Thursday, April 25, 2024
4/25/2024
Volunteers of America- Chesapeake and Carolinas, proposes the planning, development, and implementation of activities to meet CCBHC operational criteria within its VOA-DC Hope Center, a behavioral health clinic in Washington, DC. The proposed project will serve individuals and families in all wards of Washington, DC, including adults with severe mental illness (SMI), individuals’ with substance use disorders (SUD), children/adolescents with serious emotional disturbance (SED), and individuals with co-occurring disorders (COD), while serving pregnant women and their families and veterans as subpopulations of focus. The overarching goals and objectives of the program are to (1) Increase, deepen, and strengthen programming of the VOA-DC Hope Center to meet CCBHC operational criteria, which will include formalizing processes to offer Targeted Case Management, expanding crisis stabilization programming to include mobile operations, and formalizing partnerships with DCOs to provide primary care; (2) Identify, address, and reduce barriers that affect accessibility to and outcomes of behavioral health treatment through such mechanisms as a comprehensive needs assessment, reducing spatial barriers to treatment through telehealth and more convenient office space; and (3) Increase awareness and address the impact mental health/ substance use has on the adults, mothers, children, families, and veterans of the District of Columbia by establishing a Behavioral Health Council of key informants, developing an anti-stigma campaign, and conducting targeted outreach for subpopulations of focus through the formation of strategic partnerships (i.e. family/accountability courts, veteran’s orgs). Through the CCBHC model, consumers will have access to a rich menu of programming that includes prevention, early intervention (i.e. anti stigma campaign), treatment (MAT, family, group, and individual therapy, ACT), and continuing care/recovery supports (peer support/navigation, employment and job training, housing support). The proposed CCBHC will serve 1100 unduplicated individuals within Washington DC over the course of the grant period: 200 in Year 1, 250 in Year 2, 300 in Year 3, and 350 in Year 4. Washington, D.C., a diverse urban area of 690,000 residents, 25,514 of which are veterans. The catchment area is 43% Black, 42% White, and 12% Hispanic/Latinx. There are slightly more females (53%) than males (47%). Though the poverty rate is only slightly higher in DC than the national average at 15%, stark disparities exist. For example, the median income for white households in DC is $160,000; for Black households it is only $53,000. With an average home value of $897,000, many families face housing and financial instability that can affect mental health. There are 63,000 households in Washington DC with children; nearly 10,000 of them live under the federal poverty level. Washington, D.C. lags behind the nation in effectively addressing the effect of substance use and mental health disorders on its residents. According to The District of Columbia Community Health Needs Assessment, the District has a higher percentage of residents reporting use of illicit drugs in the past month, 20.4 versus 11.2 nationally among adults and 11.2% versus 7.8% among adolescents. Pregnant, postpartum, and parenting women and their families face unique barriers to accessing behavioral health care services with the catchment area. Stigmatization of SUD, particularly during pregnancy, can prevent mothers from seeking obstetric care and affect the health of both the mother and child. Caregiving responsibilities, fear of incarceration, and potential custody loss all affect a woman’s ability and willingness to seek treatment for SUD. Pregnant women and veterans, though often prioritized in public health initiatives, face also face barriers such as lack of knowledge of resources of available and disparate systems.
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).
