Sunday, November 24, 2024
11/24/2024
Massachusetts proposes to develop Behavioral Health Urgent care (BHUC) services that will address the behavioral health needs of: individuals living in temporary housing for isolation after possible exposure to COVID-19: in recovery from mild or moderate cases of COVID-19; or in healthcare workers separate from their families while performing essential services. Regional Emergency Services Program (ESP) will offer enhanced crisis intervention and behavioral health urgent care services to the three counties most seriously affected by COVID-19 so far. BHUC is a collaboration between the Department of Mental Health and Public Health, and will coordinate closely with the Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency (MEMA), MassHealth (Medicaid), and other state programs. A multi-agency leadership team will meet at least weekly to ensure that BHUC swiftly moves resources to adapt to changing needs as the pandemic and recovery progress. MA will start services within one month of grant initiation. BHUC will allocate 70% of the grant's service resources to meeting the needs of homeless individuals in temporary housing who have SMI and/or SED. They need immediate behavioral health support, assistance accessing medications, and ongoing behavioral and medical care. Twenty percent of the BHUC resources will address the needs of individuals with less serious MH and/or SUD needs, on both an individual and a community basis. BHUC will strengthen referral relationships with 211 info lines, suicide prevention call centers, and other community providers to assure access to ESP crisis evaluations, support, and if needed, referrals to ongoing care. Working with the BHUC Leadership Team, MEMA, and community stakeholders, ESPs will identify communities experiencing high levels of trauma due to death or loss of employment and housing and will deploy experienced staff to offer post-traumatic community interventions. Finally, ten percent of service resources will be used to support impacted healthcare workers. At high risk for trauma and psychological distress and separated from natural supports, they will be offered post traumatic stress management counseling, crisis evaluations, and referral to ongoing treatment. In all cases, families of people in treatment will be eligible for BHUC services. BHUC leverages the existing MA Emergency Service Program , a joint DMH/MassHealth statewide network providing crisis assessment for MH and SUD, mobile crisis intervention, and short-term crisis stabilization. All have extensive continua of MH and SUD care, strong ties with providers in local communities for referrals, and skill in billing multiple payers and facilitating enrollment in appropriate insurance options. BHUC will employ appropriate evidence-based practices, including motivational interviewing, Safety Planning, and Relapse prevention Plans, Psychological First Aid and Post Traumatic Stress Management. BHUC will expand care coordination, peer/family support, and recovery support staff to ensure linguistic and cultural capability, peer support, and help in assessing community services for transition. The goal of BHUC is to serve at least 2000 individuals across the 16 months of the grant.
HHS’ Tracking Accountability in Government Grants System (TAGGS) website provides access to detailed descriptions of grants, loans, aggregated direct payments and other types of financial assistance awarded by the HHS Operating Divisions (OPDIVs) and the Office of the Secretary Staff Divisions (STAFFDIVs).
