EHR data brief for behavioral health

ONC released a data brief on April 20, 2026 showing widespread EHR use in substance‑use and mental‑health treatment facilities but limited information exchange. (healthit.gov) The agency’s Data Brief No. 82 draws on 2024 N‑SUMHSS survey data and was published April 20, 2026. (healthit.gov) ONC reports 68% of substance‑use and mental‑health treatment facilities use an electronic health record (EHR) exclusively, while about 25% use a mix of EHR and paper records. (healthit.gov) Adoption varies by ownership: federal facilities reported ~97% exclusive EHR use, private for‑profit about 68%, and state government facilities roughly 38% exclusive EHR use. (hitconsultant.net) But only 19% of behavioral‑health facilities report participating in a Health Information Exchange (HIE), and 67% said they were unfamiliar with whether an HIE was available in their area. (hitconsultant.net) ONC’s analysis shows HIE participants search for patient health information daily at 44%, compared with 25% for non‑participants, and facilities lag on advanced EHR uses such as e‑prescribing, lab ordering, and patient portals. (hitconsultant.net) To coincide with the brief, ONC convened a full‑day roundtable on April 20, 2026 — “Technology’s Role in Making America Healthy Again: A Discussion on Mental Health & Substance Use Care” — as part of the Administration’s recovery initiative. (healthit.gov) Policy shifts may affect sharing: HHS’s revisions to 42 CFR Part 2 and related federal rules — with compliance deadlines that concluded in February 2026 — changed how substance‑use disorder records can be disclosed and may alter EHR configuration and consent workflows. (federalregister.gov) ONC pointed attendees to ongoing federal interoperability efforts such as TEFCA as tools to expand exchange capacity for behavioral‑health teams. (healthit.gov) The data brief and April 20 webcast are posted on healthit.gov for stakeholders tracking next steps on adoption, exchange, and implementation guidance. (healthit.gov)