The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) today announced efforts to curb psychiatric overprescribing at a MAHA Institute summit on mental health and overmedicalization. As the closing speaker, HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. laid out a new action plan to promote appropriate psychiatric prescribing and drive deprescribing when clinically indicated.
“Today, we take clear and decisive action to confront our nation’s mental health crisis by addressing the overuse of psychiatric medications—especially among children,” said Secretary Kennedy. “We will support patient autonomy, require informed consent and shared decision-making, and shift the standard of care toward prevention, transparency, and a more holistic approach to mental health.”
HHS agencies are bringing together their collective expertise and aligning to evaluate prescription patterns for psychiatric medications, their benefits and potential harms, and elevate the role of nonmedication treatments and scalable, evidence-based solutions to improve mental health.
Through a multipronged approach including education and outreach, program and policy actions, and research-to-practice efforts, HHS is working to prevent the unnecessary initiation of psychiatric medications and support the tapering and discontinuation for patients not experiencing clinical benefit.
In a Dear Colleague Letter (PDF | 322 KB) published today, HHS encourages providers to prioritize informed consent and shared decision-making, and to regularly review the risks and benefits of psychiatric medications with patients. The letter highlights nonmedication approaches, such as family support, psychotherapy, nutrition, and physical activity when clinically appropriate. Providers can also find information in the letter on billing codes that can be used to support the delivery of evidence-based nonmedication treatments.
In addition, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) released guidance for physicians and other practitioners on the importance of deprescribing and related medical care. This guidance clarifies how physicians and other practitioners can be paid for this type of care under Medicare, and also directs clinicians to widely recognized resources for deprescribing, including professional society guidelines, peer-reviewed deprescribing protocols, and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) instructions for taper schedules.
Upcoming Activities
Education and Outreach
- This month, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) will issue a report on prescribing trends to inform efforts to reduce inappropriate prescribing, while maintaining access, along with a fact sheet for prescribers and patients.
- Throughout June and July, SAMHSA will host educational webinars for prescribers and other health professionals to increase awareness of the side effects of psychiatric medications, and approaches for deprescribing, as well as evidence-based nonmedication treatments.
- This summer, SAMHSA and the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) will host a joint webinar for Federally Qualified Health Center providers focused on holistic care, including nonmedication treatments, and deprescribing and tapering of psychiatric medications when clinically indicated.
- In July, HHS will convene a Technical Expert Panel to gather input from health professionals, patients and family, government agencies, and professional societies to inform the development of formal HHS clinical guidance on the appropriate use of psychiatric medications and tapering and discontinuation.
Program and Policy
- HHS agencies will support clinical practice and patient care change through grant activities by supporting child-specific training for frontline prescribers focused on assessment, treatment planning, and referral decision-making, while also increasing access to timely specialist consultation and same-day consultations.
- CMS will work to expand access to evidence-based non-medication care, reduce overreliance on psychiatric medications, and simplify coverage to ensure timely access to evidence-based psychotherapy and family support services for children and adolescents.
Research-to-Practice Initiatives
- The National Institutes of Health (NIH) and FDA are expediting research into new, innovative treatments for mental health conditions.
This action plan is a unified and comprehensive approach to return to gold-standard science and ensure that children and adults struggling with mental health challenges are equipped with the right information to make informed treatment decisions and get the support they need.
If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, help is available. Call or text 988 or chat at 988lifeline.org. To locate a treatment facility or provider, visit FindTreatment.gov.
The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) is the agency within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) that leads public health efforts to advance the behavioral health of the nation. SAMHSA’s mission is to lead public health and service delivery efforts that promote mental health, prevent substance misuse, and provide treatments and supports to foster recovery while ensuring access and better outcomes for all.
