HEAL Workshop: Health Economics Research to Address the Needs of Those With Serious Mental Illness, Substance Use Disorder, and Comorbid Conditions

Thu, 5/22/2025 - 9:30am - 3:30pm

Overview

This virtual workshop will be held on May 22, 2025, from 9:30 a.m.– 3:30 p.m. ET, cohosted by the NIH HEAL Initiative, the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), and the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH). Registration is open to the public.

The workshop will provide a forum for partners to engage with health economic researchers to share findings and identify opportunities for rigorous health economics research to help meet the service needs of those with both serious mental illness and substance use disorder (SUD). See agenda below.

We encourage engagement of researchers, advocacy organizations, health system and community treatment providers, federal partners, policymakers, individuals with lived or living experience with SUD and serious mental illness, and others interested in supporting cost-effective and quality care.

If you previously registered for this workshop (originally scheduled for February 14), you may enter your name and email and skip all remaining questions.

Topics include:

  • Economic Evaluation Approaches
  • Financing and Delivery Models
  • Special Populations
  • Integrating Treatment
  • Partner Engagement and Lived Experience Methods
  • Reflections on New Directions

Speakers and facilitators will include subject matter experts, dissemination and implementation partners, and federal staff. There will be opportunity for discussion and to ask questions.

Register Now

9:30-10:00 a.m. ET

Welcome and Introduction: Definition and review of the utility of health economics approaches in addressing key practice challenges in preventing and treating mental illness, substance use disorder, overdose, and comorbid conditions.

Research Interests in Health Economics in Addressing Substance Use and Overdose
Nora Volkow, MD, Director, National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA)

Research Interests in Health Economics in Mental Health
Susan Koester, PhD, Acting Deputy Director, National Institute of Mental Health

Workshop Overview

  • Jennifer Humensky, Ph.D., Chief, Financing and Managed Care Research Program, Division of Services and Intervention Research, NIMH
  • Leonardo Cubillos, M.D., M.P.H., Director, Center for Global Mental Health Research, NIMH
     

10:00-10:45 a.m. ET

Economic Evaluation Approaches: Informing decisions about the selection and implementation of evidence-based interventions.

Economic Evaluation of Approaches for Co-Occurring Opioid Use and Mental Health Disorders 
Presentations

  • Economic Evaluation of Programs to Support Treatment Access and Recovery for Co-Occurring Opioid Use and Mental Health Disorders, With Consideration of CMS Billing     Strategies
    David Smelson, Psy.D., University of Massachusetts, and Todd Olmstead, Ph.D., M.S., Cornell University
  • Economic Evaluation of Collaborative Care for OUD and Mental Health Conditions
    Freya Nezir, Ph.D., University of Pennsylvania

Economic Evaluation of Implementation Strategies 
Presentation

  • Economic Evaluation of Implementation Strategies for the Treatment of Mental Health and Substance Use Disorders
    Lisa Saldana, Ph.D., Chestnut Health Systems, Inc. 

Panel Discussion
Facilitators

  • Erika Crable, Ph.D., M.P.H., University of California San Diego
  • Ranga Krishnan, M.B., Ch.B., Rush University 
     

10:45am -12:00 p.m. ET

Financing and Delivery Models: Understanding and addressing access to evidenced-based treatment services through alternative payment models and financing strategies.

Payment Policy
Presentations

  • US Payment Policy for Medications to Treat Opioid Use Disorder: Landscape and Opportunities
    Beth McGinty, Ph.D., M.S., Weill Cornell Medicine
  • New Evidence on Impacts of Medicaid Value-Based Payment Policies among Adults with Serious Mental Illness
    Marcela Horvitz-Lennon, M.D., M.P.H., RAND
  • Integrating Provider Organization Perspectives in Developing Payment Strategies
    Yuhua Bao, Ph.D., M.A., Cornell University

Delivery Reform
Presentations

  • The Role of Medicaid 1115 Serious Mental Illness Waivers on Healthcare Utilization
    John McConnell, Ph.D., M.S., M.A., Oregon Health and Science University
  • Health Insurance Coverage, Parity Laws, Care for Perinatal Mood and Anxiety Disorder, and Delivery Outcomes
    Kara Zivin, Ph.D., M.S., M.A., M.F.A., University of Michigan 

Workforce
Presentations

  • The Mental Health Provider Landscape and Access to Care
    Nicole Maestas, Ph.D., M.P.P., Harvard Medical School

Panel Discussion
Facilitators

  • Mary Giliberti, J.D., National Alliance on Mental Illness
     

12:00–12:15 p.m. ET

Break

 

12:15–1:10 p.m. ET

Special Populations: Understanding and addressing the needs of special populations with serious mental illness and substance use disorder.


