TMS Fraud, Pediatric Anxiety, and a Big Acquisition

Each week brings new conversations about mental health, technology, and care. Between Sessions gathers what's worth your attention - so you can stay informed without adding to your workload.

Vanna Health - a value-based care platform for serious mental illness founded by former NIMH director Tom Insel - raised $17 million, first reported June 22, to expand into new states.

👉 Why it matters: SMI care is often overlooked by investors - this signals growing interest in outcomes-based models that could shape how insurers pay for this care.

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The DOJ's National Health Care Fraud Takedown, announced June 23, charged 455 defendants in over $6.5 billion in fraud - including $31.8 million in TMS billing fraud and a $67 million Illinois scheme for behavioral health services never delivered.

👉 Why it matters: TMS and behavioral health billing are now explicit enforcement targets - a good moment to confirm your documentation matches what's actually billed.

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A CHLA-led SMART trial, announced June 24 in the American Journal of Psychiatry, found CBT, fluoxetine, and combination treatment performed similarly for pediatric anxiety, though non-Hispanic white youth did better on sustained medication and minority youth benefited more from combining treatments.

👉 Why it matters: There's no single "right" first step for anxious kids - this gives real-world evidence to support whichever approach fits a family's access and preference.

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Grow Therapy and Stanford Psychiatry announced a research partnership on June 23 to build one of the first clinician-validated benchmarks for how AI models respond to real-world mental health crises, testing leading models against de-identified high-risk conversations.

👉 Why it matters: As more clients talk to chatbots between sessions, an agreed-upon safety standard - not each company grading its own homework - matters for the field.

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Minnesota's first-in-the-nation social media warning law was set to take effect July 1, requiring pop-up mental health warnings with the 988 Lifeline - but the Attorney General paused enforcement while NetChoice's First Amendment lawsuit against the law proceeds in federal court.

👉 Why it matters: The warnings aren't live yet, but this is the first attempt to put a mental health label on social media - worth watching as it unfolds.

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Houston-based PsychPlus acquired London-based Koa Health on June 23, combining PsychPlus's U.S. clinical network with Koa's NHS-approved digital CBT tools to form what the companies call the largest tech-enabled mental health platform, now serving over 6 million patients globally.

👉 Why it matters: Consolidation between clinical practices and digital therapeutics platforms is accelerating - worth watching how it shapes referrals and client expectations around app-based therapy tools.

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Psychiatric Times published a July 4 reflection from H. Steven Moffic, MD, on the difference between burnout and moral injury - and why 25 years of wellness programs haven't moved the needle, because the problem is systemic, not personal.

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Robin Valadares - a physiotherapist, clinic owner, and certified financial counselor - joins Kym Tolson (June 30) to unpack why a single income stream is riskier than it feels, and how to build financial mobility beyond it.

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This week is a reminder that the systems around your work are, slowly, getting more rigorous.

As always, thank you for your truly important work.

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This newsletter is intended for informational and educational purposes only. It does not constitute clinical, legal, or regulatory guidance. Clinicians should rely on their professional judgment and applicable standards of care when integrating any technology into practice.