Mental Health & Addiction
Promoting behavioral health integration to improve outcomes
Capitol Hill Briefing on Paying for Outcomes in Addiction Recovery Services (February 26, 2020).
Numerous factors – federal and state legislative changes, incentives for payers and providers to integrate behavioral and physical health, and increasing demand for services – are changing the way mental health and addiction services are paid for and delivered. Third Horizon Strategies understands how each of these factors presents both opportunities and challenges for providers, policy makers, payers, and patients alike. Too often health systems are not poised with the work force capacity, infrastructure, or financial incentive to provide comprehensive care to individuals across the behavioral health spectrum. Since 2018, the firm’s leadership has supported the work of the Alliance for Addiction Payment Reform – an alliance focused on developing strategies to establish a structure that promotes an integrated treatment and recovery network. The firm helps organizations identify innovative care models and form nontraditional partnerships to promote community behavioral health and integration, improve health outcomes, and drive down the total cost of care.
Thought Leadership
Greg Williams Talks with Health News Illinois About “Tipping the Pain Scale”
Third Horizon Strategies Managing Director Greg Williams talked with Health News Illinois about “Tipping the Pain Scale" – a new documentary films that tells the story of the opioid epidemic through the perspectives of individuals who are working at different layers...
Biden’s Strategy to Address National Mental Health Crisis Includes Promising Policy Solutions for Veterans
Our nation’s behavioral health care delivery system continues to struggle to meet the dire needs of veterans and active-duty military members. Last year, the Government Accountability Office reported that the number of veterans seeking mental health services from the...
Improving Eating Disorder Detection and Treatment
February 21- 27 is National Eating Disorders Awareness Week. This week we call much needed attention to eating disorders, some of the most complex and difficult to treat behavioral health conditions. Eating disorders are a group of mental illnesses that include...
Standing in the Fire: A Reflection on Two Years in a Pandemic
In March, 2020, our CEO David Smith authored a letter to the health care industry. In it, he called upon all of us to recognize the moment of crisis in the earliest days of the COVID-19 national emergency. He encouraged us to support ourselves – and one another – by...
Addressing Behavioral Health Needs Among Older Adults
The Pew Research Center estimates that 22 percent of the U.S. population in 2050 will consist of adults 65 and older. As adults age, they face specific risk factors that increase their chances of behavioral health challenges. For example, older adults experience...
Taking Stock: Employer Investments in Mental Health Care
Written by: Heba Alsheikh & Cheryl Matochik Mental health issues inside the workplace have been on the rise for over a decade. The World Health Organizations declared that depression is the leading cause of disability worldwide. Yet, there has been a historic...
Prediction: Payers, states, and communities will continue to shift resources to better address health equity and social determinants of health
Written by Sara Moscato Howe and Tym Rourke Health care systems have long known that health outcomes are heavily influenced by both individual abilities to access quality care and the ways in which environments either enhance or detract from overall health. Moving...
Prediction: Pediatric behavioral health will be top of mind in 2022
During the month of January, Third Horizon Strategies will publish a four-part blog series sharing predictions for behavioral health in 2022. Today's piece focuses on pediatric behavioral health. Check back weekly for additional insights regarding states' roles in...
Tips to Support Wellbeing, Courtesy of the Third Horizon Strategies Mental Health Experts
The COVID-19 pandemic has introduced a new level of uncertainty into our daily lives. Every day, we make choices about what to do, where to go, who to see, and when and how to engage in such activity to keep ourselves and others safe. During the holidays, there are...
By Design: The Addiction Treatment Gap
It’s the holiday season and for nearly 66 percent of Americans with private health insurance that means their insurance coverage might be finally kicking in and paying some of their 2021 health care bills! Elective surgeries boom this time of year, and doctors plan...
What We Do
Advocacy
Convene coalitions and partnerships to inform and advance mental health and addiction policies
Customized Coaching
Offer customized coaching and support to help clients accelerate system changes necessary to provide high quality, coordinated care and achieve organizational sustainability
Education
Identify and disseminate best practices through learning collaboratives, issue briefs, thought leadership, webinars, and reports
Market Insights
Conduct environmental scans, focus groups and key informant interviews to ascertain gaps, demand, and opportunities to enhance mental health and addiction prevention and treatment
Greg Williams
Managing Partner
Greg is a health policy consultant and communications specialist, providing strategic oversight and direction to numerous initiatives. Greg has over a decade of experience working with non-profits and government agencies on addiction. Most notably, Greg manages the Alliance for Addiction Payment Reform, a national collaboration aimed at improving outcomes for patients, payers, and health systems, and served as a managing editor of the Addiction Recovery Medical Home Alternative Payment Model.
Explore our other specialties
Community Development
Advancing the health and vitality of our most vulnerable communities
Insurance
Partnering with action-oriented commercial insurance entities to redesign how we minimize risk and maximize the health of organizations and individuals
Health Care
Charting a path for all individuals, families, and communities to achieve optimal health