Friday, April 25, 2025
4/25/2025
FY 2024 Behavioral Health Service Expansion - Established in 1970, Memphis Health Center, Inc. (MHC) is a Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC) caring for medically underserved residents of portions of Fayette and Shelby counties in the Southwest corner of Tennessee, including the City of Memphis. The MHC board has recognized the need for additional substance abuse services in its area. MHC will use this grant to expand its current behavioral health services by adding substance abuse disorder (SUD) services through Medication Assisted Treatment (MAT) thereby expanding access to substance abuse services in the area. Actual detox will be handled through coordination with other local area providers. This will serve a total of 1,190 substance abuse patients by the end of the project period, increasing access for these patients to this service. MHC provides a comprehensive array of primary and preventive health care services targeting low-income, uninsured, and the homeless populations of southwest Tennessee. Behavioral health services currently include screening and limited counseling. Opioid abuse and resulting deaths have risen in the area. In 2020, Shelby County had 1,993 opioid related emergency department visits, 3,986 reported overdose events, and 416 overdose-related deaths. EMS reported having done 2,378 Naloxone administrations with reported improvement in the patient’s condition. In 2023, MHC provided behavioral health care for 340 patients through 760 face-to-face and virtual behavioral health visits combined and provided substance abuse care for 467 patients through 701 face-to-face substance abuse visits. This care was provided with 0.10 FTE psychiatrists, 0.17 Nurse Practitioners in Mental Health. While substance abuse care was delivered by 0.20 FTE of current nurse practitioners, MHC currently has an internal medicine physician and a pediatrician both with MAT certification that will join the initiative to boost access. MHC requests $600,000 in year 1 and $500,000 in year 2 to support its behavioral health and SUD expansion. This grant will add 2.00 FTE LCSW (one using 0.25 FTE of the time as Program Director), allocate 0.10 FTE of Psychiatry time, and add 1.00 FTE Psychiatric NP, 1.00 FTE Behavioral Health Coordinator, and 1.00 FTE Behavioral Health Front Desk Coordinator to expand the services. Over 49% of area residents live below 200% of the federal poverty level, with almost 26% living in poverty at 100% or less of the FPG. 4% of MHC patients reported homelessness. 34% are uninsured while 20% are on Medicaid. MHC is proposing to serve a total of 1,190 patients using expanded substance abuse services by the end of the project period through a total of 3,269 visits. Services will be provided at MHC's primary care clinic locations throughout the service area, a mobile clinic, and homeless outreach center locations which are all current HRSA approved in-scope locations. The administration of MHC is located at its main clinic location, 360 E EH Crump Blvd., Memphis, TN 38126. The project director is Marilyn Burress, the CEO of Memphis Health Center, Inc.
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).