As detailed in the paper, the phase-out of various funding streams, combined with potential Medicaid changes, threatens to create a “funding cliff” that could severely impact access to behavioral health services for children and adolescents. The findings underscore the urgent need for collaborative, innovative solutions to bridge these gaps.

2025 marks five years since the COVID-19 pandemic created unprecedented demand for children’s behavioral health and catalyzed huge changes in care delivery.  Halfway through the decade, the world of telehealth, licensure compacts and mental health apps is dramatically different. 

2025 marks five years since the COVID-19 pandemic created unprecedented demand for children’s behavioral health and catalyzed huge changes in care delivery.  Halfway through the decade, the world of telehealth, licensure compacts and mental health apps is dramatically different. 

The payer-provider relationship can often be fraught with difficulty and distrust, even as mental health parity rules become established. But in Rhode Island, Bradley Hospital and Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Rhode Island are finding common ground through collaboration.  

Discover how Rhode Island's Department of Education, in partnership with Hazel Health, is leading the way in addressing youth mental health by offering free, accessible telehealth services to students statewide. Learn more about this innovative initiative promoting school attendance and student well-being.