Wednesday, April 24, 2024
4/24/2024
The North Central Iowa Mental Health Center, Inc. dba Berryhill Center in Fort Dodge, Iowa is a not for profit entity associated with UnityPoint Health and located in rural Webster County, Iowa. Through federal CCBHC grant funding, we seek to expand existing mental health services thereby addressing mental health needs of our community. It is our goal to increase treatment accessibility, improve pathways to mental health services and expand crisis intervention services. The Berryhill CCBHC Expansion Project will be available to all persons with mental health needs in Webster County (population 36,277) which is located in rural North Central Iowa. Berryhill served 8.7% (3,158) Webster County Residents in 2019, and is the primary safety-net mental health services provider in the region. It is estimated that in year one of our project 3,393 individuals will be served and in year two that number will increase to 3,628 individuals, for a total of 7,021 persons served over the lifetime of the project. To reach our overarching goal of improvement and expansion of mental health services in our region, we have used local data to identify three key areas and related goals with measurable objectives to achieve the most impactful outcomes. Goal #1: To reduce by a measurable amount the inappropriate usage of the emergency room by CCBHC patients as a pathway to care. This goal will be achieved through the use of carefully implemented and monitored continuing care plans for CCBHC patients deemed to be frequent users of the ED and prolific data sharing with other area safety net providers. Success will be measured by an actual reduction in usage by identified patients. Goal #2: To provide a unified community system for patients in crisis situations. This goal will be achieved through the CCBHC acting as coordinator and in collaboration with other area safety net providers to provide a comprehensive and targeted system of care for patients in crisis. Data will be used to determine community needs and pinpoint areas of crisis intervention opportunity. This data will also indicate improvements made in care delivery over time. Goal #3: To provide a more direct pathway for appropriate care for individuals with mental health issues that present to the emergency department, thereby avoiding inappropriate or over usage of the ED. This goal will be achieved through the provision of a Behavioral Health Consultant to work directly in the ED for care integration of patients with mental health concerns. Success will be measured through utilization and documented encounters with the Behavioral Health Consultant.
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).
