements to transparency and efficiency in regulatory processes to address nutrition, fitness, pharmaceuticals and vaccines, and care delivery and payment to address chronic disease. Specific initiatives include:

  • Updating the Dietary Guidelines for Americans and developing an 鈥渦ltra-processed food鈥� definition
  • Promote breastfeeding through the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children
  • Updating hospital food service nutrition guidance
  • Developing options to get 鈥淢AHA boxes鈥� of healthy food to Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) enrollees
  • Support states with SNAP waivers to encourage healthy food purchases among SNAP participants
  • Enhance oversight of direct-to-consumer pharmaceutical advertising and develop a new vaccine framework
  • Establish Medicaid managed care quality metrics for nutrition coaching and fitness, and work with states to develop prescribing safeguards for school-age children
  • Promote evidence-based prevention and wellness initiatives and restructure agencies to reduce conflicts of interest

Increasing Public Awareness and Knowledge

Major campaigns will involve:

  • Launching the “Make American Schools Healthy Again” initiative to assist states with promoting physical activity and nutrition in schools
  • Expanding education on environmental exposures, fluoride, and pesticide safety
  • Increasing awareness of opioid dangers, vaping, and screen time impacts
  • Training school and library staff to respond to opioid overdoses

Fostering Private Sector Collaboration

The strategy emphasizes the administration鈥檚 work to advance private sector partnerships aligned with MAHA priorities, including partnerships to achieve the following:

  • Improve nutrition in government-funded programs (schools, VA hospitals, prisons)
  • Support community-led initiatives to reduce chronic disease in children

Key Considerations for Partners and Stakeholders

Early engagement is critical as federal agencies begin implementing over 120 recommended actions.

States, providers, health plans, and community organizations should identify how their current approaches to children鈥檚 health could align with the MAHA initiative and strategy report, as well as where these new ideas might conflict with present policies. This assessment will identify opportunities to maximize new federal funding opportunities and additional resources.

Progress toward the Strategy Report鈥檚 specific goals will require coordinated efforts across agencies, sectors, and communities. Stakeholders should consider how and when to engage in research, policy development, and public awareness campaigns outlined in the report.

Connections to Trump Administration Priorities and Broader Opportunities

The report鈥檚 recommendations are already influencing federal agency actions and are driving congressional hearings and new legislation at the federal and state levels.

The US Department of Agriculture鈥檚 (USDA), for example, is working with states to approve SNAP waivers to restrict the purchase of junk food with federal benefits. 红领巾瓜报 experts are tracking the SNAP waiver actions, and as of September 2025, a total of 12 states have received USDA approval for waivers that restrict the purchase of soda, candy, and other unhealthy foods with SNAP benefits. Other states are considering similar waivers, and the USDA is providing technical assistance to support these efforts.

The FDA has enhanced oversight of direct-to-consumer pharmaceutical advertising, including new enforcement activities and rulemaking on drug safety disclosures in ads. This approach aligns with MAHA recommendations and Trump Administration priorities for transparency and consumer protection.

HHS is also pursuing a new vaccine framework; however, states retain significant authority over school-based immunization requirements, and several are considering alternative approaches or maintaining broader vaccine recommendations than those outlined in the MAHA report. Recent legislative actions in some states seek to shift authority for determining school-based immunization requirements solely to the legislature, reflecting ongoing debate and federal-state dynamics.

Connect with Us

As implementation of the Make Our Children Healthy Again Strategy Report advances, all stakeholders must be ready to engage, partner, innovate, and drive change that will shape the future of child health.

红领巾瓜报 guides state and local government, providers, plans and other partners through the multi-pronged strategies and recommendations in the report as well as the complexities of federal funding opportunities, such as the new Rural Health Transformation Program. We are helping state and local policymakers plan for MAHA and Trump Administration priorities, which includes guidance on how to leverage innovative approaches like SNAP waivers to promote healthy food access for children and families.

With deep expertise in policymaking and operational management, 红领巾瓜报 consultants are enabling states and their partners to accelerate their work, build sustainable models for child health improvement, and position themselves to take advantage of new federal, state, and local policy opportunities driven by the MAHA report. To discuss questions about the impact of the report contact our experts below.

Webinar

Webinar Replay- Beyond the Bill: How Pair Team and MCOs Are Meeting Community Needs Under HR 1

Watch Now

This webinar was held on October 2, 2025.

As Medicaid evolves under HR 1, Managed Care Organizations face increasing pressure to meet new engagement requirements while ensuring vulnerable communities don鈥檛 fall through the cracks. This shifting landscape demands scalable, innovative care models that go beyond compliance 鈥� focusing instead on meaningful connections, coordinated support, and whole-person care.

In this session, Jami Snyder, former HHSC Commissioner of TX and Medicaid Director of AZ, joined Neil Batlivala, CEO and Co-Founder of Pair Team, and Dr. Nate Favini, Chief Medical & Strategy Officer, to explore how Pair Team and its MCO partners are meeting this moment. Learn how their model combines technology, care coordination, and community-based partnerships to engage hard-to-reach members and address social drivers of health.

We heard real-world examples of how payers and partners can come together in smarter, more connected ways. By aligning efforts and building trust, they can drive better outcomes and create stronger community connections for the people who need support the most.

