The News
Daily coverage of the developments shaping health and human services. From policy shifts to program innovations, reports on trends-shaping mental health, addiction treatment, child and family services, autism and I/DD, disability support and long-term care, social services, corrections, juvenile justice, chronic disease management, health care systems, and more-helping leaders make timely, informed decisions.
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Federal 2027 Budget Proposal Would Eliminate SAMHSA As Stand-Alone Agency & Reduce Behavioral Health Funding By 8%
April 21, 2026The proposed fiscal year (FY) 2027 budget for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) would eliminate the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) as a stand-alone agency and reduce overall behavioral health funding by approximately… -
NCQA Seeks Health Centers For HRSA-Funded PCMH Recognition & Behavioral Health Integration Program
April 21, 2026The National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA) is recruiting health centers to participate in a federal initiative supporting Patient-Centered Medical Home (PCMH) Recognition and a Behavioral Health Integration Distinction. The opportunity is open to Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs) funded… -
Kansas Establishes Supported Decision-Making Agreements For Adults With Disabilities
April 21, 2026Kansas has established a legal framework allowing adults with disabilities to enter into supported decision-making agreements as an alternative to guardianship. On April 7, 2026, Governor Laura Kelly signed Senate Bill 84 (SB 84), the Supported Decision-Making Agreements Act. The… -
CMS Proposes New Measures To Strengthen Hospice Oversight & Prevent Fraud
April 21, 2026To prevent fraud and inappropriate utilization in the Medicare hospice program, the federal Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is proposing a public scoring system to hold hospice providers accountable. The system, called the Hospice Service and Spending Variation… -
Idaho Restores Medicaid Assertive Community Treatment & Peer Support Services For People With Serious Mental Illness
April 21, 2026On April 2, 2026, Idaho Governor Brad Little signed legislation restoring assertive community treatment (ACT) and peer support services for people with serious mental illness (SMI), reversing cuts that took effect several months earlier as part of state cost-containment measures.… -
Indiana To Exclude Long-Stay Nursing Home Residents From Medicaid Managed Care Starting July 1, 2027
April 20, 2026Indiana will carve out nursing home services beyond 100 days from its Medicaid managed long-term services and supports (LTSS) contracts starting July 1, 2027. Under the change, Medicaid beneficiaries with nursing home stays longer than 100 days will transition from… -
Approximately 13.5% Of U.S. Civilians Report One Or More Disabilities
April 20, 2026Approximately 44.68 million U.S. civilians of all ages living in the community reported one or more disabilities in 2023, representing 13.5% of the noninstitutionalized population. Among adults aged 18 and older, the rate rises to approximately 16%. The analysis is… -
Climate-Related Housing Loss Linked To Increases In Homelessness
April 20, 2026Climate-related property loss was associated with increases in year-over-year homelessness within U.S. states from 2019 to 2024, according to a recent study. By contrast, year-to-year change in overall homelessness was not significantly associated with average rents, unemployment, emergency rental assistance,… -
CMS Finalizes 2.48% Medicare Advantage Payment Increase & Updates Star Ratings For 2027
April 16, 2026For the 2027 Medicare Advantage plan year, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) finalized policies that are projected to increase payments to plans by 2.48%. The advance notice had projected a payment increase of 0.09%. CMS is also… -
Federal Agencies Decline To Defend 2024 Mental Health Parity Rule & Prepare For New Proposal In 2026
April 16, 2026The U.S. Departments of Labor (DOL) and Health and Human Services (HHS) said they will not defend the 2024 final rule implementing the Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act (MHPAEA) and plan to issue a new proposed rule by…