What are the potential implications for SUD and MH providers? So, Let’s Start with What Happend? Congress approved a short-term funding package to reopen the federal government after a record 43-day shutdown. The Senate moved first, followed by a narrow House vote. The President signed the bill, restoring agency operations and pay for federal employees. Reporting indicates House passage was 222–209 and that agencies are now directing staff to report and resume normal function

Safety Net at Risk: SNAP Uncertainty Deepens Behavioral Health Strain As the federal government shutdown continues, its ripple effects are reaching deeply into nutrition supports and the behavioral-health and substance-use treatment ecosystem. At the same time that frontline providers and clients are managing everyday challenges, executive-level decisions about funding and mandates are creating disruptions in programs that underpin stability and recovery. It is crucial to vie

Continuity in Care Amid Federal Restructuring As federal appropriations remain stalled and agency restructuring continues, continuity of behavioral health and addiction treatment services has never been more critical. This week, both providers and payers must prepare for shifting rules and uncertain funding, while local and state systems begin filling gaps once managed at the federal level. This Week’s Key Developments 1. Government Shutdown Continues- The shutdown that began

Focus: Substance Use and Mental Health Impacts This week begins Mental Illness Awareness Week, observed from October 5 to 11, 2025. The...

Focus: Substance Use & Mental Health Impacts What’s Happening This Week Shutdown Risks Loom Congress remains deadlocked, and without a...

Issues to Watch , State & Local Responses & Events... By Jamelia Hand MHS CADC CODP I As federal executive policy is relatively quiet...

Behavioral Health & Substance Use Policy at a Turning Point By Jamelia Hand MHS CADC CODP I What’s at Stake This week marks a critical...

Confidentiality, Compliance, and Continuity: Federal Shifts Shaping Behavioral Health by Vantage Clinical Consulting LLC What happened...

Tracking the Ripple Effects of Policy on Behavioral Health, SUD, and Systems of Care by Vantage Clinical Consulting LLC CMS Expands...

By Jamelia Hand MHS CADC CODP I "When the clinic launched its new outpatient recovery program, Jamie (a former counselor turned program...

Substance Use, Mental Health, and Corrections By: Jamelia Hand MHS CADC CODP I Across the country, critical shifts are unfolding in...

Federal Shifts in Harm Reduction Policy: Narrowed Definitions, New Guardrails By: Jamelia Hand MHS CADC CODP I Context & Developments On...

By Jamelia Hand MHS CADC CODP I Let’s imagine a patient named Maria arrives at the local ED in severe opioid withdrawal. She’s trembling,...

Federal Layoffs at HHS Begin: Ripple Effects for Mental Health and Substance Use Care By Jamelia Hand MHS CADC CODP I 📍Context & Timing...

Deepening Federal Restructuring & SAMHSA Funding Turmoil This week, the ongoing HHS reorganization under Executive Order 14210 and the...

Welcome to the first edition of “Vantage Policy Watch” , your weekly update on executive-level decisions and federal actions shaping the...

What CMS’s New AI-Driven Prior Authorization Model Could Mean for Mental Health & SUD Treatment By Jamelia Hand MHS CADC CODP I CMS’s...

By Jamelia Hand MHS CADC CODP I This week, Illinois steps forward by elevating Mental Health and Substance Use Services together. As...

By Jamelia Hand MHS CADC CODP I “We can’t always predict when relapse will happen. But like pilots preparing for turbulence, we can...

By Jamelia Hand MHS CADC CODP I Stop Just Making Referrals… Why your referral process might be harming more than helping and what to do...