Key Takeaways from the Joint Commission Behavioral Health Care Conference
Rewriting the Standards for the Future of Care
With rising demand, evolving standards, and growing urgency around safety and quality, behavioral health care is entering one of its most transformative eras.
The 2025 Joint Commission Behavioral Health Care Conference: Solutions for Behavioral Health and Psychiatric Hospital Care arrived at a critical moment. The event brought together clinicians, administrators, compliance and quality leaders, all committed to advancing care across inpatient, outpatient, and community-based settings.
It was VersaBadge’s first time attending, and we were energized by the conversations, candor, and shared commitment to progress. Whether you attended in person or followed along remotely, here are a few key takeaways:
Compliance Is Evolving
A consistent message throughout the conference is that the compliance landscape is shifting, and staying ahead is essential. Sessions across both Track A (Behavioral Health Care Accreditation) and Track B (Psychiatric Hospital Accreditation) explored updated and upcoming Joint Commission standards set to take effect through 2026.
The Joint Commission is undergoing a transformational shift to the Accreditation 360 model, which reduces administrative burden by eliminating outdated requirements and introducing clearer standards, increased transparency, and a stronger focus on leadership, culture, and continuous improvement. This change will be effective for psychiatric hospital accreditation on January 1, 2026, and at a later date for behavioral health accreditation.
Chief among the changes in the revised manual is the transition from National Patient Safety Goals to the newly announced National Performance Goals™ (NPGs). Topics like suicide risk reduction and staffing adequacy are moving into this category as high-priority initiatives that demand not just policy, but measurable progress.
Key takeaway: Accreditation is no longer about preparing for surveys — it’s about embedding accountability and data-driven safety practices into everyday operations.
Safety and Workforce Wellness Go Hand-in-Hand
Workforce wellness was a central theme across sessions and side conversations. Teams across behavioral health are stretched thin, managing high-stakes environments where safety and burnout go hand in hand.
The July 2024 rollout of new workplace violence prevention standards for behavioral health care was a major topic. These standards require annual worksite risk analysis, multidisciplinary oversight, de-escalation training, and incident data reporting, all tied to leadership accountability.
One speaker shared, “A behavioral health nurse told us workplace violence didn’t just affect her at work — it affected her whole life. That’s why we put safety at the very top of our organization’s goals.”
It’s also clear that safety extends beyond incident prevention. A mature culture of safety involves proactive reporting and leadership visibility. Behavioral health organizations are increasingly embracing technologies and policies that reflect these principles — from real-time staff alerting to data analytics that support early intervention.
Key Takeaway: Workforce wellness and safety are inseparable. Behavioral health organizations that prioritize both through proactive policies, leadership accountability, and technology adoption are building the foundation for resilient care environments.
Quality, Equity, and Outcomes
Many sessions focused on how behavioral health care can become more measurable, equitable, and outcomes-driven. This aligns with the Joint Commission’s pivot from structural compliance to meaningful impact — a shift embedded in both the NPGs and Accreditation 360 framework.
Topics included suicide prevention, CMS-mandated quality data, risk management, and strategies to embed equity into accreditation readiness. To put it simply: behavioral health care isn’t just about meeting the minimum standard; it’s about showing up with intention and empathy.
Key Takeaway: Behavioral health organizations are moving beyond compliance — focusing on measurable outcomes, equity, and empathy to deliver care that truly makes an impact.
Learning from Each Other
Beyond the sessions, what stood out most was the sense of community. Peers swapped stories and insights on challenges such as staffing shortages, integrating technology, and maintaining safety under pressure.
Whether it was how others document face checks, manage elopement risks, or deploy staff duress alerting tools in line with workplace violence standards, the hallway and booth conversations were just as valuable as the formal agenda.
Looking Ahead
As Joint Commission standards evolve and care demands grow, behavioral health leaders need tools that are clear, data-driven, and people-centered. VersaBadge is purpose-built to help behavioral health providers meet new standards while enhancing safety, compliance, and confidence.
We left the 2025 conference inspired by the progress being made and by the people making it happen.
A big ‘thank you’ to everyone who dropped by and visited with us. If we missed you at this year’s event, we’d still love to connect. Whether you’re working to strengthen staff safety, simplify compliance workflows, or improve visibility into resident movement, VersaBadge is here to help you navigate this next era of care. Book a Discovery Call to learn more about VersaBadge and how we can support.
