WASHINGTON,  April 28, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Behavioral healthcare systems are playing a major role in responding to the needs of the millions of Americans of all ages who experience psychiatric and substance use conditions each year, according to the latest annual survey from the National Association of Psychiatric Health Systems (NAPHS) released today.

The new 2010 NAPHS Annual Survey provides two distinct views of behavioral healthcare delivery. One chapter provides a trend analysis that looks at changes from year to year in hospitals and residential treatment centers reporting over a two-year period. Another chapter provides national averages to give a snapshot of members' experiences in the reporting year. This chapter also presents selected data by set-up-and-staffed bed categories to help organizations compare their own experiences to those of facilities of a similar size.  

"This year's NAPHS Annual Survey shows that NAPHS members are responding to the growing demand for the most intensive levels of behavioral services by increasing inpatient bed capacity, while continuing to offer a full range of inpatient and outpatient behavioral health services," said NAPHS President/CEO Mark Covall.  "At the same time that capacity has been expanding, admissions and occupancy continue to grow. Every day our members are responding to the ongoing needs of people of all ages—particularly those with the most severe mental and substance use disorders," he said.

Trend analysis shows strong demand for behavioral health services. Set-up and staffed beds increased by 5.8% (from 86 beds in 2008 to 91 beds on average in 2009). Inpatient hospital admissions increased 4.8% from 2008 to 2009 (to an average of 2,724) in facilities reporting in both years. Hospital occupancy in facilities reporting both years increased 2.2% (to an average of 70.2% in 2009).

Trended residential treatment admissions in the same time frame increased 6.4% (from an average of 156 in 2008 to 166 in 2009). Trended residential treatment center occupancy increased 3.5% (to an average of 80.6%).

The survey also demonstrates great diversity of levels of care and payer sources for children, adolescents, adults, and older adults experiencing mental and substance use disorders. In addition to hospital-level care, NAPHS-member facilities provide residential treatment, partial hospitalization, and outpatient care. Payer sources include Medicaid, Medicare, private insurance, state governments, and others such as juvenile justice systems.

The report is $400—prepaid—from NAPHS, 900 17th Street, NW, Suite 420, Washington, DC 20006-2507. For ordering information, see www.naphs.org.

NAPHS advocates for behavioral health and represents provider systems that are committed to the delivery of responsive, accountable, and clinically effective prevention, treatment, and care for children, adolescents, adults, and older adults with mental and substance use disorders. NAPHS members are behavioral healthcare provider organizations that own or manage more than 700 psychiatric hospitals, general hospital psychiatric and addiction treatment units and behavioral healthcare divisions, residential treatment facilities, youth services organizations, and extensive outpatient networks.

SOURCE National Association of Psychiatric Health Systems