NHMH – No Health without Mental Health Salutes Patient Advocates for these Outstanding Achievements Over Past 10 Years Improving Healthcare Delivery – All Initiated and Driven by the Behavioral Health Advocacy Community!

• #1: Integrated whole person care movement:  a new focus on treating the entire individual’s health status rather than specific symptoms or conditions in isolation; this approach stresses the interconnectedness of physical, behavioral (mental and substance use), and social aspects of a person’s health recognizing they are deeply intertwined and care must consider the person as an entirety.
• #2: Patient recovery movement:  a paradigm shift in healthcare empowering patients to play an active role in their own health care, recovery and wellness;  it recognizes patients as partners in their care rather than passive recipients of medical or behavioral interventions.
• #3: Patient centeredness movement:  a transformative new approach in healthcare that prioritizes patients’ needs, preferences and values in all aspect of their healthcare; it represents a shift towards a more inclusive and responsive healthcare system where patients voices are central to the healthcare they receive.
• #4: Peer specialists movement:  a growing effort that integrates individuals with lived experience of mental health/substance use disorders into the healthcare system as trained, certified providers of support and guidance to other patients;  peer specialists join the clinic care team offering hope, empathy and practical advice to patients, complementing the work of clinical professionals.
• #5: Health system patient navigator movement:  a professional or volunteer who guides patients through the complex U.S. healthcare systems, helping them access services, resources, and support need to manage their health;  particularly valuable for vulnerable patient populations such as individuals with serious mental illness, navigators can help ensue patients receive comprehensive, coordinated and patient-centered care.
• #6: Patient-reported outcomes (PROs) movement:  these are direct reports from patients about their health status, quality of life, symptoms, and functional capacities, without interpretation by clinicians or others, through surveys, questionnaires or interviews, ultimately being used in clinical practices, in research and in healthcare policy;  they are a key component of patient-centered care giving essential insights that can help customize healthcare to meet patient’s own needs and preferences.
• #7: Health-related social needs movement:  the social, economic and environmental factors influencing a person’s health that include aspects of a person’s life that can impact their ability to maintain good health or recover from illness, e.g. food, transportation, housing, financial stability, social support, pollution, unsafe neighborhoods;  HRSNs integrate social care with medical care and connect patients with local resources and services to help address these needs.
• #8: 988 National hotline movement:  launched in July 2022 this is a 988 number designated for mental health crises, suicide prevention, mental health emergencies and substance use disorder support;  it is an emergency resources for individuals in crisis OR for those seeking help for someone else;  the 988 hotline is a major step forward in improving access to mental health and addiction services in the U.S., offering a lifeline those in crisis and helping develop a more comprehensive and responsive mental health care system.
• #9: Prior authorization reform movement:  The movement to require health insurers to streamline and reduce prior authorizations in Medicare Advantage, Medicaid managed care and commercial health plans.