Thursday, April 3, 2025
4/3/2025
FY 2024 Behavioral Health Service Expansion - Bay Area Community Health (BACH) requests funding to expand its mental health and Substance Use Disorder (SUD) services. With funding from the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), BACH intends to increase the number of patients receiving mental health services at its clinics by 20%, and the number of patients receiving SUD services by 30%. Additionally, it will increase the number of patients receiving Medication-Assisted Treatment (MAT) by 10%. The goal of the project is to increase access to high quality, culturally appropriate services for underserved patients in Santa Clara County in California through increased outreach, screening, and treatment. To achieve this, BACH will hire additional personnel, including one full-time Community Health Worker (CHW) to provide street outreach, conduct screenings for SUD, assess the needs of patients, coordinate care, and connect patients to resources. Outreach staff will engage with individuals in public spaces, such as parks, streets, and community centers. This method will be particularly effective for reaching populations who may not visit traditional healthcare settings, including those experiencing homelessness or substance use issues. One full-time certified drug and alcohol counselor (CDAC) will be hired to provide individual counseling, biweekly group sessions, and psychoeducational workshops– all of which will be provided in both multiple languages including English and Spanish. To reach more patients who would benefit from mental health and/or SUD services, BACH will conduct bilingual, culturally appropriate social media marketing campaigns in both Spanish and English in addition to its street outreach. BACH will also form partnerships with the Santa Clara County Harm Reduction and Needle Exchange Program and the Santa Clara County HIV Program to provide services to high-risk populations, including unhoused populations and people using intravenous drugs. Moreover, the proposed project will allow BACH to establish a dedicated office space for mental health services the clinic including three offices and one meeting room. A dedicated space will makes behavioral health services more accessible to patients who are already visiting the clinic for other healthcare needs. This integration will enhance coordination of care and reduces barriers to accessing mental health care, such as the need to travel to different locations or make separate appointments. BACH will train the staff to provide universal mental health and SUD screenings, including PHQ-9, GAD-7, AUDIT, and DAST for adults and PHQ-9A and CRAFFT for adolescents. Through the program, BACH will increase the number of Medication Assisted Treatment (MAT) providers who can prescribe medication, and MAT treatment will be integrated with mental health care through training staff in the Advancing Integrated Mental Health Solutions (AIIMS) model. Ultimately, in partnership with HRSA, BACH aims to ramp up patient access by substantial percentages, contributing to a more vibrant community where all individuals can thrive and flourish regardless of their background or circumstances.
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).