Thursday, March 26, 2026

Your daily dose of what matters in therapy, research, and practice.

A new analysis from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation estimates that between 5 and 10 million people could lose Medicaid coverage by 2028 under work requirements established in H.R. 1. For therapists in community mental health and those serving lower-income clients, this could mean a wave of patients losing coverage mid-treatment. Now is the time to assess your caseload exposure and explore sliding-scale options.

4 min read | Robert Wood Johnson Foundation

A sweeping review of 55 meta-analyses on adult PTSD treatment found that while most psychological interventions outperform controls at treatment endpoint, only trauma-focused CBT and EMDR demonstrated sustained benefits beyond one month post-treatment. For clinicians weighing treatment approaches, this is a strong signal to prioritize these two modalities when durable symptom relief is the goal.

12 min read | Journal of Anxiety Disorders

Researchers found that young adults with suicidal ideation process death-related concepts differently in their brains — specifically, they reflexively associate death with their own sense of self. Machine learning algorithms could distinguish suicidal from non-suicidal participants based on these neural signatures alone. While not yet clinical, this points toward a future where brain-based screening could catch what self-report measures miss.

10 min read | Human Brain Mapping

A systematic review of algorithm-guided treatments for major depressive disorder found that structured, stepwise treatment frameworks improve acute outcomes compared to treatment as usual. The takeaway for prescribers and referring therapists: when a first-line treatment isn't working, having a clear decision tree for next steps — rather than ad hoc adjustments — leads to better remission rates.

8 min read | Frontiers in Psychiatry

Joe Sanok breaks down the practical mechanics of scaling from solo to group practice — from knowing when you've hit your individual capacity ceiling to building systems that let clinicians focus on clinical work while the business runs itself. If you've been wondering whether group practice is right for you, this episode maps out the decision points most therapists get wrong.

5 min read | Practice of the Practice

Insurance companies are moving beyond network adequacy as the measure of quality and are now using outcome data to distinguish high-performing providers from underperformers. Therapeutic alliance metrics are reportedly at the top of their quality list. If you're not already tracking client outcomes systematically, this trend suggests it will increasingly affect referrals, network inclusion, and reimbursement.

5 min read | Behavioral Health Business

The Trump administration has unveiled a new payment model supporting care coordination for children in Medicaid with complex medical or behavioral health needs. For therapists working with this population, the model could mean better-funded interdisciplinary teams and more sustainable reimbursement for the kind of wraparound care these kids actually need.

4 min read | Fierce Healthcare

The Beck Institute makes a compelling clinical case for shifting the screen time conversation from "how much" to "what are they not doing?" Instead of tracking hours, therapists can help teen clients examine whether their screen habits align with their stated values — a CBT-informed reframe that gives adolescents agency rather than defensiveness. A practical tool for your next session with a teen client.

4 min read | Beck Institute

In Washington County, Utah, where affordable outpatient mental health services are scarce and suicide rates are alarmingly high, a team of volunteer counselors and psychiatrists quietly delivers over 500 free mental health visits per month — nearly half of all the clinic's patient encounters. The Doctors' Volunteer Clinic also runs Project Open Door, a walk-in crisis service for anyone experiencing a mental health emergency. No insurance required. No questions asked.

3 min read | Doctors' Volunteer Clinic

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