Friday, January 3, 2025
1/3/2025
Project Title: Behavioral Health Service Expansion Grant (HRSA-24-078) Applicant: Appalachian District Health District (AppHealthCare or AHC) Grant #: H80CS28970 Address: 157 Health Services Road, Sparta, NC 28675 Project Director: Jennifer Greene, Health Director/CEO Email: jen.greene@apphealth.com PH: 336-372-5641 FX: 336-372-7793 Website: www.apphealthcare.com Congressional Districts: NC-05 Pts by 12/31/25: SUD/MAT - 196; BH – 385 Funding Request: Yr1 - $600,000; Yr2 - $500,000 AHC is a stable, NCQA-PCMH accredited FQHC located in the northwest corner of North Carolina serving rural communities in Ashe & Alleghany counties. AHC is an outgrowth of the regional health department and received federal 330 funding in 2015. AHC provides a seamless continuum of care for vulnerable people that has improved the health status of its patients. In 2023, AHC served nearly 6,200 individuals & provided 20,585 medical, dental, behavioral health (BH) & substance use disorder (SUD) visits. In addition, the health center assisted its patients with access to social services including food, housing, transportation and utility assistance. AHC’s primary focus is treating medically vulnerable people living under 200% FPG, who are either uninsured, underinsured or have public insurance. This demographic is reflected in the health center’s current users, of which approximately 77% live below 200% FPG, 48% are uninsured, 26% are insured through Medicaid, and 3% are low-income Medicare users. AHC works closely with regional health department and community leaders to evaluate & respond to the health care needs of vulnerable populations in the service area. Through these efforts, AHC has identified significant access barriers for both BH & SUD, including services targeting opioid use disorder (OUD) & the ability to provide medication assisted treatment (MAT) for all types of SUD. The service area is struggling with a BH crisis. More adu lts in Ashe and Alleghany have frequent mental distress compared to NC and the U.S., and suicide rates are high. NC’s rate of drug overdose deaths exceeded the U.S. by 21%. A large portion of those aged 12+ (15.6%) have a substance use disorder, putting them at higher risk for other medical and MH/BH issues, including overdose. Despite growing needs, many people are unable to access care due to lack of capacity & barriers to care, with 26.3% of adults seeking but not receiving care in 2023. With this BHSE funding, AHC will strengthen its ability to provide an integrated continuum of care for BH & SUD patients, including those patients who require MAT to achieve sobriety. The integrated care continuum starts with 1-on-1 treatment with an AHC provider (either a BH provider or MAT provider) that is coordinated with a primary care provider to ensure that all aspects of the patient’s health are addressed. Patients will have access to intensive care coordination, evaluation for SDOH & connection to services that will address access barriers, peer recovery services including group therapy, and access to inpatient & residential services through the health center’s collaborations for these services. To support this care continuum, AHC will dedicate 0.20 FTE of an existing FNP & hire a 0.20 FTE MD to provide MAT services; hire 0.50 FTE Licensed Therapists to provide BH services to SUD patients with co-occurring MH/BH issues; hire 2.0 FTE clinic-based, 1.0 FTE mobile-based & 2.0 FTE school-based BH providers; and hire 2.0 FTE Peer Support Specialists to assess SUD/MAT patients for SDOH, assist patients in addressing access barriers & provide intensive care coordination to ensure that patients remain in care. Through these efforts, AHC will be able to expand access to both SUD/MAT & BH services & expects to be able to treat 72 MAT patients & provide BH services to 509 patients, including all MAT & SUD patients who are part of this se rvice expansion. Expanded services will be available for both existing & new patients.
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).