FY 2024 Behavioral Health Service Expansion - Heartland Community Health Clinic, Inc., dba Heartland Health Services, Inc. (HHS) will utilize $1,000,375 in funding to expand its behavioral health (BH) program’s capacity through investments in new personnel and a mobile unit. With these resources, the organization will increase access to timely, culturally competent behavioral health care for underserved patients in Central Illinois. The overall aims of this grant are to increase BH care access for the HHS patients and target population, improve mental health and substance use disorder (SUD) outcomes, and help reduce BH inequities and disparities in the Illinois Tri-County area. HHS estimates serving an additional 150+ patients with mental health services and 200+ patients with substance use disorder services during the two-year grant period. As a federally qualified health center (H80CS02457), HHS has extensive experience meeting the needs of underserved patients. Since 1991, HHS has fulfilled its mission “to provide high quality health care services accessible to all” by providing comprehensive care through a patient-centered, integrated model. The organization serves patients in 22 ZCTAs in Peoria, Tazewell, and Woodford Counties in Illinois, through 7 service sites. Mental health care needs in this service area are significant and complex. Data from the Peoria County Coroner’s Office indicates the opioid trend is increasing in Peoria County. The Partnership for a Healthy Community’s 2022 Community Health Needs Assessment confirms that mental health has become a more pervasive issue in the community. Between 2019 and 2022, the number of people experiencing depression has increased by 12%, as has the number of people experiencing stress/anxiety. Despite the significant need, access to BH services is limited; in the targeted service area, there are four designated mental health Health Professional Shortage Areas. Access is even more difficult for low-income and medically underserved populations, demographics largely served by HHS. Of its patient population with a known income in 2022, 98% were living at or below the 200% of the federal poverty line. To meet these needs, HHS provides mental health and SUD services, including medication-assisted therapy, through a comprehensive, team-based approach in which BH and medical staff work side-by-side to offer a continuum of care. In 2023, HHS estimates providing mental health services to 1,231 patients and services to 150 patients living with SUD or opioid use disorder. However, the organization faces a capacity gap and is unable to meet increasing needs. Current waitlists for new BH patients exceed three months, and its patient population’s social determinants of health create access barriers. Many patients are at a heightened risk for the negative impacts of mental health issues, such as pregnant patients or those who identify as LGBTQ+. As such, HHS will utilize service expansion funds to support the resources necessary to keep up with the significant need in the service area and among patients. In Year One, HHS will hire three new clinicians, including one psychiatric-mental health nurse practitioner, one Licensed Clinical Social Workers (LCSW) or Licensed Clinical Professional Counselors (LCPC), and one medication-assisted treatment (MAT) LCSW/LCPC. HHS will also purchase a mobile health unit to provide BH services to populations who face barriers to accessing traditional health center locations. In Year Two, HHS will continue to support the new positions, as well as an additional LCSW or LCPC. During the grant period, in addition to staffing the mobile unit, these clinicians will likely spend most of their time at HHS’s East Bluff and Olt sites. Hires will be made with a focus on meeting several gaps within the organization, to potentially include a Spanish-speaking therapist to address language barriers and/or a therapist focused on child/adolescent populations.
