FY 2024 Behavioral Health Service Expansion - Project Title: FY 2024 Behavioral Health Service Expansion (BHSE) Applicant Organization Name: Greene County Health Care, Inc. d.b.a Contentnea Health Health Center Program Grant Number: H80CS00088 Address: 7 Professional Drive, Snow Hill, NC 28580-1332 Website Address: www.contentnea.org Program Funds Requested in the Application: This application requests a total of $1,100,000 in BHSE funding, with $600,000 for Year 1 and $500,000 for Year 2. Greene County Health Care, Inc. d.b.a Contentnea Health, a non-profit community health center, has been providing accessible, affordable, patient-focused primary health care to residents of Greene, Pamlico, and Pitt counties, NC, since 1973. As an FQHC, Contentnea Health receives CHC and MHC funding. In 2023, Contentnea Health served 37,061 total patients via 85,552 total encounters from 10 service delivery sites, including 3,161 patients with mental health services, 0 patients with substance use disorder (SUD) services, and 27 patients with medications for opioid use disorder (MOUD) (UDS). Contentnea Health proposes to expand mental health, SUD, and MOUD services in Greene and Pitt counties. NEED: The total population of the service area is 191,603. Within the service area, 40.7% of residents live on incomes at or below 200% of the federal poverty guidelines (FPG), compared to 31.6% in NC and 28.8% in the US, while 20.3% live on incomes at or below 100% FPG (American Community Survey, Census Bureau, 2018-2022). Of all service area residents, 13.4% are uninsured, exceeding the national rate of 10.2%. Among all those with incomes under 200% FPG in the service area, 19.1% are uninsured, also exceeding the US rate of 17.1% (Small Area Health Insurance Estimates, Census Bureau, 2021). Greene and Pitt counties are designated Health Professional Shortage Areas (HPSA) for mental health care for the low-income populations (Find Shortage Areas, HRSA, 2024). In the two-county service area, there are an estimated 27,977 individuals ages 12 and older who are in need of SUD treatment. In addition, there are an estimated 35,452 individuals with mental illness in the service area (NSDUH, SAMHSA, 2021-2022; Opioid and Substance Use Action Plan Data Dashboard, NCDHHS, 2024). As a primary point of access in its service area for any health care need, Contentnea Health is well-positioned to address barriers to care and provide access to a continuum of behavioral health services that includes treatment and recovery support. SERVICES: Contentnea Health is requesting funding to support expanded behavioral services, increasing access to mental health, SUD, and MOUD services for the target population. Contentnea Health currently provides mental health and substance use disorder services directly (Column 1). Contentnea Health also provides mental health services via formal contract where the health center pays (Column 2). In support of these services, Contentnea Health is proposing to hire 3.5 FTE direct MH/SUD staff by Year 2, including 2.0 FTE Psychiatric Nurse Practitioners, 1.0 FTE Peer Support Specialist, and 0.5 FTE BH/SUD Care Manager. In addition, Contentnea Health will use funds for staff education and travel; for medical and office supplies; for training and technical assistance; for a portable mass spectrometer for fentanyl testing; and for EMR optimization. POPULATION GROUP: Contentnea Health anticipates that the proposed BHSE expansion will increase the number of patients provided with behavioral health services by the end of the project period (2025), including a total of 3,661 mental health services patients, 300 SUD services patients, and 200 patients receiving MOUD services. Overall, the center estimates an increase of 10 unduplicated new health center patients. This will support the BHSE program purpose of increasing the number of patients who access mental health services and SUD services, including patients receiving treatment with MOUD.
