Report provides two distinct views of behavioral healthcare delivery

Behavioral healthcare systems are playing a major role in responding to the needs of the millions of Americans of all ages who experience psychiatric and substance use conditions each year, according to the latest annual survey from the National Association of Psychiatric Health Systems (NAPHS) released today. Data were analyzed and reported by Dobson DaVanzo & Associates, LLC, Vienna, VA.

The new NAPHS Annual Survey reports 2010 data that was collected in 2011 and issued in 2012. The report provides two distinct views of behavioral healthcare delivery. One chapter provides a trend analysis that looks at changes from year to year in hospitals and residential treatment centers reporting over a two-year period. Another chapter provides national averages to give a snapshot of members' experiences in the reporting year. This chapter also presents selected data by set-up-and-staffed bed categories to help organizations compare their own experiences to those of facilities of a similar size.

"This year's NAPHS Annual Survey shows that demand for behavioral health services has continued to increase for all levels of care," said NAPHS President/CEO Mark Covall. "At the same time that our members have responded to community needs by adding hospital beds to accommodate the most seriously ill, occupancy has also continued to increase. This shows the critical need that exists for mental health and substance use services for Americans of all ages," he said.

Inpatient hospital admissions increased 7.1% from 2009 to 2010 (to an average of 2,883) in facilities reporting in both years. Hospital occupancy in facilities reporting both years increased 5.5% (to an average of 73.0% in 2010). Hospital length of stay remained stable at 9.1 days.

The survey also demonstrates great diversity of levels of care and payer sources for children, adolescents, adults, and older adults experiencing mental and substance use disorders. In addition to hospital-level care, NAPHS-member facilities provide residential treatment, partial hospitalization, and outpatient care. Payer sources include Medicaid, Medicare, private insurance, state governments, and others such as juvenile justice systems.