2 stories
High school students in North Carolina are demonstrating improvements in mental health following years of pandemic-related behavioral health challenges. The improvements come after sustained focus on addressing behavioral health issues among youth affected by school closures, social isolation, and remote learning disruptions. The article does not specify timing of when improvements were measured or detail specific interventions. While focused on the general student population, behavioral health trends among adolescents are relevant to Medicaid programs given high enrollment of children and adolescents in Medicaid and CHIP, and state efforts to expand behavioral health access through managed care networks.
North Carolina lawmakers are pursuing tighter regulatory requirements for applied behavioral analysis (ABA) therapy providers following combined state and federal Medicaid spending of over $505 million in 2025. The proposed rules aim to reduce fraud and abuse in the rapidly growing autism treatment sector. The legislation would impose additional credentialing, supervision, and documentation standards on ABA providers participating in Medicaid. This follows nationwide scrutiny of ABA billing practices and improper payments in state Medicaid programs.
Get the daily briefing.