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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Virginia Expanding Mental Health Competency Restoration In Local Jails Through Creation Of ‘Restoration Pods’
August 27, 2026Virginia is expanding competency restoration into local jails to reduce demand for forensic beds at state psychiatric hospitals and allow eligible defendants to begin court-ordered treatment without waiting for hospital placement. On August 17, 2026, the Virginia Beach Sheriff’s Office… -
VA Expands Eligible Services For Homeless Veterans
August 27, 2026The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) will soon be able to provide flexible assistance in the form of transportation, groceries, shelter, and smartphones for eligible homeless veterans under a new temporary funding authority that took effect July 29, 2026. The… -
Serious Mental Illness Prevalence Among U.S. Adults Fell To 6.9% In 2025
August 27, 2026The prevalence of serious mental illness (SMI) among U.S. adults fell to 6.9% in 2025, representing 18.2 million people, from 7.8%, or 20.1 million people, in 2024. That represents 1.9 million fewer adults with SMI than in the previous year’s… -
Costco & SCAN Health Plan Launching Medicare Advantage Plans In 3 Markets
August 27, 2026Costco Wholesale Corporation is planning to enter the Medicare Advantage market through an expanded partnership with SCAN Health Plan. The partnership will initially offer co-branded Medicare Advantage products in two states and a Medicare Supplement (Medigap) product in a third.… -
SSA Adds 14 New Conditions To Expedited Disability Claims Program
August 27, 2026Under its Compassionate Allowances (CAL) initiative, the Social Security Administration (SSA) expanded the number of medical conditions eligible for expedited disability claim processing from 300 to 314 on August 11, 2026. The expansion comes as SSA continues efforts to reduce… -
Arizona Medicaid Spending For Supports For Children With Developmental Disabilities Increased 150% In Last Two Years
August 27, 2026Arizona Medicaid spending for attendant care and habilitation services for children with developmental disabilities reached nearly $615 million in fiscal year (FY) 2025, up 696% from approximately $77 million in FY 2019, according to a state-commissioned audit of Arizona’s Parents… -
Oncology Hospital-At-Home Program Reduced Six-Month Health Care Costs By Over $8,000 Per Consumer
August 27, 2026An oncology hospital-at-home program operated by Huntsman Cancer Institute in Utah was associated with $8,337 lower health care costs per person during the six months following an acute care episode compared with similar patients who were eligible for the program… -
Federal Court Blocks HUD Plans To Shift Funding From Supported Housing To Transitional Housing
August 27, 2026A federal court on August 7, 2026, vacated the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s (HUD) fiscal year (FY) 2026 Continuum of Care (CoC) Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO). The ruling effectively blocks implementation of proposed funding changes that… -
Indiana Medicaid To Cover GLP-1 Obesity Medications Through Federal BALANCE Model
August 27, 2026On July 30, 2026, Indiana announced that Medicaid will expand access to select glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) medications for eligible beneficiaries living with obesity through the federal Better Approaches to Lifestyle and Nutrition for Comprehensive Health (BALANCE) Model. Under the model,… -
Arkansas Requests Temporary Extension In Response To CMS Waiver Renewal Denial; Plans To Redesign ARHOME Medicaid Expansion Model
August 27, 2026Arkansas will develop a new service delivery model for its ARHOME Medicaid expansion program after the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) determined that the state’s pending waiver renewal would not comply with new federal budget-neutrality rules taking effect…