Thursday, December 26, 2024
12/26/2024
The Watts Healthcare Corporation’s (WHCC) service area is in one of the largest low-income urban areas in the Western United States. WHCC’s service area consists of 31 ZIP codes, where more than 75% of current patients reside (per our 2023 UDS report). WHCC provides services out of five fixed service delivery sites, and two mobile units. We also have four WIC (Women, Infants & Children) program sites. As a community health organization, WHCC offers primary, specialty, and enabling services. According to the American Community Survey (ACS) (ACS, 2022 estimates), there are 45.7% of individuals at or below 200% of the Federal Poverty Guidelines (FPG), which is WHCC’s target population. Significant health and cultural barriers to care exist for the service area population, including low English language proficiency, lack of familiarity with American healthcare systems, transportation insecurity, and lack of access to healthcare. As illustrated in our 2023 Uniform Data System (UDS) report, WHCC provided Mental Health (MH) services to 609 patients via 609 visits (37 clinic visits and 572 virtual visits); SUD services to 285 patients via 2,571 (1,952 clinic visits and 619 virtual visits), and medications for opioid use disorder (MOUD) services to zero (0) patients during the reporting period. WHCC will be able to increase the number of patients receiving MH and SUD as well as offer MOUD services through the addition of psychiatry services, including Medication Assisted Treatment (MAT) services. Historically, behavioral health (B.H.) services have been provided through our substance abuse program to address comorbidity in individuals living with substance abuse disorders (SUDs). In South Los Angeles, the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health reports that levels and growth rates of accidental overdose are the highest within the county. There is a critical need to build and align a comprehensive behavioral health practice that will address a pent-up demand for expanded community-focused and locally tailored behavioral health care in the area, including both SUD and mental health care services. Historically, 60-70% of WHCC’s SUD clients have experienced both SUD and mental illness, both of which must be treated simultaneously for best results. To ensure that all patients receive effective care and support, Watts Healthcare seeks to fully participate in a transformation of its substance use disorder (SUD) services, and offer an effective integrated and coordinated care delivery system that treats SUDs along a continuum, with a strong behavioral health underpinning. This will require the intentional design of a program that is patient-centered and uses evidence-based modalities. This program design would support the integration and coordination of SUD treatment into primary, specialty, and behavioral health care services. A major component of our behavioral health strategy through this transformative approach is to build an infrastructure to strategically address social determinants of health and support complex case management. This will also help us assist patients in achieving their physical and mental health goals more effectively. WHCC aims to include behavioral and social screenings for all patients, going beyond SUD and maternal health, offering and providing services to patients who demonstrate a need for therapy-based care, supportive counseling, social services, and linkages to care. With additional staffing and key renovations to our facility, we anticipate an increase in the cumulative capacity for outpatient, intensive outpatient, and residential services by 10-15%. The space renovation would also support additional group rooms, primary medical care, dental care services, and HIV prevention, treatment, and care services.
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).