Monday, December 30, 2024
12/30/2024
Expanding Behavioral Health Access and Reducing Disparities in Rural Interior Alaska: A Tanana Chiefs Conference Initiative Organized as Dena’ Nena’ Henash or “Our Land Speaks”, Tanana Chiefs Conference (TCC) is an Alaska Native non-profit corporation charged with advancing Tribal self-determination and enhancing regional Native unity in a 235,000 square mile region of Interior Alaska that includes six subregions and 41 villages, plus the city of Fairbanks. This project addresses a critical need for expanded mental health (MH), substance use disorder (SUD), and medication-assisted opioid use disorder (MOUD) services in 21 Interior Alaska village clinics which serve a total combined population of 7,748. The project will establish telehealth infrastructure and culturally responsive care coordination to reduce disparities in remote communities. Needs to be Addressed: Prevalence of mental health and substance use disorders in the communities to be served is high. TCC data indicate an average of 41% of the total population in communities served by TCC’s Health Center Program have received or sought services for a mental health or substance issue in the past six years. In seven of the 21 communities (one-third of communities) more than one-half of the population has. The region is remote and services are limited in villages; many are served by a single Community Health Aid Provider (CHAP) who is supported by medical staff in TCC’s hub communities or at TCC’s Chief Andrew Isaac Health Center (CAIHC) in Fairbanks, and behavioral health staff at TCC’s Chief Peter John Tribal Building (CPJTB) in Fairbanks. In nearly all villages, TCC is the only provider of services, and many villages are chronically understaffed. These staffing issues make it challenging to provide medication management and support, let alone therapy. Villages need solutions that leverage opportunities presented by advancing technology. Internet connectivity in the region has been hist orically limited; however, recent advances including the availability of high-speed internet through Starlink present opportunities to expand the use of telehealth to meet the region’s behavioral health needs. Proposed Services: This initiative will increase the number of patients receiving mental health services, and will increase the number of patients receiving SUD services including patients receiving treatment with MOUD in the following ways: 1. Expand Telehealth Services: Starlink internet connections and tablet distribution to homes will establish clinical access for patients in remote communities, ensuring the availability of mental health and addiction services. 2. Provide Culturally Responsive Care Coordination: A RN Coordinator will assist in coordinating mental health and SUD care for patients among TCC care teams, increase awareness when itinerant staff travel to villages, coordinate and provide training on administration of MAT and MOUD, and assist in linking patients in villages to therapy services based in Fairbanks via telehealth. 3. Provide Psychotherapy Services: Additional personnel will provide psychotherapy services to patients in the project villages using telehealth. 4. Increase Access to MAT and MOUD: Ensure the availability of MAT and MOUD in communities through the expansion of telehealth. 5. Support Community-Based Initiatives: Collaborate with local communities to develop and implement culturally appropriate prevention and intervention programs. Population Groups to be Served: BHSE funds will allow services to be provided to all individuals with mental health or SUD needs in communities served by the following 21 village clinic locations (total population of 7,748): Allakaket/Alatna, Chalkyitsik, Circle, Dot Lake, Eagle, Evansville/Bettles, Galena, Hughes, Huslia, Kaltag, Koyukuk, Manley Hot Springs, Minto, Nenana, Northway, Nulato, Rampart, Ruby, Stevens Village, Tanacross, and Tok/Tetlin. Health Center Program Grant Number: H80CS0 8220
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).