How to Allow Your Kids to Stay Connected and Protected: Strategies for Healthy Social Media Use in Schools and Homes

Over the last few years, as my boys became adolescents and entered high school (right smack in the middle of the COVID pandemic), as a parent and a psychiatrist, I have witnessed firsthand the impact of smartphones and social media. There has been a flurry of articles on this topic as well...

Empowering Patients through Accessible Electronic Health Records: Benefits and Challenges

The integration of digital technology in healthcare has ushered in a new era of patient empowerment, providing an unprecedented level of engagement and autonomy in managing one’s health by enabling easier access to electronic health records (EHRs). This transformation has significantly altered...

Enhancing Geriatric Behavioral Health: Best-Practices and Technology-Assisted Care Solutions

As the United States grapples with the realities of an aging population, the importance of adapting our health and social service system of care to meet the needs of older adults has never been more critical. In 2020, approximately one in six people in the U.S. were aged 65 or over, highlighting a...

Overdose Safety in Older Adults: The Critical Role of Zero Overdose

The United States is grappling with an escalating public health crisis as overdose deaths continue to rise, and recent data underscores a distressing rise in opioid misuse and related overdose deaths among older adults. In NYC, there was a staggering 12% rise in overdose deaths in 2022 alone,...

Addressing the Adolescent Behavioral Health Crisis

Over the last year I have been writing about the growing public health crisis of behavioral health challenges among adolescents and young adults, especially BIPOC and LGBTQ+ youth. The United Hospital Fund (UHF), in collaboration with the Boston Consulting Group (BCG), recently released The...

Revolutionizing Healthcare: The Future of Integrated Care for All

In a landmark move, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), through CMS, announced on January 19, 2024 the Innovation in Behavioral Health (IBH) Model. This initiative is a game-changer in healthcare, especially for underserved and marginalized communities where health disparities...

Game-Changers: Expanding Access to Substance Use Disorder Treatment in 2024

Substance use disorders (SUD) and overdose deaths remain a serious public health concern: prevalence rates, particularly opioids and fentanyl, and the provisional data on drug overdose deaths continue to climb. These statistics underscore the importance of prevention and access to treatment for...

Recovery Reimagined: Integrating Housing and Employment Support

Stable housing and meaningful employment support are cornerstones in the recovery process for any individual struggling with mental illness and/or substance use disorders. Within our healthcare system, these must be seen as basic needs that provide stability, purpose, and a sense of agency –...

Substance Use Disorder Prevention and Treatment Services: A Social Justice and Health Equity Perspective

Substance Use Disorders (SUDs) present a complex and multifaceted public health challenge that disproportionately affects marginalized communities, exacerbating existing health disparities and social inequities. These marginalized populations encompass groups facing social, economic, and structural...

Access for All: Achieving Behavioral Health Equity in Healthcare

Health equity is a fundamental principle that aims to ensure that all individuals have an equal opportunity to achieve optimal health, regardless of their social or economic circumstances. Behavioral health equity refers to the fair and just distribution of behavioral health resources, supports,...