Friday, April 4, 2025
4/4/2025
FY 2024 Behavioral Health Service Expansion - Full Circle Health (FCH) (H80CS26601) intends to increase behavioral health access points for patients in need of mental health and/or SUD treatment services. Our goal is to expand upon our existing Integrated Behavioral Health (short-term) and SUD service lines, including patients in need of MOUD. Additionally, FCH intends to create a service line for patients in need of long-term psychotherapy in order to address more complex issues such as PTSD. It is noted that our sustainability efforts will include an added emphasis on behavioral health workforce development, as there is a significant provider shortage in our service area. To accomplish our goal of access point expansion, FCH will utilize funding to recruit and retain two new associate level clinicians (i.e., LMSW or AMFT) for its Integrated Behavioral Health (IBH) program. These new staff members will receive specialized training in primary care integration, including crisis interventions. Our recruitment efforts will include the development of an MSW internship program in partnership with our local universities. Furthermore, we will increase the utilization of existing BH staff for both integrated/short-term interventions as well as long-term interventions. This will be accomplished through more efficient operational practices and specialty training we intend to implement with the support of a new Chief Behavioral Officer role. As previously referenced, we intend to expand our SUD treatment service line as well. This includes patients in need of MOUD/MAT. To accomplish this key endeavor, FCH intends to hire a recent graduate of its Addiction Medicine Fellowship. This individual is slated to become a “Provider Champion” for our expansion efforts. This role will include partnership efforts toward the development of an “ED Bridge” program for patients with OUD/SUD, who present at emergency rooms of local hospitals. Other expansion efforts will include the addition of group therapy for our SUD patients in addition to the potential recruitment of a drug and alcohol counselor. FCH also intends to use funding for its Buprenorphine Prescription program, which provides financial assistance to patients without adequate coverage or means. As a Teaching Health Center, FCH would like to expand our Psychology Residency program to increase behavioral health services through psychology training. FCH would recruit two additional Psychology Interns and hire a postdoc to begin providing behavioral health services on July 1, 2025, both through primary care psychology and individual therapy. This would allow FCH to expand training within our nine-clinic system, which increases access to patients as well as foster retention for providers who want to develop skills in long-term psychotherapy. FCH serves behavioral healthcare needs in Ada and Canyon Counties in the state of Idaho. Counties experiencing outsized growth include Ada County increasing by 26.1% and Canyon County by 22.3%. In 2023, 30.2% of adults in Idaho reported symptoms of anxiety and/or depressive disorder, Drug overdose death rates have increased in Idaho from 12.9 per 100,000 in 2011 to 19 per 100,000 in 2021. In 2021, there were 236 opioid overdose deaths in Idaho, which accounted for 67% of all drug overdose deaths in the state. Data from the most recent community needs assessment, mental health was identified as a top priority, specifically increased depression, anxiety, and feelings of isolation in both youth and adults. Idaho consistently ranks among states with the highest suicide mortality rates (23.2 per 100,000) and there is serious concern for youth mental health and their ability to seek treatment. Also reported, many residents do not have adequate access to mental health care and the mental health provider ratio for Ada County is 270:1, and Canyon County is 540:1.
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).