Rural Health
News by Topic: Behavioral health

DEA: Expansion of Buprenorphine Treatment via Telemedicine Encounter and Continuity of Care via Telemedicine for Veterans Affairs Patients Federal Register

Feb 19, 2025 - Notice from the Drug Enforcement Administration and U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) delaying the January 17, 2025, final rules titled "Expansion of Buprenorphine Treatment via Telemedicine Encounter" and "Continuity of Care via Telemedicine for Veterans Affairs Patients" in accordance with the January 20, 2025, presidential memorandum titled "Regulatory Freeze Pending Review." These final rules will now be effective March 21, 2025. Comments regarding the delayed effective date are due by February 28, 2025.

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Comments Requested on Mobile Crisis Team Services: An Implementation Toolkit Draft

Jan 21, 2025 - Request for comments on a draft of the Mobile Crisis Team Services: An Implementation Toolkit. The document offers guidance and resources to plan, implement, and maintain mobile crisis teams supporting mental health and substance use-related behavioral health crises and includes rural-specific considerations. Comments are accepted through March 21, 2025.

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DEA, HHS: Continuity of Care via Telemedicine for Veterans Affairs Patients Federal Register

Jan 17, 2025 - Notice of final rule from the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) authorizing the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) healthcare practitioners acting within the scope of their VA employment to prescribe controlled substances via telemedicine to a VA patient with whom they have not conducted an in-person medical evaluation. VA practitioners can prescribe controlled substances to VA patients if another VA practitioner has previously conducted an in-person medical evaluation of the VA patient at any time, subject to certain conditions. This final rule is effective February 18, 2025.

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DEA, HHS: Expansion of Buprenorphine Treatment via Telemedicine Encounter Federal Register

Jan 17, 2025 - Notice of final rule from the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) amending their regulations to increase access to buprenorphine treatment for opioid use disorders (OUD) through a telemedicine encounter. This rule expands the circumstances under which individual providers are authorized to prescribe buprenorphine for OUD via telemedicine, including an audio-only telemedicine encounter. This final rule is effective February 18, 2025.

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DEA: Special Registrations for Telemedicine and Limited State Telemedicine Registrations Federal Register

Jan 17, 2025 - Notice of proposed rulemaking from the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) proposing regulatory changes aimed at expanding patient access to controlled substance medications via telemedicine while mitigating the risks of diversion associated with such expansion. Proposed changes would establish a Special Registration framework and authorize three types of Special Registration that would allow more comprehensive prescribing, including prescribing of Schedule II and narcotic and non-narcotic controlled substances in limited circumstances, by properly registered physicians and mid-level practitioners and dispensing by online telemedicine platforms that constitute covered online telemedicine platforms. Comments are due by March 18, 2025.

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College of Pharmacy Receives $1M+ Grant to Combat Opioid Epidemic

Jan 15, 2025 - Announces a new grant to combat the opioid epidemic in rural Georgia by training, supporting, and compensating 50 rural pharmacists in dispensing naloxone in addition to community education regarding local resources. Describes increases in overdose deaths and the use of fentanyl in Georgia.

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CMS: Medicare and Medicaid Programs: Hospital Outpatient Prospective Payment and Ambulatory Surgical Center Payment Systems; Quality Reporting Programs, Including the Hospital Inpatient Quality Reporting Program; Health and Safety Standards for Obstetrical Services in Hospitals and Critical Access Hospitals; Prior Authorization; Requests for Information; Medicaid and CHIP Continuous Eligibility; Medicaid Clinic Services Four Walls Exceptions; Individuals Currently or Formerly in Custody of Penal Authorities; Revision to Medicare Special Enrollment Period for Formerly Incarcerated Individuals; and All-Inclusive Rate Add-On Payment for High-Cost Drugs Provided by Indian Health Service and Tribal Facilities; Correcting Amendment Federal Register

Jan 13, 2025 - Notice from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) making technical and typographic corrections to the November 27, 2024, final rule. This correcting amendment is effective January 8, 2025, and is applicable beginning January 1, 2025.

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NY Veterans Have Higher Disability Rates, but They're Seeking More Help, Too.

Jan 13, 2025 - Highlights a new report on mental healthcare awareness among and access for veterans in New York. Discusses reductions in stigma, rural community focused networks, rural culture, and telehealth.

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Study Examines Links Between Opioid Epidemic and Rural Homelessness

Jan 13, 2025 - Outlines the findings of a new study on the relationship between opioid use and homelessness in rural populations. Discusses the difficulty of accurately counting the number of homeless individuals in rural areas, and how this can lead to inadequate allocations of funding and resources.

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Who Needs Dry January More: Rural or Urban Drinkers?

Jan 10, 2025 - Analyzes Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) data to discuss alcohol habits by region and rurality. Notes the challenges with measuring alcohol habits in surveys relying on self-reported health measures.

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