The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) recommended pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) to prevent HIV infection for patients at an increased risk of contracting the virus, in today's bite-sized hospital and health industry news from California, the District of Columbia, and Maryland.

• California: Brightside Health, a digital mental health company, has introduced a new program to assist individuals who are actively considering suicide, have had a recent attempt, or need follow-up care after a hospitalization. The program, which is called "Crisis Care," uses the Collaborative Assessment and Management of Suicidality (CAMS) framework to assess a patients' risk of suicide and match them with a clinician for a virtual appointment within 48 hours, as well as weekly meetings after that. According to Brad Kittredge, Brightside's CEO and co-founder, the purpose of the Crisis Care program is to de-escalate a patient's suicidal ideation before getting them care to treat their overall condition. "If somebody has this active suicide risk, that's the main thing you need to solve right now," Kittredge said. "… As soon as you de-escalate that, you can move back to the standard therapy program." Currently, Brightside has clinicians available in all 50 states, and Crisis Care has been launched in 27 states, with new states expected to be added on a weekly basis. (Plescia, MedCity News, 12/14)

• District of Columbia: The Senate on Thursday voted 83-11 to pass an annual defense bill, which also included a provision that requires the Pentagon to end its vaccine mandate for troops. Earlier this month, the House passed the bill, and it will now go to President Joe Biden for his signature. If it becomes law, the Pentagon's vaccine mandate must be repealed within 30 days. According to administration officials, both President Biden and Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, who initially issued the mandate in August 2021, stand by the mandate to protect the health and readiness of the U.S. armed forces. So far, the White House has not indicated whether President Biden is considering vetoing the bill over the vaccine mandate. (Demirjian, Washington Post, 12/15; O'Brien, Politico, 12/15)

• Maryland: USPSTF on Tuesday granted PrEP for HIV infection an "A" on its grading system for medical services, recommending that health care providers offer the service to patients at an increased risk of HIV infection. According to USPSTF, services that earn an "A" grade are ones that the organization have a "high certainty" that it will offer "substantial" benefits to patients. "PrEP is most effective when taken as prescribed," USPSTF said. "The Task Force encourages health care professionals to help their patients who are on PrEP understand the importance of taking it as prescribed and support them in doing so." When PrEP is taken as prescribed, it can reduce the risk of HIV infection through sexual contact by 99%, The Hill reports. (Choi, The Hill, 12/14)