inseparable

For this year's Pulse Check, our partners at Count on Mothers asked 2,818 moms how they're really doing.

Half said caring for their own mental health has been hard this past month, rising to 78% among moms whose child could only get support after significant barriers. They still trust schools more than any other institution, even as 45% struggle to reach a counselor there. And across the political spectrum, 77% want social media and AI companies held legally responsible for protecting kids.

Swipe through what mothers told us, and read the full report: https://inseparable.us/pulsecheck

Whether your health plan covers your care should be decided by a qualified professional trained to make that call. More and more, it isn't. Insurers are turning to algorithms and AI-powered review tools to evaluate claims. When a machine drives a denial, patients can go without care they need while their clinicians spend hours fighting to get it back.

Today, Inseparable and 45 leading mental health and medical organizations sent a letter supporting the bipartisan Doctors Not AI Act, introduced by Rep. Greg Landsman, Congressman Buddy Carter, Congresswoman Kim Schrier, and Rep. Tom Barrett. The bill would keep AI in a supporting role and require a person to take a real look at each patient's circumstances. It would also make sure people know when AI played a part in reviewing their care.

Technology can help make health care work better for everyone, but AI should never be deciding who gets care.

🔗 Read the full letter: https://insact.us/3ThFgbU

A generation of kids grew up on platforms built to keep them scrolling. States argued that the companies behind those platforms knew the toll it was taking on young people’s mental health. Now, Meta has agreed to pay billions of dollars to settle those claims.

These dollars were recovered because young people were harmed, which is exactly why they should be invested in their health and wellbeing.

Together with the Fund IRL Coalition, we developed model legislation that helps states protect settlement dollars in a dedicated fund, give youth and families a voice in how they’re spent, and invest in what helps kids thrive. That means mental health care and crisis support, afterschool programs and mentors, time outdoors, and safer online engagement, with every dollar tracked and reported so the public can see where it goes.

View our model legislation: https://insact.us/4xO0Xyf

Leader John Thune is right. The safeguards Meta agreed to in the recent $17.1B settlement should be everywhere young people spend their time, and the Kids Online Safety Act would help make that happen.

The bill, led by Senators Blackburn and Blumenthal, has champions on both sides of the aisle, and it would give families the tools they have been asking for at a moment when kids need them most. It’s time for the Senate to vote.

Too many people can't find a therapist when they need one. Long wait times and shrinking provider networks aren't just frustrating; they're driving people to skip treatment altogether.

151 million Americans live in a mental health professional shortage area. In 88% of states, therapists earn less than physician assistants, pushing providers out of network and out of the field.

This shortage isn't inevitable. Simpler licensing rules, fair pay, and more ways to train new providers would make a difference. States just need to put them into practice.

Swipe through for five things to know about bolstering the mental health workforce.

Commissioner Kevin Tanner talks how 988 connects people to the emergency care they need, when they need it 👀

Link to article: https://insact.us/4xuKpLB

Last week, Inseparable's Mental Health Policy Academy brought together a bipartisan group of 25 policymakers from 11 states.

Over two days, they explored strategies to better support our youth, make care easier to access, and grow the workforce their communities count on.

The Policy Academy gives policymakers room to compare notes across state lines and learn from leading experts. They leave with research, tools, and policy ideas they can put to work right away. It's one way Inseparable works with states to make mental health care easier to get and easier to afford.

Thank you to this terrific group for the rich conversations and fresh ideas. We can't wait to see what they build back home.

Swipe to see the highlights.

Minnesota is getting $200M+ from Meta because kids were harmed online. That money belongs to those kids, not the general fund. Our partner Su***de Awareness Voices of Education makes the case for locking it in for mental health and su***de prevention. Read here → https://insact.us/4hgkPEd