Sunday, May 5, 2024
5/5/2024
Axis Health System CCBHC Project: Southwest Colorado Mental Health Center Inc., d.b.a. Axis Health System (Axis), is requesting SAMHSA funding to become the first CCBHC in rural southwest Colorado. Axis is a 501(c)(3) incorporated in 1959, with three unique designations: a licensed Community-Based Behavioral Healthcare Entity, a licensed Substance Use Disorder (SUD)Treatment Provider, and a HRSA-funded Community Health Center. As a CCBHC, Axis will improve behavioral health (BH) access, treatment, and outcomes for people in rural La Plata County (LPC) regardless of ability to pay, with a specialized focus on the following subpopulations experiencing health disparities: 1) adults 17+ with a need for higher-intensity SUD treatment; 2) people of all ages who identify as LBGTQI+; 3) Latinx people of all ages; and 4) veterans and members of the armed forces (MAF). Axis will serve over 100 people annually in these groups and a total of 580 by the end of the 4-year project period. LPC has a population of 55,638, and a median household income of $75,089. Over 10% of people in LPC live below 100% of the FPL, 26.8% receive Medicaid, and 12% of people do not have health insurance. Currently, 13% of the population is Latinx (a 15.7% increase since 2010), 8.4% speak only Spanish, 6.8% are veterans, and 12.37% of people identify as LGBTQI+. There are higher behavioral health needs in LPC than in Colorado overall. In 2023, LPC residents reported 4.8 poor mental health (MH) days in the past 30 days, compared with 4.3 in the state. LPC has a significantly higher suicide rate than the national average. The suicide rate in LPC is 24 per 100,000 compared to the nation at 14 per 100,000 people, and 14% of LPC residents reported experiencing frequent mental distress, slightly higher than 13% in the state. Substance use is also a significant BH concern in Colorado and in LPC. Statewide, among adults ages 18+, 11.03% of people needed but did not receive specialized SUD treatment in the past year, compared to 7.18% in the nation, a higher percentage than any other state. Despite the high need, LPC has fewer outpatient SUD and intensive outpatient SUD services available than the rest of the state. Additionally, data indicate that there is a lack of equitable access to BH care in LPC but significant BH needs in three subpopulations: Latinx, Veterans, and people who identify as LGBTQI+, due in part to a lack of resources to focus on the unique needs of these subpopulations that require specialized outreach and engagement support. Axis will implement strategies to increase access to care and improve BH outcomes for the population of focus: use trauma-informed approaches to recovery through outreach, program development, and EBPs; address health disparities and advance BH equity through culturally competent care coordination; and encourage recovery-oriented systems of care by involving family, peers, and the community in program participants’ recovery. Axis will focus on five goals and associated objectives to increase access to care and improve BH outcomes: Raise the standard of care by achieving 100% of the CCBHC standards; conduct a community needs assessment to inform Axis’ CCBHC project plan; increase access to high-quality and affordable health care services and supports for all populations, especially adults 17+ with a need for higher-intensity SUD treatment, people of all ages who identify as LBGTQI+, Latinx people of all ages, and veterans and MAF; and improve infrastructure and capacity to measure and continually improve the quality of services.
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).
