A 2025 Retrospective: Looking Back to Move Forward

As the year wraps up, I’ve been thinking about some of the topics featured in the NorthStar Behavioral Health Advisory blog posts over the past few months, and what they say about where behavioral health response is right now and where it's headed.

One thing became clear quickly: our response to behavioral health issues don't exist in a vacuum. Policy changes, payer decisions, data, clinical practice, and lived experience are all connected. Each post this year was an attempt to make sense of those connections and what they mean for organizations doing the work on the ground.

Several posts focused on policy shifts, especially around ACA subsidies and Medicaid managed care. These aren’t abstract issues. They directly affect who gets coverage, how services are paid for, and whether organizations can sustain their work. If there’s one takeaway, it’s this: waiting for clarity isn’t a strategy. Planning for uncertainty is.

Another recurring theme was the importance of revenue diversification. Not as a buzzword, but as a reality. There’s no single right answer here. What works for one organization may not work for another. But aligning revenue strategy with mission, services, and data capacity matters more than ever, especially as funding sources become less predictable.

Leadership development was also covered, which continues to give me a lot of hope. Whether through mentoring students or working alongside emerging leaders, I’m reminded that systems only change when people are ready to lead within them. Investing in leadership isn’t extra, it’s essential.

Data and technology showed up often too. They’re powerful tools, but they’re not silver bullets. Without context and clinical insight, data can just as easily point us in the wrong direction. The same can be said for technological advances with addressing behavioral health issues. Technology for the sake of technology is meaningless without a clear sense of direction rooted in proof of concept and data which demonstrates its impact. Simple answers rarely work for complex systems.

Running through all of this is something deeply personal to me: a belief that lived experience belongs in system design. When it’s missing, systems drift away from the people they’re meant to serve. When it’s included, better decisions tend to follow.

Looking Ahead to 2026

As we head into the new year, the work in front of us is clear. Behavioral health organizations will need to question old assumptions, prepare for continued uncertainty, and build systems that are more connected, more resilient, and more grounded in real life.

At NorthStar Behavioral Health Advisory, that means continuing to bridge clinical experience, payer strategy, data, and lived experience to help organizations move forward with intention.

If your organization is feeling the pressure of change, or sensing that the old way of doing things isn’t enough anymore, this is a good time to pause, reassess, and plan differently.

The road ahead won’t be simple. But it’s one worth traveling.

To learn more about how NorthStar Behavioral Health Advisory can help you, please visit www.northstarbhadvisory.com and/or email Eric Bailly directly at eric@northstarbhadvisory.com