Thursday, January 2, 2025
1/2/2025
Harbor Community Health Centers (HarborCHC) proposes to expand our behavioral health care program, including mental health and substance use disorder (SUD) services. HarborCHC offers wraparound, whole-person care in a patient-centered medical home to our target population of low-income adults, children and families in the South Bay region of Los Angeles County (LAC), service planning area (SPA) 8. Our overarching goal is to increase access to behavioral health services for underserved people in our community. Funds will help cover salaries for project staff. The need for behavioral services in LAC is growing. According to the LAC Department of Public Health, from 2019 - 2020, the Latinx population (which represents the majority of our patients) saw a 48% increase in overdose death rates. Communities of color in our region experience high rates of anxiety, depression, serious mental health conditions, binge drinking, opioid and other substance misuse, and chronic health conditions. Nearly a third of our patients suffer from at least one chronic disease and/or mental health disorder. Although many people need behavioral treatment and supportive services in SPA 8, there are very limited low- or no-cost behavioral options available. The patients we intend to serve through this program — nearly all of whom are low-income — also face many added obstacles to accessing quality care, including language barriers, stigma and lack of trust in service providers. There is also a severe lack of licensed addiction medicine providers nationwide, with only 900 across the country. This program funding will allow HarborCHC to expand behavioral health care service delivery in our community by providing mental health screenings, therapeutic treatments, treatments with medications for opioid use (MOUD), referrals and support services for patients in need. We have two fellowship-trained addiction medicine physicians on site. Creating a clear path forward will help patients stay on track with their treatment. Early on in their HarborCHC care journey, each patient’s care team will develop an individualized care plan to address mental health and/or SUD concerns. If a patient’s individualized care plan includes moving through different care settings, such as a recovery center, hospital or other site, our team will coordinate with providers in these settings to ensure the patient receives the appropriate care, help monitor progress and adjust the plan as needed. BHSE patients will be supported by a multidisciplinary HarborCHC team including an LCSW, psychologist, psychiatrist, medical assistant and a case manager. This care team works together to ensure patients have the care services they need. This team also monitors each patient to help them follow their care plans and begin their healing journey. We aim to reduce the stigma associated with seeking mental health treatment for our patients, and to enhance access and improve treatment outcomes. Our highly qualified behavioral health team will be specially trained to provide care to patients with the unique needs of our target population. Because many of our patients speak Spanish as their primary language, we employ staff who are bilingual in English and Spanish. Additionally, our services are culturally affirming, trauma-informed and offered on a sliding fee scale. Through this program, we will serve low-income residents of the cities of San Pedro, Wilmington, Harbor City, Lomita, Carson and Long Beach. In 2023, 97% of those we served lived in households at or below 200% of the Federal Poverty Level, 12% were uninsured and 68% had Medi-Cal. Approximately 76% identify as a racial and/or ethnic minority, including 65% who identify as Latinx.
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).