Justice
Presentation

  • Health Economic Analyses of the Justice Community Opioid Innovation Network (JCOIN)
    Sean Murphy, Ph.D., M.A., Weill Cornell Medicine

Medicaid Enrollees
Presentation

  • Effects of Provider Networks on Medicaid Enrollees With Mental Health Conditions
    Jane Zhu, M.D., M.P.P., M.S.H.P., Oregon Health and Science University

Adolescents 
Presentation

  • Adolescent Treatment Access and Cost Burden
    Scott Hadland, M.D., M.P.H., M.S., Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School

Social Determinant Policy Interventions 
Presentation

  • The Impacts of Paid Sick Leave on Mental Health Care Service Use
    Catherine Maclean, Ph.D., M.A., George Mason University

Panel Discussion
Facilitators

  • Shannon Biello, M.P.H., Shatterproof
     

1:10–2:05 p.m. ET

Integrating Treatment: Understanding health economic barriers, challenges, and opportunities for integrating substance use and mental health treatment in community services and with primary care.

Care Integration
Presentations

  • Expanding Access to Medications for Opioid Use Disorder Through Primary Care, Mental Health, and Pain Clinics
    Adam Gordon, M.D., M.P.H., University of Utah School of Medicine
  • Accountable Care Organizations (ACOs), Payment, and Delivery Reform for Substance Use Disorder and Mental Health to Support Behavioral Health-Traditional Health System Integration
    Ellen Meara, Ph.D., Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health
  • The Medicare Quality Payment Program and Access to Evidence-Based Treatment for Depression and Anxiety in Primary Care
    Kenton Johnston, Ph.D., M.P.H., M.S., Washington University

Telehealth
Presentation

  • Expanding Access to Mental Health and Substance Use Disorder Treatment Through Telehealth
    Ateev Mehrotra, M.D, M.P.H.,Brown University

Panel Discussion
Facilitators

  • Kristin Kroeger, American Psychiatric Association
     

2:05–2:20 p.m. ET

Break

 

2:20–3:05 p.m. ET

Experiences of Persons with Lived Experiences and Families: Incorporating stakeholder perspectives and insights and needs of persons with lived and living experience to identify approaches with potential to enhance service access. 
 

Patient Engagement Panels 
Presentation

  • Engaging With Individuals With Living Experience Through the Heal Connections Lived Experience Panels to Understand Barriers and Facilitators of Treatment for OUD and Co-Occurring Mental Health Conditions
    Ashli Sheidow, Ph.D., Chestnut Health Systems, Inc.

Parents and Families Experiences with Health insurance
Presentation

  • Effect of Medicaid Accountable Care Organizations on Behavioral Health Care Quality and Outcomes for Children
    Kimberley Geissler, Ph.D., Baystate Health
  • The 2021 Child Tax Credit Advance Payments and Effects on Mental Health for Adolescents and their Caregivers
    Laura Chavez, Ph.D., Nationwide Children’s Hospital

Panel Discussion
Facilitators

  • Nasim Sabounchi, Ph.D., M.S., City University of New York
  • Kelly Davis, M.S., Mental Health America

 

3:05–3:30 p.m. ET

Reflections on New Directions: Identifying innovative directions and resources for advancing the field.

Panel Discussion
Facilitators

  • Sierra Castedo De Martell, Ph.D., NIDA
  • Bruce Schackman, Ph.D., M.B.A., Weill Cornell Medicine

 

Thank You

  • Jennifer Humensky, Ph.D., M.P.P., NIMH
  • Leonardo Cubillos, M.D., M.P.H., NIMH

For More Information, Contact:

Sonya Sutton, sonya.sutton@duke.edu

Jennifer Humensky, Jennifer.humensky@nih.gov