Saturday, May 3, 2025
5/3/2025
FY 2024 Behavioral Health Service Expansion - FoundCare, Inc., a nonprofit Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC), has been serving the Palm Beach County, Florida community since 1985 when it began as the Comprehensive AIDS Program of Palm Beach County, Inc., a community-based HIV/AIDS organization. Today, recognized as a Patient-Centered Medical Home and HRSA Quality Leader, FoundCare remains steadfast in its commitment to fulfilling the unmet healthcare and social service needs of the most vulnerable and underserved individuals and families. FoundCare proudly achieved a perfect HRSA Operational Site Visit score in February 2024, a reflection of its dedication and impact. With support from Health Center Program #H80CS26626 FoundCare operates 7 clinics and a mobile unit. A location will open soon in Riviera Beach, identified as an area of high unmet need (HRSA UNS score 79.37). Services include Pediatric, Adult, and Geriatric Primary Care, Chronic Disease Management, Behavioral Health Services, Dentistry, Laboratory Services, X-rays, On-Site Pharmacy, Women's Health Services and Screening Mammography, Infectious Disease Management, and Social Services. Additionally, FoundCare is the largest recipient of Ryan White HIV/AIDS program funding in PBC, a testament to its commitment to the community. The target population is low-income underserved individuals/families, who in large part experience linguistic and cultural isolation, have limited education, are unemployed, are single parent households, and exhibit higher than average incidents of poor health indicators. In Riviera Beach, 69.6% of adults self-identify as having poor physical health and 65.6% have poor mental health. At FoundCare, “Mental Health IS Health”. FoundCare prides itself on being an integrated healthcare facility that reduces the stigma around seeking mental health care by offering behavioral health within a culturally competent primary care setting. To serve the area's diverse population, where 33.8% speak a language other than English at home (US Census Bureau), FoundCare provides multi-lingual services. The Behavioral Health Team provides screening in the primary care setting, Biopsychosocial Intake with a Psychotherapist/Psychologist, Individual Therapy, Psychiatric Evaluation/Psychiatric Medication Management, and Substance Abuse Assessment. Currently, substance use disorder (SUD) treatment is offered through referrals. With funding through this program, FoundCare will launch “EmpowerCare- Enhancing Behavioral Health Services” to expand mental health and SUD services by adding a team of 2 mental health professionals, including 1 APRN, qualified for medications for opioid use disorder (MOUD), 3 Care Coordinators, 1 Patient Access Representative, and 1 Medical Assistant. In 2023, FoundCare had 1000 adults waiting for behavioral health treatment following screening and over 500 adolescents were screened with PHQ-A who will now be reached by Care Coordinators and directed to behavioral health services within FoundCare. Of 2023 behavioral health patients, 299 (29 children) were identified through DAST with SUD. Additionally, JFK Hospital and Palm West Hospital will send referrals to the expanded SUD and MOUD treatments. According to the Florida Dept of Health Emergency Department Visits from Mental Disorders were 1102/100,000 population in PBC compared with 962/100,000 across Florida in 2022. FoundCare’s Ryan White program is seeing increases in people who need SUD treatment. Unfunded, these SUD patients are not being served at FoundCare. This expansion program will help fill that gap, ensuring that ensuring that no one in our community is left behind in their journey to better health. FoundCare expects to increase the number of patients receiving mental health services from 2706 in 2023 to 3734 in 2025 and the patients receiving SUD services, including MOUD, from 0 in 2023 to 572 in 2025. The total of estimated unduplicated new behavioral health services patients will be 1600 in 2025.
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).