https://mailchi.mp/edda78bd2a5a/the-weekly-gist-june-23-2023?e=d1e747d2d8

 On Tuesday, the US Preventative Services Task Force (USPSTF), which is appointed by an arm of the Department of Health and Human Services, finalized guidance that all adults ages 19 to 64 should be routinely screened for anxiety, even in the absence of symptoms. Last fall, USPSTF proposed a draft version of this guidance, and also finalized its recommendation that children and adolescents ages 8-18 be screened for anxiety. The task force found that anxiety screening for seniors, as well as suicide-risk screening for all adults, lacked conclusive evidence of effectiveness.

The Gist: Policymakers and providers are right to respond to the nationwide increase in anxiety and depression brought on by the pandemic, and regular screenings will help quantify the scope of a problem we face.

However, given the pervasive undersupply of behavioral health practitioners, widespread screenings will only lead to better care if access to treatment can be scaled. 

Solutions that take advantage of telemedicine’s success in behavioral health, combined with the tools—and time—to manage mild anxiety in the primary care setting, are critical to provide support for a coming wave of newly identified patients.