Thursday, May 1, 2025
5/1/2025
Gandara Center CCHBC Expansion Project - The Gandara (GC) CCBHC Expansion Project will target CCBHC resources to effectively serve Spanish speaking individuals & family members, in Springfield/ Holyoke, MA, with a Serious Mental Illness, Substance Use Disorder and/or SED. It will enhance care coordination and provide integrated services by a multidisciplinary Care Coordination team, and improve functioning, behavioral health, and social/economic well-being to 1200 new/existing clients. Gandara serves an average of 5000 individuals annually at its two adjoining outpatient clinics, (2155 Main Street and 85 St. George Road in Springfield), where it provides a full array of mental and behavioral health, addictions, care management and, SAMHSA funded, Primary and Behavioral Health Care and Minority HIV-Service Integration programs. Current BH records at GC’s OP clinics found 87% of clients have SMI or co-occurring disorders and 13% have SUD. Ninety percent (90%) are Hispanic/ Latino; 45% lack a high school or GED diploma; 28% are between ages 16-34 years 32% have co-occurring SMI and SUD. Clients in this sample also have a high no-show rate, with 37% of reporting multiple treatment barriers, including lack of transportation, forgetting appointments, and anxiety in the waiting area. Nearly 25% of “no-shows” missed 3+ appointments. These data demonstrate the need for new interventions and intensive services in order to retain clients in treatment and attain better health outcomes. CCBHC Expansion activities will be based within Gandara’s Springfield clinical campus. GC developed its Cooperative Care Team (CCT) model, as part of its SAMHSA PCBHI & MASI grants, to provide integrated primary, mental health, and substance use disorder (SUD) services for individuals assessed with SMI/DD/SUD and chronic health conditions. The project uses the Integrated Dual Disorders Treatment (IDDT) and Motivational Interviewing EBP’s, with systems-wide trauma informed care and an integrated bio-psychosocial and ecological approach. The CCT will expand in both clinic sites and outreach treatment locations to engage individuals with high risk of SMI/SED/DD and SUD. The team will include a psychiatrist, nurse prescribers, clinicians, medical assistants, and case managers. Activities will include: 1) Expand timely service provision services through Level of Care assessment, assignment to appropriate treatment for all clinic and outreach clients, and increased access to Medication Assisted Treatment, through expanded hours and increased staffing, 2) Improve engagement and positive outcomes for CCT clients through expanded EBP training, Assertive Community Treatment (ACT), twice weekly CCT meetings. 3) pilot a telemedicine program so CCT team members can participate remotely in meetings deploy case managers to outreach, home and community settings to support remote client participation in CCT services; hire new staff CCT utilizing Telemedicine in an effort to address the recruitment challenges in the service area. 4) Expand outreach services aimed at Hispanic/Latinx, African American, & LGBTQ Youth/ Young Adults (YYA) at high risk of BH disorders. 5) Strengthen clinic systems and processes to provide real time/actionable client outcome data. Numbers Served: 2 Yr. total=1200 individuals: Y1=350 new & 150 existing clients; Y2- 450 new & 250 existing clients. 10 individuals served by ACT over 2 years.
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).