FY 2024 Behavioral Health Service Expansion - Health Center Program grant number: H80CS26589 The Center for Family and Child Enrichment (CFCE) is a crucial community-based organization and Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC) in Miami Gardens, Florida, dedicated to serving the diverse and often underserved population of Miami-Dade County to fulfill its mission of “helping children and families help themselves live a better life and build a stronger community.” In 2023, CFCE provided services to over 2,800 patients, a significant majority of whom were children under 18, and individuals from racial and/or ethnic minority backgrounds. CFCE offers a comprehensive range of services, including healthcare, mental and behavioral healthcare, substance abuse treatment, and child welfare services. In 2023, a notable majority of their patients (55%) sought mental health care, highlighting the critical need for these services in the community. Although only 1.52% of patients required treatment for substance use disorder (SUD), CFCE believes there are many more potential patients in the service area that require substance abuse services, including medication-assisted treatment for opioid use disorder (MOUD), and is prepared to expand these treatment options under the proposed program. With the FY24 Behavioral Health Service Expansion Grant, CFCE proposes the following activities: To increase the number of patients who receive mental health services, CFCE will: - Designate 3.0 FTE Mental Health Therapists and a 1.0 FTE Clinical Supervisor to provide mental health services to patients in-house rather than refer patients out or depend on per-diem staff. - Integrate mental health outreach to raise awareness and increase access to mental health resources at its site. Its mobile unit will go out into the community and partner with local organizations and departments, including police departments, juvenile detention centers, diversion programs, and similar organizations, to solicit referrals. - Host outreach events that provide resources for mental health services, expanding access to a new demographic. To increase the number of patients who receive SUD services, including treatment with MOUD, CFCE will: - Provide funding to train all behavioral health staff on SUD and MOUD therapies to increase the number of current prescribers. - Designate a 1.0 FTE SUD Therapist, a 0.5 FTE APRN, and a 0.5 FTE Contract Psychiatrist to provide SUD and MOUD services. The contract psychiatrist will do mental status exams and oversee the APRN. This will increase patient numbers by expanding available SUD services at CFCE. - Host community outreach events that provide resources for SUD services, expanding access to a new demographic, including those involved in drug court and diversion programs. With the support of this BHSE grant, CFCE will increase its capacity to offer mental health services to an additional 405 patients, SUD services for an additional 135 patients, and MOUD treatment to an additional 180 patients who are primarily low-income, racial minorities with demonstrated critical need for additional mental health care and SUD services delivered by a compassionate, community-invested team. CFCE estimates an addition of 500 unduplicated patients as a result of the BHSE funding.
