TJC & CMS News Blog
Information for BH Organizations
To read articles written prior to January 2015, please view our Newsletter Archive.
Beyond Discharge: Psychiatric Hospitals Demonstrate Compliance in Continuity of Care
Continuity of care is the hospital's consistent and coordinated provision of services to a patient over time, across different healthcare settings and providers. When done properly, it improves patient outcomes, reduces costs, and increases patient satisfaction. While...
Resilience in Behavioral Health Care – A Core Operational Requirement
Prefer Video? Video (6 min) Prefer a Podcast? Podcast (6 min) In today’s demanding behavioral health care landscape, resilience has evolved from a desirable trait into a core operational competency. For leaders of Community Behavioral Health (CBH) agencies and...
Parity in Behavioral Healthcare: What Community Behavioral Health Leaders Need to Know
Even with the 2024 rule on hold (see the APA stance below), CBHC leaders have powerful tools to press payers, strengthen contracts, and protect access. Prefer to watch this short video instead of reading? Go to the 6 minutes video version! Parity in Behavioral...
The Leadership Imperative in Behavioral Health
When working with Behavioral Health Organizations nationwide, one pattern stands out: having the most resources doesn't drive success, instead it's by having the strongest leaders. Leadership determines whether staff remain engaged or choose to leave, and whether...
Measuring What Matters: Raising the Bar on Behavioral Healthcare Outcomes
Community behavioral health providers face a growing challenge: not just delivering care under resource constraints, but proving its impact. Measuring outcomes has long been standard in physical health—blood pressure, blood sugar, cholesterol—but in behavioral health,...
AI Chatbots in Behavioral Health and Acute Psychiatric
The integration of AI chatbots into Community Behavioral Health (CBH) and acute psychiatric care offers a powerful opportunity to extend support and ease workforce strain, but it requires careful navigation of significant risks. Key Considerations Benefits: Chatbots...
Telehealth Accreditation Today – For Community Behavioral Health (CBH) Providers
Telehealth has moved far beyond its pandemic-era roots. Today, it's not just an option, it's a necessity. For community-based behavioral health providers, virtual care has expanded access, reduced no-shows, and brought services to patients who might otherwise go...
EmPATH Units: Redefining Emergency Psychiatric Care
The U.S. mental health crisis is placing unprecedented strain on emergency departments (EDs). Yet traditional EDs are ill-equipped for patients in acute psychiatric distress—leading to delays in care, increased safety risks, and long boarding times. According to the...
Avoiding Survey Setbacks: Informed Consent and Complaint Resolution for Community Behavioral Health and Human Services Surveys
Accreditation surveys frequently reveal gaps in informed consent procedures and complaint/grievance processes. Such deficiencies can result in citations and threaten the facility's accredited status. Therefore, proactive assessments, staff training, and ongoing...
Accreditation 360 Simplified: Your Guide for Behavioral Health & Psych Hospitals
The Joint Commission (TJC) is leading some of the most significant transformations we've seen in decades. Their "Accreditation 360" initiative, the most substantial update since 1965, signals a profound shift. It's designed to ease administrative burdens, sharpen the...