Recovery Consultants of Atlanta, Inc., (RCA) proposes to increase access and improve the quality of mental health and substance use disorder treatment services through a CCBHC expansion project, RCA—CCBHC for integrated healthcare. RCA will serve underserved adults with chronic health diseases, serious mental illness (SMI), substance use disorders (SUD), including opioid use disorders; individuals with co-occurring mental and substance disorders (COD). Within the population of focus are ethnic minorities, homeless veterans, and persons at risk for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and transmission. Atlanta’s DeKalb (pop.736,066) and Fulton (pop. 1,010,420) counties, the catchment area, are federally designated as areas among those hardest hit by the HIV epidemic; and, medically underserved with health professional shortages in primary care and behavioral health. The large African American populations (DeKalb-54.9%, Fulton-44.4%) struggle with higher poverty rates (DeKalb-24.6%, Fulton-20.3%) compared to the county rates (DeKalb -17.6%, Fulton-14.8%). Unemployment intensifies financial instability with unemployment rates at 5.9% for DeKalb county and 7.7% for Fulton county. Of all Georgia’s behavioral health treatment compensation, 52.7% was paid in part by private insurance and 89.7% with a method of self-pay—unrealistic for a population plagued with financial hardship.
RCA aims to remedy access to holistic healthcare with its credentialed, licensed professionals who will (1) expand integrated patient-centered mental health and primary care services and (1a) serve 1,000 (400=year 1 + 600=year 2) clients during the grant period; (2) assess/monitor clients health indicators to improve physical health outcomes and (2a) establish baselines for systolic/diastolic blood pressure, body mass index, Hemoglobin A1c, HIV and Hepatitis A/B/C; (3) assess, diagnose and develop treatment plans for SMI, SUD, CODs and (3a) monitor adherence to antipsychotic medication, use evidence-based assessments and therapeutic interventions for recovery and deliver intensive case management for social supports and care coordination. RCA will apply person-centered treatment planning that considers clients’ strengths and preferences and always involves the clients in the process and decisions for recovery strategies. Clinicians will draw from evidence-based practices such as integrated dual disorder treatment, Motivational Interviewing, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Trauma-Informed Care, Medication-Assisted Treatment and Medication Reconciliation; Illness Management and Recovery and Tobacco Recovery Across the Continuum. RCA will collaborate with mental health crisis services sanctioned by the Georgia Department of Behavioral Health/Department of Community Health Medicaid Office to provide intervention services for a psychiatric or substance use crisis including (1) 24-hour mobile crisis teams (ACT), (2) emergency crisis intervention services, (3) crisis stabilization, (4) suicide crisis response, (5) substance abuse crisis and intoxication, including ambulatory and medical detoxification services.