We’re so pleased to introduce Meredith Elkins as The Kennedy Forum’s new Chief Communications Officer!Meredith brings more than 20 years of marketing and communications experience to The Kennedy Forum – as a leader, educator, and storyteller. Most recently she served as Easterseals New Hampshire’s Senior Vice President of Marketing and Communications, where she led organizational communications … Continued
As The Kennedy Forum begins our 10th year, we’re eager to build on recent victories to advance the creation of mental health and substance use systems that work for every American. The need has never been greater: the aftermath of the pandemic, economic uncertainty, and other social challenges have resulted in higher incidents of substance use … Continued
Perhaps one of the biggest mental health challenges for kids and adolescents is the pressure of the “ideal” body weight. With a new year comes a renewed surge in extreme dieting and weight loss practices. The holidays – with all of their food and festivities – can be a difficult time for those actively navigating … Continued
The Kennedy Forum continues to call on Congress to include key mental health and addiction priorities in a year-end omnibus package. With alarming trends in youth mental health, overdoses, and suicide, Congress must act now to address our country’s mental health and addiction crisis. At minimum, Congress needs to pass the bipartisan reforms that have … Continued
The Kennedy Forum is pleased to announce the release of our new brief, “Ensuring Coverage of Behavioral Health Emergency Services.” In the brief we break down policy options that will guarantee insurance coverage for the full range of behavioral health emergency services, examine a case study from Washington State, and outline model legislation. Currently, commercial insurance doesn’t … Continued
Congress Must Act for Mental Health During Lame Duck Session The U.S. Congress is in a “lame duck” session between the midterm elections and the beginning of the new Congress, but there are still several critical mental health bills that have yet to be passed. The Kennedy Forum has joined our Mental Health Liaison Group partners in calling on … Continued
Dental cleanings can become lifelines to children struggling with mental health As a parent, and a former teacher, I wholeheartedly believe that it does indeed take a village to raise our children, particularly as they face mental health challenges throughout their lives. It’s with that in mind that I have found how important dental health … Continued
October 17-21 is Sound the Alarm for Kids’Week of Action. One year ago, the Children’s Hospital Association, American Academy of Pediatrics, and American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry declared the kids’ mental health crisis a national emergency and launched the Sound the Alarm for Kids campaign. To commemorate the anniversary, this Week of Action offers a series … Continued
Amy Kennedy’s latest blog post addresses the phenomenon of mental health providers who appear on insurance directories but are not actually available to provide services. “The frustration caused by such ‘false advertising’ forces many people to give up and consequently deplete their savings to pay out of pocket for treatment, or worse, forgo critical care altogether.” The Kennedy Forum is … Continued
By Amy Kennedy Parents attempting to secure mental health care for their children face countless challenges these days, one of which is the very real predicament of “phantom” providers—licensed counselors, social workers, psychologists, and other clinicians who are listed in health plan directories, but not actually available due to death, a change in status regarding … Continued
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