Peer Supports

The U.S. behavioral health (BH) workforce faces significant shortages and distribution disparities, hindering access to quality care and worsening health outcomes. A comprehensive, centralized database of BH providers is vital for advancing patient-centered outcomes research (PCOR), comparative effectiveness research (CER), and evidence-based policymaking.

Team-based behavioral health care can effectively address clinical needs and mitigate behavioral health workforce shortages. Despite the demonstrated benefits of team-based care models, experts in the fields of behavioral health workforce and network adequacy have noted that existing reimbursement models do not adequately support team-based care.

Per Section 223(d)(7)(A) of the Protecting Access to Medicare Act (PAMA) of 2014 (Public Law 113-93), the HHS Secretary must submit to Congress an annual report on the use of funds provided under all demonstration programs conducted under this subsection, not later than one year after the date on which the first state is selected for a demonstration program under this subsection, and annually t

This report provides an overview of transition services for clients graduating from Coordinated Specialty Care (CSC). CSC Programs have been successfully implemented across the US, including through support from the Community Mental Health Services Block Grant set aside funds for people with early psychosis.

Many human services programs recognize the power of “social capital,” or the value that arises from relationships. This report offers insight into how programs use peer supports to help build social capital with participants who are reentering the community after incarceration or are survivors of intimate partner violence or sex trafficking.

Recurrent psychiatric hospitalizations and emergency department (ED) utilization is common among those with serious mental illness resulting in excessively high health care costs, and preventable overuse of services. Peer support services are a recognized part of team-based care for behavioral health conditions.