Tuesday, May 13, 2025
5/13/2025
FY 2024 Behavioral Health Service Expansion - Little River Medical Center, Inc. (LRMC), a non-profit federally qualified health center (FQHC), has been providing accessible, affordable, high quality, patient focused primary health care to residents of Horry County and Georgetown County in South Carolina and Brunswick County, North Carolina, since 1978. LRMC’s presence in the service area ensures that all residents have access to vital medical, dental, behavioral health, and enabling care. LRMC also receives special population funding to serve people experiencing homelessness and migratory and seasonal agricultural workers (MSAWs) In 2023, LRMC served 34,376 total patients with 123,633 in-person and 10,306 virtual encounters from 8 fixed service delivery sites and 5 mobile units (UDS), including 2,588 patients with mental health (MH)services 39 patients with substance use disorder (SUD) services, and 385 patients with medications for opioid use disorder (MOUD) (UDS). NEED: LRMC prioritizes services to low-income residents in the service area. Residents in these high-need communities face multiple barriers to health care, including lack of convenient access points for care, lack of family or social supports to access care, and lack of understanding regarding the benefits of preventive care, among others. Increased access to MH and SUD services in the region is critical. In Horry County, mortality due to drug-induced causes was 43.0 in 2020. This exceeds the state rate of 24.9 and the national rate of 23.6, (WONDER, CDC, 2011-2015; 2016-2020). In 2020 in Horry County, there were 265,023 opioid prescriptions dispensed, 308 drug-overdose related hospitalizations, and 197 drug overdose deaths (SC Drug Overdose Dashboard, SC Department of Health). As a primary point of access in its service area for any health care need, LRMC 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: LRMC is requesting funding to support new and expanded behavioral services, increasing access to MH, SUD, and MOUD services for the target population. LRMC provides this service directly and via formal written contract/agreement where health center pays. LRMC employs Licensed Clinical Social Workers, Licensed Master’s Social Workers, Licensed Independent Social Workers, a Peer Recovery Specialist and Behavioral Health Case Managers, to provide MH services and behavioral health services for clients. This includes prevention, assessment, diagnosis, treatment/intervention, and follow-up of mental health conditions; counseling, such as individual or group counseling/psychotherapy; crisis services; and other appropriate MH treatment. LRMC has a formal contract with Waccamaw Center for Mental Health (WCMH) for behavioral health providers to provide on-site MH and SUD services for homeless patients. LRMC provides direct behavioral health and SUD services and refers patients to WCMH and/or local behavioral health/SUD providers. LRMC has providers that prescribe MOUD. LRMC is a community distributor of Naloxone and fentanyl testing strips as part of a community-wide effort to reduce opioid related overdoses. LRMC partners with other community organizations to provide SUD, MH or primary care services. In support of these services, LRMC is proposing to hire 1 FTE Psychiatric NP, a .5 FTE Family NP, 1 FTE RN, a .5 FTE CMA, and 1 FTE Peer Recovery Support Specialist/CHW. LRMC also plans to contract with MUSC for Psychiatry supervision services and purchase a mobile medical unit to provide MH/SUD services in the community. LRMC anticipates that 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 200 MH services patients, 100 SUD services patients, and 75 patients receiving MOUD services. Overall, the center estimates an increase of 100 unduplicated new health center 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).