Tuesday, April 29, 2025
4/29/2025
FY 2024 Behavioral Health Service Expansion - Project Title: Behavioral Health Service Expansion Grant (HRSA-24-078) Applicant: Morehouse Community Medical Centers, Inc. dba CommuniHealth Services Grant #: H80CS08764 Address: 314 Franklin Street, Bastrop Louisiana 71220 Project Director: Katie Parnell, CEO Email: katie.parnell@CommuniHealth.org PH: (318) 239-8015 FX: (318) 281-2559 Website: www.communihealth.org Congressional Districts: LA04, LA05 Pts by 12/31/25: SUD/MAT - 237; BH – 363 Funding Request: Yr1 - $600,000; Yr2 - $500,000 CommuniHealth Services (CHS) is a stable 330-funded FQHC providing comprehensive primary care services to vulnerable populations primarily in three northeast Louisiana parishes (Morehouse, Ouachita, & Union). For over 22 years, CHS has been an integral component of the region’s health delivery network. CHS provides a seamless continuum of care for vulnerable people that has improved the health status of its patients. In 2023, the health center served nearly 17,000 individuals & provided over 71,000 medical, dental, behavioral health & enabling visits. CHS’ primary focus is treating medically vulnerable people living under 200% FPG, who are either uninsured, underinsured or have public insurance. This demographic is reflected in the health center’s current users, of which approximately 51% live below 200% FPG, 9% are uninsured, 63% are insured through Medicaid, & 11% are low-income seniors. CHS’s Board continually evaluates the health needs & barriers to care in the community & expands its service delivery capacity as needed by adding programs, services & providers that address community needs. Through these Board efforts, the health center has identified a need to develop a comprehensive program to address both behavioral health (BH) & SUD/MAT access barriers in the service area. The service area is struggling with a BH crisis. More adults in the 3 Parishes have frequent mental distress compared to LA & the U.S., and suicide rates are high. LA’s rate of drug overdose deaths exceeded the U.S. by 73%. A large portion of those aged 12+ (19.1%) have a substance use disorder, putting them at higher risk for other medical and MH/BH issues, including overdose. Despite growing needs, many people are unable to access care due to lack of capacity and barriers to care, with 29.1% of adults with mental illness seeking but not receiving care in 2023. With this BHSE funding, CHS will strengthen its ability to provide an integrated continuum of care for BH & SUD patients, including those patients who require MAT to achieve sobriety. The integrated care continuum starts with 1-on-1 treatment with either a BH or MAT provider that is coordinated with a primary care provider to ensure that all aspects of the patient’s health are addressed. Patients will have access to care coordination, evaluation for SDOH & connection to services that will address access barriers, peer recovery services and access to inpatient and residential services through the health center’s collaborations for these services. CHS will also expand BH capacity for its school-based health centers to address the significant MH/BH needs for children & adolescents in the service area. To support this care continuum, the health center will dedicate 0.60 FTE FNP, hire 1.0 FTE Psych NP and expand its Psych NP contract to provide MAT; hire 1.50 FTE BH-Clinic and 0.75 FTE BH-SBHC Providers to expand capacity for BH services; hire a 1.0 FTE CHW/Care Coordinator to assess all patients for SDOH, assist patients address access barriers & provide care coordination to ensure that patients remain in care; and hire a 1.0 Peer Recovery Specialist to provide “lived-experience” support during a patient’s recovery journey. Through these efforts, CHS will be able to expand access to both SUD/MAT & BH services & expects to be able to treat 237 MAT patients, provide BH services to 237 SUD/MAT patients & provide BH services to 322 patients. Expanded services will be available for both existing & new patients.
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).