The Blue Ridge Academic Health Group Releases 2020 Report "The Behavioral Health Crisis: A Roadmap for Academic Health Center Leadership in Healing our Nation"

The report outlines how Academic Health Centers can lead the nation to improved behavioral health and was written by the Blue Ridge Academic Health Group members and a team of Chartis Group Partners

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The Chartis Group

Mar 04, 2020, 12:00 ET

CHICAGO, March 4, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- The United States is in the midst of a behavioral health crisis. The need for services is growing, but there is a shortage of trained healthcare professionals, severe deficiency in inpatient/facility capacity, inadequate reimbursement, and a variety of other barriers that make it difficult, if not impossible, for people to access appropriate care in a timely manner. The Blue Ridge Academic Health Group 2020 Report "The Behavioral Health Crisis: A Roadmap for Academic Health Center Leadership in Healing our Nation" provides an overview of the crisis, case studies and action items for senior leaders of academic health systems.

Steve Levin, Mark Wenneker, MD, and Alexandra Schumm, from The Chartis Group, assisted with the facilitation and writing of this report. The Chartis Group is a leading provider of comprehensive advisory services and analytics to the healthcare industry.

Mark Wenneker, MD, Chartis Principal and Behavioral Health Service Line Segment Leader stated, "Behavioral health conditions impact a significant percentage of patients and drive up the overall cost of care. Behavioral health services are not optional or ancillary – they are essential to fulfilling every hospital's mission of improving the health of their community."

The report describes successful, evidence-based approaches to behavioral healthcare that are economical and can be used as a starting point for further advances. The report identifies actions that academic health centers, as well as health systems in general, should consider. The report also demonstrates that expansion of behavioral health services and greater integration with other medical care can have a lasting impact on improving the health and wellness of communities – important in its own right, and crucial to success under value-based reimbursement models.

Alexandra Schumm, Chartis Principal and Vice President of Research said, "Academic health centers have a unique opportunity to play a leadership role in addressing the behavioral health crisis in our country. By exploring and advancing new approaches to care; by creating new partnerships across our communities and with other AHCs; and by investing in research, training and collaborative care models, AHCs can build the essential foundations for better comprehensive healthcare in our country."

About Blue Ridge Academic Health Group

The Blue Ridge Academic Health Group studies and reports on issues of fundamental importance to improving the health of the nation and its health care system and enhancing the ability of the academic health center (AHC) to sustain progress in health and health care through research—both basic and applied—and health professional education. In 22 previous reports, the Blue Ridge Group has sought to provide guidance to AHCs on a range of critical issues.

For more information and to download free copies of these reports, please visit www.whsc.emory.edu/blueridge.

About The Chartis Group

The Chartis Group® (Chartis) provides comprehensive advisory services and analytics to the healthcare industry. With an unparalleled depth of expertise in strategic planning, performance excellence, informatics and technology, and health analytics, Chartis helps leading academic medical centers, integrated delivery networks, children's hospitals and healthcare service organizations achieve transformative results. Chartis has offices in Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, New York, Minneapolis and San Francisco. For more information, visit www.chartis.com.

SOURCE The Chartis Group