Thursday, December 12, 2024
12/12/2024
Carolina Health Centers, Inc (“CHC”), a non-profit community health center, has been providing accessible, affordable, high-quality, patient-focused primary healthcare to residents of the Lakelands region of South Carolina since 1977. In 2023, CHC served 25,990 total patients via 101,640 total encounters from 16 service delivery sites, including 492 patients with mental health services, 0 patients with substance use disorder (SUD) services, and 64 patients with medications for opioid use disorder (MOUD) (UDS). NEED: CHC prioritizes services to low-income residents in the service area. Residents in these high-need communities face multiple barriers to healthcare including lack of convenient access points for care, lack of family or social supports to access care, lack of transportation, and lack of understanding regarding the benefits of preventive care, among others. Increased access to mental health and substance use disorder services in the region is of paramount importance. Service area residents experience an average of 5.5 poor mental health days per month, compared to 5.4 in SC and 4.8 in the US (County Health Rankings, Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, 2021). High rates of mental health problems and limited access to behavioral health care contribute to a suicide rate of 18.96, which greatly exceeds the state rate of 16.1 and the national average of 14.5. Mortality due to mental and behavioral disorders in the service area is an average of 84.7/100,000, compared to 45.0 in the state and 42.0 nationwide. The top 5 counties in SC with the highest mortality rate/100,000 due to mental and behavioral health disorders are in CHC’s service area (WONDER, CDC, 2022). As a primary point of access in its service area for any health care need, CHC 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: CHC is requesting funding to support expanded behavioral services, increasing access to mental health, SUD, and MOUD services for the target population. CHC hired a Director of Behavioral Health in 2019 to develop an integrated behavioral health program and now employs six additional counselors. CHC currently has 8 primary care providers implementing Medication Assisted Therapy (MAT) and MOUD. Other providers are eager to implement MAT/MOUD but would prefer to have behavioral health staff onsite for support. CHC is proposing to hire 4 Behavioral Health Counselors, an Interpreter, and a Peer Support Specialist to serve 5 rural outlying sites that do not have dedicated behavioral health staff. These counselors will provide integrated behavioral health services and support providers in their treatment of SUD. CHC has identified an opportunity at its Calhoun Falls Family Practice site for an alteration/renovation project that will enable mental health staff to better serve patients, including conducting clinical counseling groups and facilitating support groups. As recipients of targeted funding to serve Migratory and Seasonal Agricultural Workers, CHC is well-positioned to serve this population with a counselor covering Saluda and Ridge Spring Family Practices. An Interpreter will further strengthen CHC’s ability to provide quality culturally appropriate care. With remaining funds, CHC will assume some of the cost associated with providing MOUD services for uninsured patients. CHC anticipates 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 892 mental health services patients, 80 SUD services patients, and 124 patients receiving MOUD services. Overall, the center estimates an increase of 100 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 MOUD.
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).
