The New Shape of Friction. Not long ago, the biggest barriers to behavioral health care were easy to spot. The clinic was too far away. There weren’t enough providers to meet demand. Records lived in filing cabinets, and a person might wait weeks for an appointment or drive hours just to sit across from someone … Read more
Recovery Requires More Than Treatment I have spent much of my career sitting with people at one of the hardest moments of their lives. Emergency departments. Crisis centers. Substance use treatment programs. Sometimes just a phone call at the wrong hour of the night. Early in my career I learned something I have never forgotten. … Read more
May is Mental Health Awareness Month. And I want to say something that does not get said enough. We do not have an awareness problem anymore. We have an avoidance problem. That distinction matters. Until we name it honestly, we will keep celebrating awareness while the people who need care most remain out of reach. … Read more
The Rapid Acceleration of Technology in Behavioral Health Not long ago, documentation in many behavioral health organizations was still largely paper-based. Then came the electronic health record. Now we are entering the era of the SMART intelligent health record and a broader ecosystem of connected technology. The pace of change has been extraordinary. In less … Read more
Why This Rural Health Moment Feels Personal When I was growing up in the Missouri Ozarks, mental health care was something you planned your life around. If someone in my family needed help, it usually meant driving two or three counties away. You packed the day. You took time off work. You hoped the appointment … Read more