A Christmas Shift, a Quiet Hallway, and a Full Heart Christmas Day at 6:45 a.m., a nurse I used to work with texted me from the parking lot of her hospital. Snow on the windshield. Coffee in hand. A knot in her stomach. Her family was already gathering at home, but she was heading in for a 12-hour shift. She wrote, “I love my work. I really do. But today feels heavier than usual.” That one message captures the reality for many healthcare professionals during the holidays. You

By Jamelia Hand MHS CADC CODP I Ms. Denise sat at the conference table clutching a folder of clinical reports that didn’t tell the whole story. She had been coordinating care for a young man with co-occurring disorders who had cycled through emergency rooms, jail, outpatient therapy, and homelessness. Each provider did their part, but no one owned the full picture. Every week, she found herself stitching together fragmented updates from hospitals, social service agencies, MCO

By Jamelia Hand MHS CADC CODP I Marcus walked into treatment determined to get his life back. After an overdose and a terrifying wake-up call, he started buprenorphine and felt stable for the first time in years. His first few months were strong. But then the real world showed up: unpredictable work hours, childcare challenges, missed rides, and eventually a missed appointment that snowballed into two. No one followed up. No one closed the loop. Marcus drifted out of care qui

When Jasmine’s manager suggested she meet with the company’s new on-site therapist, she hesitated. Working at a major airline meant her schedule was unpredictable, and she often felt stretched thin. But what stopped her wasn’t time, it was fear. “What if someone sees me walking in?” she thought. “What if my supervisor knows i’m struggling?” Jasmine’s story mirrors what many employees feel when it comes to workplace-based mental-health care. As companies like Delta, Amazon, Mi

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

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

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

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

By Jamelia Hand MHS CADC CODP I “Ms. Hand, am I doing this right?” Many years ago, a new counselor sat nervously across from me during...

By Jamelia Hand MHS CADC CODP I When I met Gina, a lead counselor at a busy outpatient clinic in Indiana, I was immediately struck by her...

By Jamelia Hand MHS CADC CODP I Dr. F was ready. She had hung up her credentials, the proper business licenses, the electronic health...

By Jamelia Hand MHS CADC CODP I Early in my career, I had the privilege of working with a gentleman who changed the way I view diagnosis...

By: Jamelia Hand MHS CADC CODP I When one of my mentees whom I will refer to as “Maya” first stepped into her role at a nonprofit...

By: Jamelia Hand MHS CADC CODP I A Patient’s Story: The Road to Recovery Looks Different for Everyone Maria had tried everything. Over...

By: Jamelia Hand MHS CADC CODP I I recently got a call from a substance use disorders treatment provider who saw my LinkedIn post about...

By Jamelia Hand MHS CADC CODP Maria sat in the cold, sterile waiting room, her hands trembling slightly. She trembled not from...

By: Jamelia Hand MHS CADC CODP I The opioid crisis has forced our healthcare industry to adapt and innovate to meet the needs of those...

By: Jamelia Hand MHS CADC CODP CEO Many years ago, I worked with a client who seemed to have everything going for her. She had a...

By Jamelia Hand CEO The wildfires currently raging in Los Angeles are devastating on many levels. Homeowners are grappling with lost...

Reflections from our CEO Jamelia Hand MHS CADC CODP In 2004, I was working as a “Chemical Dependency Counselor” on the west side of...