Friday, May 9, 2025
5/9/2025
FY 2024 Behavioral Health Service Expansion - ABSTRACT Project: Fiscal Year 2024 Behavioral Health Service Expansion (BHSE) Applicant Name: Georgia Highlands Medical Services, Inc. Address: 475 Tribble Gap Road, Cumming, Georgia 30040 Contact Name: Todd Shifflet Contact Phone: (470) 297-1020 Email Address: todd.shifflet@ghms-inc.org Website: www.ghms-inc.org Congressional Districts: GA: 6th, 11th Funding Opportunity #: HRSA-24-078 H80 Grant Award #: H80CS00470 Summary: Founded in 1979, Georgia Highlands Medical Services is a Community Health Center that provides primary and preventive health care to medically underserved residents of Bartow, Cherokee, Dawson, Forsyth and surrounding counties in North Georgia. Throughout its history, GHMS has received local and national acclaim for its delivery of comprehensive, quality health services. In January 2018, GHMS began providing integrated Mental Health (MH) and Substance Use Disorder (SUD) services and now has five clinical counselors on staff and is primed to begin the provision of Medications for Opioid Use Disorders (MOUD) treatment. Community Need: The pronounced need for integrated behavioral health services, coupled with the absence of those services, leaves many, especially the uninsured, without access. According to data from Mental Health America, the percentage of the population in the GHMS service area with Substance Abuse (SA) is 8.4% (77,729) and the percentage of the population with Any Mental Illness (AMI) is 18.1% (167,486). Dual AMI and SA is 12.4% (114,742). Conservatively, at least 200,000 people in need of SUD or MH services in GHMS’ service area are not accessing those services and nearly 50,000 of those are uninsured. Everything from a non-existent to fragmented system of care to stigma and a plurality of social determinant needs are prevalent across the communities served – especially the Hispanic or Latino population which makes up the majority of the patients served by GHMS. Proposed Project/Services: In order to further expand its provision of MH and SUD services, including the provision of MOUD services, GHMS will establish a two-track system of delivery that will more fully integrate and improve access to care and support services. Track 1 is the level of MH and SUD care GHMS has already established. Clinical Counselors (LCSW & LPCs) are now in the primary care setting, receive referrals from primary care providers, and provide MH and SUD services in counseling sessions. GHMS will utilize BHSE funding to further expand the reach of that level of services. BHSE funding will also be utilized for a 2nd Track of care that allows for clinical counselor staffing to be more available during primary care visits – to provide brief interventions and warm handoffs – as well as direct contact with primary care providers during the primary care visit. Included is a Community Health Worker who will provide access and support services in a more direct and as needed way. Essential to success will be the addition of a Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner who, among other significant benefits, will also be able to prescribe and manage medications used for MH and SUD which will provide access to a level of care not available for GHMS patients now. Proposed Impact: GHMS proposes to expand services and increase access to MH and SUD services, including MOUD treatment, through the hire of two Clinical Counselors (LCSW or LPC); one Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner; One Community Health Worker; and One Medical Assistant/Interpreter. By CY 2025, GHMS will have increased access to MH services to 647 patients; SUD services to 161 patients; and MOUD treatment for 50 patients with 4,447 total provider visits. The Community Health Worker and Interpreter will provide social service navigation in real time during office visits. The level of services provided will improve integration and provide a more comprehensive approach that helps patients access treatment, recovery and support 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).