Much of the coverage surrounding possible over-prescription has focused on drugs like Xanax and Adderall in relation to conditions like ADHD. Dr. Benjamin Cheyette (MD, PhD), a professor Emeritus at the University of California-San Francisco and current director of ADHD services at Mindful Health Solutions, says that traditional barriers to mental healthcare are heightened for those with ADHD.  

“We don’t have enough providers. The ones that we do have aren’t available everywhere. And so there are a lot of patients who need mental health care who can’t get it because they don’t have access… That’s true across the entire mental healthcare landscape. It is further exacerbated in the case of ADHD because ADHD has traditionally, especially in adults, not been well recognized or a subject of much training for medical providers.”

Alongside issues already facing the patient population, Cheyette points to the relaxing of restrictions contained in the Ryan Haight Online Pharmacy Consumer Protection Act of 2008. 

This action, taken in early 2020^[1], was made to allow more flexibility for drugs—like Adderall, which falls under the purview of the DEA as a controlled substance—to be prescribed to patients via telehealth. That decision meant, as Cheyette puts it, that “the genie was out of the bottle,” as much as some in the field may wish to return to previous norms two year late. 

Alongside those possible side effects—as Cheyette says, “there’s no free lunch” when it comes to medications—is a real concern that when the appointments don’t have a fully formed patient-practitioner relationship attached to them, certain warning signs may be missed. 

Without that in-person element tests related to blood pressure, EKG’s, and other tools meant to check for other drugs in a patient’s system, are likely to go by the wayside. Despite these concerns, Cheyette believes that a portion of the dialogue around these platforms is absent.  

“They’re meeting a need. There is a real value that they’re adding by providing access to patients who can’t get it, and that is getting a little bit lost in this conversation, perhaps. Why did this happen? Well, it’s because there are patients out there who need help, who weren’t getting it before.” 

Cheyette believes that the responsibility now falls on broader organizations that oversee medical practitioners to formalize a set of standards for the online delivery of mental healthcare.

“What should be appropriate standards of care, and management of patients on a virtual platform? That is a general medical question that I think all of American medicine and worldwide medicine has to now grapple with.” 

Source:
¹ Baney L, Brady J, Stevenson SL. The Future of Telehealth and the Ryan Haight Act Post-Pandemic. National Association of Boards of Pharmacy. Published April 22, 2021.

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Now that we’ve acquired Huddle Care’s line of services, we’re able to add to the therapy sessions and mental health classes we’ve been providing for both individuals and groups. Right now, we still offer our existing portfolio of services, such as electroconvulsive therapy, medication management, transcranial magnetic stimulation, and esketamine prescription nasal spray. By acquiring Huddle Care, Mindful Health Solutions (MHS) will now also be able to offer one-on-one psychotherapy sessions and psychotherapy classes.

What Will Huddle Care Provide?

The founder of Huddle Care, Maggie Perry, PsyD, will be joining our senior management team. She will be directing the new offerings and working with us to grow and develop more helpful options for a larger number of people in the Los Angeles area. Meeting the unique needs of more patients in the area is very important to us at MHS, and there will be additional therapists hired as necessary. That way, Huddle Care and MHS can continue to grow together, and provide more value to our patients.

We’ve already started to add a limited number of services, since we partnered with Huddle Care back in the latter part of July. As we move forward, though, we’ll continue to announce more services. These will be rolled out in stages, in order to make sure they can be fully addressed and implemented properly. We’re working hard to handle issues with insurance eligibility, too. But we’re not quite there yet. Right now, Huddle Care is only available to MHS patients who have Cigna Insurance, or who can pay out of pocket.

That should change in the future, because we’re working through the credentialing process with Huddle Care right now. That means that Huddle will eventually have in-network status with more insurance providers. MHS’ ultimate goal is to make sure that we can expand psychotherapy treatment to every patient who’s in need. Unfortunately, right now we don’t yet have that option. We also don’t know how long it will take to get credentialed, but we’re moving that process forward as quickly as possible.

Using the Universal Protocol

Among the most exciting things about this partnership and the resulting expansion, is that Huddle Care is incorporating the Universal Protocol (UP) as a way to help our patients who need treatment for depression and/or anxiety. UP is a kind of CBT (cognitive behavioral therapy) that’s tailored specifically to depression and anxiety. The treatment of emotional disorders can really help patients get back to living their lives, and is a great way for Huddle Care to add value to our MHS patients.

The Universal Protocol was developed by researchers at Boston University’s Center for Anxiety and Related Disorders, and led by Dr. David Barlow. It works by teaching patients about new and healthier ways they can use to respond to emotions that they find uncomfortable. Getting control of those emotions can lead to better functionality and a clearer path forward in life. The UP is a transdiagnostic treatment and offers a wide range of applications.

While this treatment works well for panic attacks and impulsive behaviors, it’s also a good choice for treating obsessive thoughts and compulsions. Cognitive therapy, behavioral therapy, and mindfulness are just some of the modalities that this approach combines, in an effort to bring the highest level of value to patients who need it most. At Mindful Health Solutions, we’re very proud to be able to partner with Huddle Care and bring this kind of help and support to more of our patients.

The Value of a Strong Partnership

We offer patients help from dedicated and skilled mental health professionals, and focus on treating everyone who comes through our doors with compassion and respect. It can be very difficult to navigate everyday life when mental illness is trying to hold you back, and we want to make sure we can reduce those difficulties as much as possible. If you have medication needs, or are looking for other types of treatment, we’re here to help. We also take all major insurance, so you can get the support you need.

One of our strongest treatment options is TMS, which is a very effective therapy for clinical depression. It’s used to stimulate nerve cells in the brain, through the use of magnetic fields. It can be used in combination with lifestyle changes, antidepressants, and psychotherapy. It’s also FDA-approved, and it’s non-invasive and covered through most insurance carriers. Our treatment options provide help and hope to a lot of residents in and around the Los Angeles area.

But now that Mindful Health Solutions is partnering with Huddle Care, you have more options when searching for psychiatry near you. Huddle Care handles emotional disorders, and is dedicated to helping people who want to live lives that are healthier and more meaningful. By working closely with them, MHS can help more patients accept the feelings, thoughts and sensations they’re experiencing, and learn to process them in a way that’s healthier, too. That can lead to positive life changes, and a better future.

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