Suncoast Center, Inc. is proposing to plan, develop, and implement a CCBHC in Pinellas County, located on the west central coast of the state of Florida (FL). The population of focus (POF) is any individual with a mental or substance use disorder who seeks care, including those with serious mental illness (SMI), substance use disorder (SUD) including opioid use; 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.
The extent of the problem includes low state funding leading to overall health access shortages and service gaps, high prevalence of behavioral health needs including suicide prevention, and disparities in both access and outcomes for those with low-income, women, Black/African Americans, Latinx and Veterans.
Suncoast Center will serve 375 individuals over the four-year project with the following services: Crisis mental health services, including 24-hour mobile crisis teams, emergency crisis intervention services, and crisis stabilization; Screening, assessment, and diagnosis, including risk assessment; Patient-centered treatment planning or similar processes, including risk assessment and crisis planning; Outpatient mental health and substance use services; Outpatient clinic primary care screening and monitoring of key health indicators and health risks (e.g., BMI, blood pressure, tobacco use, HIV/Viral Hepatitis); Psychiatric rehabilitation services; Peer support, counselor services, and family supports; and Intensive, community-based mental health for members of the armed forces and veterans.
Goals include 1) Plan for, develop, and implement a CCBHC that meets CCBHC Certification Criteria, 2) Implement infrastructure activities to support care coordination, and 3) Provide comprehensive, coordinated, and person- and family-centered integrated services for the POF that support recovery from mental illness and/or substance use disorders (SUD). Suncoast Center will work with Personal Enrichment through Mental Health Services (PEMHS) in the provision of crisis services.
Key activities to support the goals are assigning experienced and qualified staff to support mental health and substance use disorder needs; training staff in evidence-based practices (EBP), integration; and trauma-focused, patient-centered, culturally relevant care; the implementation of a care coordination software for the existing electronic health record (EHR) to fully support case management and care coordination including transitions between levels of care; and expanding current peer and veteran services.