Healthsperien's Center for Behavioral Health, led by former Congressman Patrick J. Kennedy, Launches Transformational Initiatives

Stakeholders and investors join these initiatives to transform the U.S. behavioral health system through bold, coordinated action.

WASHINGTON, June 26, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- As the nation continues to face a deepening behavioral health crisis, the Healthsperien Center for Behavioral Health announces the launch of two innovative initiatives - Action for Progress and Invest for Progress. Both initiatives are key pillars in the center's strategy to transform mental health and substance use treatment and are designed to advance bold solutions and accelerate change.

"We are building from the successful consensus convenings of Alignment for Progress to launch these two additional tools for system transformation," said Patrick J. Kennedy, former Congressman and Center leader. "At the Center, we're not just advocating for change, we're building the infrastructure to make it real. These initiatives empower us to move from vision to momentum, with people-centered innovation at the core."

Action for Progress: Turning Policy into Impact

Action for Progress, is a 501c3 and 501c4 joint initiative led by the American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP), the Association for Behavioral Health and Wellness (ABHW), the American Benefits Council (ABC), the American Psychological Association (APA), the ERISA Industry Committee (ERIC), Meadows Mental Health Policy Institute (MMHPI), Mental Health America (MHA), the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI),  the National Council for Mental Wellbeing, the National Association for Behavioral Health (NABH), the Public Sector HealthCare Roundtable (PSHR), and other key partners such as Dr. Arif Kamal, Chief Patient Officer at the American Cancer Society. It is a robust policy & advocacy engine committed to transforming behavioral health policy into lasting, system-wide improvements.

Built on a foundation of evidence-based priorities and fueled by strategic collaboration, the initiative targets these critical areas of reform:

• Payment
  Advance payment structures that support the delivery of high-quality, cost-effective care that reduce overall costs but are not widely adopted.
• Quality Outcomes
  Drive consensus on definition and measurement of quality and outcomes in behavioral health.
• Workforce
  Develop a pipeline and supports for behavioral health workers, including important specialties like pediatric or SUD specialists, community health workers, and peer support specialists.
• Data Infrastructure
  Improve data sharing between physical, behavioral, and social health systems to promote whole-person, integrated care and value-based reimbursement.
• Access to Evidence-Based Care
  Promote the wide-spread adoption of novel innovations, evidence-based treatments, and preventive services that improve outcomes for priority populations.

Action for Progress harnesses the collective power of cross-sector stakeholders to turn bold policy aspirations into real-world impact. By strategically aligning voices, resources, and political will, the initiative transforms urgency into action—and action into lasting, equitable change for individuals, families, and communities nationwide.

Invest for Progress: Enabling the Future of Care

Invest for Progress mobilizes public and private capital to scale high-impact, equitable mental health and SUD treatment solutions. Guided by nationally recognized leaders who have shaped transformative models, the initiative drives public and private sector investment toward innovations with measurable impact.

This work is led by the founding cohort of investors: Cressey & Company, Blue Ash Ventures, Blue Venture Fund, City Light, Chicago Pacific Founders, GreyMatter Capital, Hopelab, Seae Ventures, Starting Line VC, as well as support for model incubation from the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM).

Three strategic pillars power the initiative:

• Opportunities for Scaling Innovation – Designing frameworks that align funding with evidence-based care models, addressing key barriers including reimbursement realities, and evolving payment models
• Payment Design Work Groups – Convening experts across key populations, treatment modalities and evidence-based care models to inform payment model development for mental health outcomes
• Next Stage Acceleration Lab – Developing payment demonstration projects & regional testbeds to scaling best-in-class care models while linking investors with payers, employers, and entrepreneurs

"The launch of these initiatives marks a new chapter in our mission to create real, lasting change by addressing one of the nation's most prominent chronic illnesses," said Tom Koutsoumpas, Founder and President of Healthsperien. "We are harnessing strategy, innovation, and cross-sector collaboration to deliver on the promise of transformation. By leveraging our successes in the advanced illness and hospice care, we're building a proven playbook tailored to accelerate behavioral health reform."

For more information on the Center for Behavioral Health and these initiatives, visit https://healthsperien.com/center-for-behavioral-health .

About Healthsperien and the Center for Behavioral Health
Healthsperien is a leading health care policy and strategic advisory firm dedicated to advancing innovative, person-centered solutions that improve health outcomes and strengthen the health care system. With deep expertise in federal and state policy, value-based care, and complex care populations, Healthsperien partners with stakeholders across sectors to drive meaningful reform. The firm is especially recognized for its thought leadership in advanced illness, hospice, behavioral health, and social determinants of health. Through policy innovation, stakeholder engagement, and strategic collaboration, Healthsperien is committed to creating a more equitable and sustainable health care future.

The firm's Center for Behavioral Health is led by Healthsperien Partner and former U.S. Representative Patrick J. Kennedy, a nationally recognized leader in mental health and addiction policy. He and his wife co-founded The Kennedy Forum, a nonprofit that unites advocates, business leaders, and government agencies to advance evidence-based practices and policies in mental health and addiction. In 2023, The Kennedy Forum launched the Alignment for Progress, a movement to align multi-stakeholder leaders to achieve 90/90/90 by 2033: 90% of all individuals screened for mental health and substance use disorders; 90% will be able to receive evidence-based treatment; 90% will be able to live in long term recovery. Kennedy also founded DontDenyMe.org; co-founded both One Mind and Psych Hub; and served as co-chair of the National Action Alliance for Suicide Prevention's Mental Health & Suicide Prevention National Response to COVID-19 (National Response); co-chaired the Bipartisan Policy Center's Behavioral Health Integration Task Force; and served on the President's Commission on Opioids. Patrick co-authored New York Times Bestseller, "A Common Struggle" and "Profiles in Mental Health Courage." Under Patrick's guidance, the Center advances comprehensive, bipartisan strategies to strengthen the nation's behavioral health system.

SOURCE Healthsperien