Thursday, March 13, 2025
3/13/2025
Under the proposed project — the North Central Minnesota CCBHC Improvement and Advancement Project — Northland Counseling Center (NCC) proposes to implement a four-year plan to strengthen its behavioral health system and provide comprehensive, integrated, coordinated, and person-centered behavioral health care by improving and advancing its CCBHC model. This work will increase the accessibility and quality of behavioral health assessment, treatment, and recovery services available within NCC’s service area, which is located in north central Minnesota. Headquartered in the community of Grand Rapids, which is a regional hub, NCC serves all of Itasca and Koochiching counties and portions of Aitkin and St. Louis counties. Within this geographically large area, NCC is one of just a few community behavioral health agencies that serve children and adults with a comprehensive range of services. As such, the non-profit organization serves a diverse cross-section of the area population including members of the Bois Forte and Leech Lake bands of Ojibwe. Under the proposed project, the specific population to be served includes individuals with serious mental illness (SMI) or substance use disorders (SUD) including opioid use disorders; children and adolescents with serious emotional disturbance (SED); individuals with co-occurring mental and substance disorders (COD); and individuals experiencing a mental health or substance use-related crisis. Furthermore, the project will focus on underserved subpopulations to reduce disparities in healthcare access and outcomes including low-income individuals, American Indian persons, individuals living in isolated, rural areas, and members of the Armed Forces and Veterans. Under the grant project, NCC will serve an estimated 3,640 unduplicated members of the population of focus during the first year; 3,750 during the second; 3,860 during the third; and 3,980 during the fourth. The strategies/interventions to be implemented under the project include the nine required CCBHC services, will be provided in outpatient and community-based settings, and will be evidence-based, trauma-informed, recovery-oriented, integrated, and patient- and family-centered. Services will include comprehensive 24/7 access to mental health and substance use disorder services; treatment of co-occurring disorders; and physical healthcare. The goals for the proposed project are to: 1) Increase the capacity of Northland Counseling Center to serve individuals with SMI or SUD (including opioid use disorders); children and adolescents with SED; individuals with COD; and individuals experiencing a mental health or substance use-related crisis; and 2) Improve outcomes for individuals with SMI or SUD (including opioid use disorders); children and adolescents with SED; individuals with COD; and individuals experiencing a mental health or substance use-related crisis by improving the quality and impact of behavioral health services provided by NCC. During the four-year grant period, NCC’s key measurable objectives will include: 1) By June 2023, expand the CCBHC catchment area from Itasca and Koochiching counties to include portions of Aitkin and St. Louis counties; 2) By June 2023, obtain and maintain CCBHC certification from the state of Minnesota; 3) By the end of the four-year project, increase capacity to meet growing service needs by maintaining current and recruiting new staff; 4) During each year of the grant period, increase by three percent the number of people served by the CCBHC; and 5) By the end of the four-year project, expand quality improvement, data management, and reporting to improve health outcomes for NCC clients and long-term sustainability for NCC.
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).