ServiceNet's Community Behavioral Health Clinic (SCBHC) meets critical public need for substance use disorder and serious mental illness treatment by increasing access,
providing, and coordinating comprehensive and integrated medical, substance use, and psychiatric care. SCBHC is committed to community-based person and family-centered, trauma-informed treatment, and working with key area healthcare providers to achieve better health outcomes. SCBHC serves the predominantly rural counties of western Massachusetts. Our focus of care are individuals with serious mental illness (SMI), those with substance use disorder (SUD), and high-risk individuals such as the homeless. Clients come from diverse socio-economic backgrounds, but due to economic need or disability, a high percentage receive public benefits, MassHealth, and Medicare. Our goals are; increased and timely access, a reduction in negative impacts of SMI and SUD on client functioning, and better integration of care. To achieve these goals, we will hire more staff, raise the level of coordination with healthcare via Designated Collaborating Organizations (DCO), and maintain a rigorous evaluation program. SCBHC will serve an additional 300 people a year with SMI, SUD, and Co-Occurring Disorders (COD). Nursing staff and supervised case managers are vital to screening and monitoring key health indicators and referring clients to our primary care DCOs for needed healthcare. Psychiatric staff and nurses will work with primary care DCOs to screen for clinical adverse effects of medication including metabolic syndromes. These efforts will also be important in determining individuals at high risk for HIV, Hepatitis A, B, & C, and other health impacts that may co-occur with SUD or SMI. Teams will work with our DCO, Tapestry Health, for help with screening and prevention strategies like PrEP, syringe access and disposal, access to Narcan, and emergency contraception. We will work with Clinical Support Options (CSO) to provide 24/7 crisis service. Case Managers/Recovery Navigators will assist clients in obtaining benefits and support client engagement, utilization, and adherence to treatment. Our internal DCO, Adult Clinical Community Services (ACCS), will provide psychiatric rehabilitation services and social support opportunities. Our program will have a comprehensive community component bolstered by our long and positive community relationships with veteran services, local law enforcement and jails, housing authorities, recovery support services, and local offices of state agencies.Our multi-disciplinary Assertive Community Treatment (ACT) team will serve people with SMI, SUD, and those with COD. Community recovery support will be enhanced with case management, peer support, counseling, family support, and the development of psycho-educational groups for families, illness management, and recovery. The SCBHC Advisory Committee made up of people with lived experience and families will inform and guide our services. SCBHC will expand services, strengthen coordination, enhance evaluation, and increase contract and 3rd party revenue to sustain the program.