Tuesday, April 1, 2025
4/1/2025
Fiscal Year 2025 Expanded Hours. - Wayne County Healthy Communities, (WCHC), seeks funding from the HRSA Expanded Hours grant to expand care hours for people within its service area by providing greater access to dental, primary care and behavioral health services. The opportunity here lies in establishing comprehensive and culturally attuned healthcare programs that can effectively address the unique health challenges faced by these communities, thereby bridging the gap in healthcare access and improving overall well-being. In year one of the grant, the funding will support the health centers’ commitment to improving health outcomes of women & infant mortality rates and the cultural needs of the community within the Hamtramck service area. Hamtramck not only has one of the largest growing populations in the state but is also set as one of the most critically underserved populations in the state according to the Medically Underserved Region data per HRSA. The health center will provide additional hours for women’s exclusive clinic during the week. The expanded hour initiative aims to leverage atypical hours within the current Health Center’s offerings to establish safety, connect with healthcare and behavioral healthcare services, and build a network of support to integrate within the service area. Through extending hours to include an additional Saturday presence, the health center’s program will focus on being a safety net to residents of the Greater Detroit area including immigrant women who live with a host of health and socioeconomic challenges such as chronic health problems and/or significant mental health, substance use disorders and inadequate living situations. Grant funding will be used to support the increased FTE status of OB/GYN staff to effectively provide wraparound services in women’s health and an outreach worker to support addressing Social Determinants of Health and connecting patients to resources. Funding will also be used to expand clinical space within the Hamtramck location by adding 2 additional exam rooms, a Dental Residency proctor office and space for onsite procedures. WCHC will hire an RN level nurse and primary care staff to establish a cohesive care team experience, optimize clinical workflows, address women’s health needs, conduct assessments, and facilitate health evaluations. Coordinated workflows will include: 1) Review existing attributed patients to identify people with chronic health issues and/or significant mental health and substance use disorders; 2Conduct health assessment and screening for physical health needs, mental health needs, and substance use treatment needs both internally and at community events, 3) Screen for communicable diseases such as HIV, Hepatitis C, sexually transmitted infections, and other infectious diseases; 4) Women’s health programming; 5) Facilitate appointment with a behavioral healthcare provider to evaluate treatment needs for behavioral health services and substance use treatment services; 6) Close care gaps within Dentistry needs; 7) Provide linkages to pharmacy services; 8)Link people with community-based healthcare and behavioral healthcare services, including lactation consultation In year two of the grant, the health center anticipates mirroring the successes of the expanded hours at the Hamtramck Campus and scale to the Garden City Campus with specific attention to Dentistry and women’s health. The anticipated cost of this program is $500,000 per year over a two-year period. The Health Center will work in partnership with two Hospital systems to improve maternal outcomes of women and infants. Over the past 3 years, the need has been clearly demonstrated by the over doubled amount of patients we serve. As we expand our capacity, as well as the culturally sensitive healthcare workforce, we will be able to sustain this funding through insurance billable services and payable services that our new positions will open up to establish a self-sustaining path forward.
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).