Mental Health Weekly最新文献

Citing an effort to significantly improve the parity compliance process for health plans, issuers, providers and patients, the Association for Behavioral Health and Wellness (ABHW) earlier this month issued a letter with recommendations to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and Department of Labor (DOL) and the Treasury Department.

Flow Neuroscience announced U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval of their breakthrough Flow at-home brain-stimulation device for the treatment of major depressive disorder, a news release stated. FDA approval marks the first time in history American clinicians are able to prescribe a novel at-home non-drug therapy as both a stand-alone and an adjunctive treatment for adults with moderate to severe depression, Flow Neuroscience officials stated. Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS), the technology behind Flow, is backed by more than 9,000 publications and over 25 years of clinical research in depression treatment, stroke recovery, pain management, and other use-cases, according to officials. Flow's neurostimulation device applies a gentle electrical current to the prefrontal cortex, the part of the brain involved in mood regulation and stress response, which is often underactive in people with depression. To prove device effectiveness, Flow published their landmark randomized controlled clinical study in Nature Medicine, showing that patients using Flow's FL-100 tDCS device experienced symptom reductions as early as within three weeks. These results revealed a clinically meaningful response to treatment, and side effects were, in general, mild and transient. Flow has been used by more than 55,000 people in Europe, the United Kingdom, Switzerland, and Hong Kong. Flow expects the device to be available in the United States as early as Q2 2026.

The New Jersey Association of Mental Health and Addiction Agencies, Inc., is seeking proposals to present at its upcoming spring conference, “Evolving Behavioral Health, Advancing Together for 75 Years,” April 14–15, 2026, in Iselin, N.J. For more information, visit https://www.njamhaa.org. The deadline is Dec. 12.

Having the highest levels of physical activity in midlife and late life was associated with a 41% and 45% lower risk of dementia, respectively, found a study published Nov. 19 in JAMA Network Open. Midlife was defined as ages 45 to 64, while late life was ages 65 to 88, CNN reported Nov. 29. With an estimated 57 million people worldwide having dementia and nearly triple that number expected by 2050, the authors “wanted to investigate whether the impact of physical activity on dementia risk differed or stayed consistent across the adult life course,” said Dr. Phillip Hwang, lead study author and assistant professor in the Department of Epidemiology at Boston University School of Public Health, via email. Physical activity levels in early adult life weren't associated with dementia risk in either direction, the authors found. They also discovered that even for older adults who had the strongest genetic risk factor for Alzheimer's disease — the APOE ε4 gene — high physical activity was still linked with a 66% lower risk of dementia.

The National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) last month announced that NAMI CEO Daniel H. Gillison, Jr., has been named a recipient of the 2025 Not Alone Pioneer Award by the Inspiring Children Foundation. The award, presented in Las Vegas at the Not Alone Awards during the inaugural Not Alone Summit, recognizes Gillison as a trailblazer who is “redefining what's possible in mental health research, advocacy, and healing.” Under his guidance, NAMI established its first-ever youth advisory group and expanded vital resources, such as NAMI's HelpLine, by introducing a dedicated HelpLine for teens and young adults (see related story, p. 5). He also co-founded the CEO Alliance for Mental Health to address systemic disparities in mental health care. “I'm deeply honored by this recognition, because it reflects who NAMI is — a community built on compassion, connection, and care,” said Gillison. “For nearly 50 years, we've helped people see that they're not alone, and that together, healing and hope are possible. I'm grateful to the Inspiring Children Foundation and the Not Alone Summit for amplifying the importance of coming together around mental health and hope.”

Evolution of Psychotherapy is holding its “40th Anniversary Celebration: The Legends of Psychotherapy,” Dec. 15–18 in Anaheim, Calif. For more information, visit https://hmpglobalevents.com/evolutionofpsychotherapy.

The National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) has introduced a Family Caregiver HelpLine aimed at easing the burden on families supporting loved ones with serious mental health conditions such as schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. The free and confidential service, launched last month, connects callers with trained caregivers who offer practical advice and emotional support through phone, text and email.

Idaho's Assertive Community Treatment (ACT) program — long considered a “last resort” for people with severe mental illness at high risk of hospitalization, homelessness or incarceration — was officially dismantled on Dec. 1. The move by Magellan of Idaho to eliminate ACT, peer support and other specialized services has sparked two lawsuits, one filed by mental health clinics and another by patients, both arguing the cuts will have devastating consequences for vulnerable individuals.

Individuals living in a household where a suicide occurred faced a 32% higher risk of all-cause mortality and were more than four times more likely to die by suicide themselves, according to a researchers in JAMA Network Open, who aim to shed light on the profound and often overlooked impact of suicide on surviving household members.

A major philanthropic investment will allow government officials and behavioral health providers in three states to identify strategies for maximizing the service capacity of Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinics (CCBHCs). The $72 million award from Ballmer Group will address service and workforce needs for CCBHCs in Illinois, Kansas and Michigan — states representing different stages of development of the much-replicated CCBHC model.