Applicant Organization Information: Jamie’s Place, 109 Norfolk Road, Winthrop, WA 98862 Facility Type: Non-profit Adult Family Home; Website: https://jamiesplace.org Interim Network Director Information: Raleigh Bowden, MD, Interim Network Director, 206-227-2491, raleighbowden@gmail.com Rural Health Network Development Project: Project Title: Methow Valley Community-Based Long Term Care Network: Supporting our aging community to a live of their choosing while remaining in the Valley they love. Goal: Creating and sustaining an integrated community-based long-term care network of services, facilities and supports in the Valley. Focus area: Long-Term Care Abstract Body: 28% of the Methow Valley residents are over the age of 65. Yet, the Valley has no hospital, 24/7 emergency room, nursing home or assisted living. It does have 12 beds of adult family home (AFH) level care, and analysis has documented that there is immediate need for at least 25 more beds. There is a critical shortage of caregivers needed to support Valley residents aging in place or needing to be cared for at the AFH. To address the significant deficit of resources, the Network proposes to develop and implement, with rurally relevant modifications as necessary, evidence-based, and promising practices that will provide the comprehensive services, programs, facilities, workforce and supports needed to support a sustainable integrated community-based model of long-term care delivery in the Valley. The Network includes 4 Members representing long-term care, primary care, in-home supports and education; and 9 collaborating organizations. Collectively, the members represent 100% of all the organizations in the Valley providing services or supports for the elderly. Project goals include: developing and supporting a caregiving workforce through a comprehensive program of recruitment, training, and retention; implementing innovative strategies and supports to keep seniors in
their homes; establishing a comprehensive system of community-based care coordination for at-risk seniors; and planning and supporting the development of supported housing for seniors who cannot safely live at home. Outcomes include improved access (the supply of and access to local caregivers and services to remain safety at home, care coordination); expanded capacity and services (reduced turnover in the caregiving workforce and increased caregiver quality of life and satisfaction; increased collaboration and coordination across agencies), enhanced outcomes (reduction in unnecessary hospitalizations and Emergency Department visits; reduction in total cost of care; increased confidence about being able to stay in the Valley, close to family, friends and community; increased individual and family quality of life and satisfaction), and Sustainability(demonstrated cost savings,increased readiness for value-based care). The Network Members have a strong history of collaboration. In 2021, in direct response to growing concerns about aging and supports, Network Members and Collaborating Organizations convened a Valley wide senior services strategic planning study. The study confirmed that the high cost of living, including housing, coupled with inadequate public transportation has contributed to an extremely limited workforce pool; and staffing, which has always been a challenge escalated to crisis levels during COVID. In 2021 the members secured a one-year Network Planning grant and have undertaken the work to formalize the Network. Funding preference:The Methow Valley Community-Based Long-Term Care Network is requesting a funding preference based on Qualification 1: Health Professional Shortage Area. The Methow Valley Service Area and the entirety of Okanogan County are in a designated Health Professional Shortage Area.