Learning Objectives:

  • Briefly break down HR 1鈥檚 most critical provisions and what they mean for Medicaid and MCO operations.
  • Discover how Pair Team and MCOs are co-designing solutions leveraging technology.
  • Identify best practices for engaging populations facing barriers such as behavioral health needs, housing instability, and transportation challenges.

Featured Speakers:

Carter Kimble, Principal (Moderator) Health Management Associate
Jami Snyder, Former HHSC Commissioner, Texas; Former Medicaid Director, Arizona
Neil Batlivala, Founder and Chief Executive Officer Pair Team
Nate Favini, MD,MS, Chief Medical Officer Pair Team

Brief & Report

Understanding Substance Use Disorders & the Use of Medications for聽Treatment

Download

Education Materials for Patients, Families, Educators and Non-Prescribing Providers

This is a comprehensive set of substance use disorder聽(SUD)聽education materials for patients, families, educators, and non-prescribing providers.聽In recognition of September being National Recovery Month, this document is fully downloadable for community use without restriction. 聽聽

The toolkit was made available through a joint effort of the California Department of Health Care Services Opioid Response Project and 红领巾瓜报. Coaching and technical assistance for this project was funded through DHCS by State Opioid Response Funds from SAMHSA. The bilingual patient education materials are written in accessible language for most audiences, in both Spanish and English. 

The materials can be used to broadly disseminate information across a community or with individual patients, family members and non-prescribing providers. These SUD educational materials were created using the latest research and information available. They are meant to be concrete and easily accessible with simple language that promotes increased understanding of each topic.  Some of the topics touched upon include evidenced-based treatment options such as Medications for Addiction Treatment (MAT) and Medications for Opioid Use Disorder (MOUD).  

Solutions

From Crisis to Coordinated Care: Six Behavioral Health Priorities for Hospitals and Health Systems

Read More

红领巾瓜报 Spotlight

From Crisis to Coordinated Care: Six Behavioral Health Priorities for Hospitals and Health Systems

Hospitals across the country are facing unprecedented levels of behavioral health (BH) challenges that impact every facet of operations, from the emergency department to discharge planning. Extended lengths of stay, ED boarding, workplace violence, and staff burnout present clinical issues and pose operational, financial, and reputational risks.
 
Individuals with BH needs arrive in emergency departments daily, even if the hospital lacks a dedicated BH inpatient unit. These patients require coordinated care across all clinical sites.  
 
红领巾瓜报 offers an end-to-end partnership helping hospitals identify and implement solutions in ways that build internal capacity and deliver measurable results.

Rapid assessments to identify high-impact opportunities

Financial modeling and reimbursement optimization

Strategic and operational planning for BH integration

Partnership development and M&A advisory for BH service lines

Implementation support with measurable results

Effective Strategies

红领巾瓜报 partners with hospitals to address these challenges with a vision of improving care and operations. Our team offers practical, high-impact solutions that enhance patient care, support your workforce, streamline operations, and promote financial stability. Contact us to discuss how solutions can be tailored to your hospital鈥檚 unique needs. Let鈥檚 address your most urgent behavioral health challenges now, before they impact care delivery and financial stability.

Six Priority Areas

While every hospital faces unique behavioral health challenges, the pressures they create are consistent. 红领巾瓜报 partners with your leadership and frontline teams to focus on six proven priority areas that create lasting impact. Together, we develop solutions that improve care, strengthen operations, and build resilience across your organization.

  • Rapid stabilization protocols
  • Integration of psychiatric expertise into acute care workflows
  • Boarding reduction strategies

Value: Reduce length of stay, improve throughput, and protect staff safety.

  • Cross-continuum care pathways
  • Partnerships with community providers
  • Readmission prevention frameworks
  • Accreditation readiness (The Joint Commission, DNV (Det Norske Veritas))

Value: Improve continuity, patient satisfaction, and reduce high-cost utilization.

  • Optimizing reimbursement (e.g., unbundled billing for injectables)
  • Service line financial assessment

Value: Unlocking new revenue streams.

  • Joint ventures with behavioral health providers
  • Sell-side preparation and merger and acquisitions support
  • Community and payer alignment

Value: Expand service capabilities while sharing risk and resources.

  • Staffing models to provide effective and efficient care while reducing burnout
  • Data-driven performance management
  • Technology-enabled workflows

Value: Increase efficiency and retention through optimized operations.

  • Medication Assisted Treatment (MAT) and Medication for Opioid Use Disorder (MOUD) implementation in ED and inpatient settings
  • Peer navigation programs
  • Integration with primary and specialty care

Value: Reduce mortality, avoidable readmissions to EDs, and improve community health outcomes.

Proven Results

Our work with hospitals across the country delivers measurable, lasting improvements that strengthen care delivery, operational performance, and financial health.

  • Reduced ED boarding times by up to 40% through targeted intervention models.
  • Increased reimbursement for behavioral health services by optimizing billing practices for long-acting injectables and other high-value services.
  • Delivered $1.2M in annual savings for a regional hospital through integrated behavioral health response planning.

红领巾瓜报 Differentiators

Many of our team members are former executives and clinical leaders from the behavioral health sector. They bring decades of experience leading behavioral health care in inpatient, outpatient and emergency department settings. 红领巾瓜报 provides the depth, agility, and collaborative approach that hospitals need to address today鈥檚 most urgent behavioral health challenges while also building capacity for the future. Our proven track record includes hospitals of all sizes and structures, ensuring that solutions are tailored to your market, patient mix, and resources.

Ready to talk?