Sunday, November 24, 2024
11/24/2024
Abstract: Alabama CCBHC Planning Grant The state of Alabama will utilize Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinic (CCBHC) Planning Grant funds to develop a state-wide comprehensive behavioral health system that will reduce disparities; improve access to care for marginalized communities; and develop a payment system that will reward quality over volume, improve integration, reduce siloes and support a sustainable and well-trained behavioral health workforce. Our populations of focus are all ages, races, ethnicities, genders, disability statuses, sexual orientations, and gender identities with SED, SMI, SUD, opioid use disorder (OUD), and co-occurring mental and substance disorders (COD), and those with or at risk of HIV and Hepatitis C due to injection drug use. Alabama currently faces an unprecedented and growing need for high quality mental health (MH) and substance use disorder (SUD) services. The state experiences a significantly higher prevalence of MH and SUD than the national average with 90.5% SMI prevalence in persons served compared to the national average of 71.6% and 97.1% prevalence of SED in persons served compared to the national average of 71.1%.i Similarly, Alabama experiences a higher rate of suicide deaths with 16 suicide deaths per 100,000 annually compared to 13.42 per 100,000 nationally.ii Since 2019, Alabama has experienced a 36.8% increase in overdose deaths.iii With one of the highest poverty rates in the country, Alabamans experience significantly more health-related social challenges than the rest of the nation. Ninety-four percent of counties in Alabama fall below the median national average household income.iv Alabama experiences the second highest rate of gun violence in the US. This rate continues to grow with a 37% increase in 2019 (compared to 17% nationally).v Further disparities exist in access to treatment. While 16% of overdose deaths in Alabama are among African American members of the community, 95% of admissions to Opioid Treatment Programs (OTPs) are Caucasian.vi ADMH and Alabama Medicaid Agency (AMA) work closely on planning and engaged with national experts, MTM services to implement their plan. This process includes a steering committee, robust stakeholder engagement and diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging (DEIB) activities. Through this partnership, the State is developing a strategy to ensure geographic access across the state. There are currently 19 Community Mental Health Centers (CMHCs) operating through non-profit regional mental health boards. Eighteen of the 19 CMHCs have been actively involved in the ongoing planning and feasibility work. ADMH is confident that at least 70% of the existing CMHCs will be early adopters of the CCBHC model. ADMH will transition CMHCs to ensure expansion of services to cover the state. We will engage 19 providers who served a total of 96,494 individuals in the MI community programs in FY21. Due to significant racial disparities in the state, ADMH has prioritized DEIB efforts and building a culturally responsive workforce. Their CCBHC planning includes a DEIB subcommittee to center these efforts. ADMH plans to build upon existing partnerships with Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) and the Alabama Chapter of the National Association of Black Social Workers improve representative workforce recruitment and retention. ADMH and AMA have selected the PPS-1 model of payment and plans to explore quality incentives for providers. ADMH and AMA will use the planning period to align Medicaid authorities to prepare for the Demonstration period. Finally, ADMH plans robust improvements to its HIE and performance management systems and extensive support for CCBHCs in collecting and reporting on performance and using data to drive improvements.
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).
