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Welcome to The Census, your biweekly roundup of what matters in behavioral health care.

Today, we’re breaking down:

• New data released on the real cost of OUD

• Your latest news headlines in under two minutes

Let’s dive in.

- Shân

P.S. Yep, this newsletter is a day early. We wanted to get this new opioid use data to you quickly, so we ramped up our schedule.

What we’re watching this week 

💸 Opioid use disorder is not only a public health problem — it’s an economic one

New numbers, released yesterday, show it costs on average ~$700k to treat each patient, amounting to ~$4 trillion in 2024.

Here’s what you need to know:

1. Opioid use disorder treatment costs vary widely by region. 

At the bottom end is Idaho, at $419k per case. Washington, DC, tops the list at $2.4M per patient. Several states, including West Virginia and Ohio, sit in between, with the cost per patient averaging $1M.

• This includes health insurance costs, lost productivity, and property lost to crime

• Limited treatment access is one of the main factors driving up costs across states

2. Treatment can reduce these costs by more than 40%. 

Behavioral therapy alone lowers treatment expenses by ~$144k per case. And behavioral therapy alongside long-acting injectable buprenorphine generates ~$295k savings per case, the biggest cost-saver of the options Avalere analyzed.

Yes, but: Access to OUD medication remains a major hurdle. In 2022, only one in four adults needing medication-assisted treatment received it, despite progress like expanded telehealth use during the pandemic.

And, looming cuts to federal funding and policy shifts under Mr. Kennedy could threaten the recent reduction in overdose deaths — which dropped nearly 27% last year thanks to better naloxone access. 

Eyewatering numbers to mull over. You can download the full white paper here.

Let’s get to your news headlines.

Catch up quick

This week’s top stories

Latest news

🌿 Alabama’s governor has put new regulations on cannabinoid gummies, drinks, and other consumable hemp products.

⚠️ Doctors and patients are bracing for massive coverage losses as House Republicans are poised to impose Medicaid work requirements as part of the “big, beautiful bill.”

❤️ US drug overdose deaths last year dropped to their lowest annual level since 2019, according to preliminary CDC data.

🤔 The Trump administration said its nonenforcement policy of the 2024 Biden-era parity rule is part of its larger DOGE initiative to deregulate business.

🧠 Unique generational mental health needs highlight demand for personalized care, a new survey suggests.

😞 As substance abuse rises sharply among seniors, providers face a growing treatment gap — especially if the Trump administration rolls back parity rules.

🚨 Behavioral health providers warn that a new Oregon rule requiring facilities to prioritize court-referred patients could jeopardize care for existing patients.

👀 During a recent Senate committee hearing, JFK Jr. defended HHS cuts and doubled down on his stance that autism is an “epidemic.”

💊 Trump’s focus on punishing drug dealers may hurt drug users trying to quit, say NYT reporters.

🤖 Utah recently passed three new laws targeted at mental health chatbots and generative AI.

📲 TikTok announced new ‘wellbeing features,’ including meditation prompts in-app to ‘expand mental health support’ (we guess they’re trying).

Funding rounds & investor moves

💰 Behavioral health software provider Dazos secured a $25M Series A from New York-based Radian Capital.

💸 ABA-focused software provider Passage Health raised $8M in a Series A round (good week for the startups!).

🤑 Nystrom & Associates struck a deal to acquire 25 of Ellie Mental Health’s Minnesota clinics, pending regulatory review.

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Studies & opinion pieces

Just two notable ones for you this week:

💡 Irregular sleep patterns, specifically social jet lag, may worsen core autism symptoms in toddlers, highlighting the importance of consistent routines (study).

☀️ Newborn vitamin D deficiency is linked to a higher risk of ADHD, schizophrenia, and autism (study).

That’s it for today! See you next time,

- Shân

P.S. Whenever you’re ready, here’s how we can help.

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