When a fragile relative returns home after a hospital stay, family members may be left to provide care they don’t have the experience to deliver, leading to physical and emotional distress. This was the case for a wife who didn’t understand how to manage her husband’s complex needs. VHAN RN Care Navigator Martha Merry stepped in with empathy and expertise. “She was in tears,” Merry says. “The first thing I told her was, ‘We’re going to help you. We are going to figure this out and I’m here for you.’” Read the full story to learn how the VHAN Care Navigation team assisted this family.

As manager of the VHAN Social Work team, social worker Cate Mart and her team members regularly check on patients after a hospital stay, whether they have transitioned home or to a rehabilitation center or skilled nursing facility. These social workers provide an added layer of support to ensure the patient can manage their care outside of the hospital. While it’s a regular part of Mart’s job, a recent call was not so routine. Read the full story to learn more.

The miniVHAN podcast series features speakers discussing behavioral health topics across the lifespan, including depression, anxiety, neurodiversity, trauma and grief. These articles provide more resources for strengthening mental health.

While VHAN Social Worker Mary Brooks has worked on dozens of memorable cases, a recent experience with one particular patient stuck with her. The patient was discharged from the hospital with an open wound and a significant recovery ahead. Unfortunately, when she arrived home, she found that her air conditioning was no longer working in the middle of a heat wave in West Tennessee. Read the full story to learn how Mary found a way to get the air conditioning fixed and built trust with her patient.

While caregivers make a significant difference in the lives of patients, the hard work and dedication of caregiving can take a serious toll. The many-pronged tensions of caregiving are illustrated by a young parent who recently gave birth to a female with Down syndrome. Read the full article to learn how VHAN’s Care Management team worked with the parent to ease her anxiety and connect her to childcare resources.

Returning to school can cause some children and teens anxiety, stress and depression. As young patients return to school next month, be prepared to offer them and their caregivers behavioral health support should the need arise. Read the full article for a complete list of resources VHAN offers members, patients and their caregivers.

Adolescence, those formative years between childhood and adulthood, can be a confusing and sometimes challenging time as young people go through changes both emotional and physical. It’s also a time of discovery as they learn to form their individual identity. A big part of that journey is sexuality, finding where they fit in and how they identify on the spectrum. VHAN Social Workers support young patients through all stages of life, providing behavioral health referrals when needed along the way.

The March 27 shooting at the Covenant School in Nashville was devastating for all of us, especially those in the middle Tennessee communities served by you, our VHAN members. Our thoughts are with the loved ones of the victims, the first responders and all of those who are struggling with the impact of this traumatic event.

In the aftermath, we turn our attention to our young patients, particularly those in need of counseling and other behavioral health services. Read the full article to access behavioral health tools and resources for pediatric patients and their families.

Signed into law in August 2022, the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) includes provisions to lower health care and medication costs over the next several years. This article outlines a few key implications of which providers should be aware.