FY 2024 Behavioral Health Service Expansion - Project Title: FY 2024 Behavioral Health Service Expansion (BHSE) Applicant Organization Name: Southwest Virginia Community Health Systems, Inc. Health Center Program Grant Number: H80CS00278 Address: 319 Fifth Avenue, Saltville, VA 24370-3418 Contact Phone Number (Voice): (276) 496-4492 Website Address: www.svchs.com Program Funds Requested in the Application: This application requests a total of $1,100,000 in BHSE Funding, with $600,000 for Year 1 and $500,00 for Year 2. Southwest Virginia Community Health Systems, Inc. (SVCHS), a non-profit community health center, has been providing accessible, patient-focused primary health care to residents of Smyth, Tazewell, and Washington counties in Virginia (VA), as well as Bristol City, VA, and Sullivan County, TN since 1979. In 2023, SVCHS served 15,605 patients via 60,448 total encounters from 14 sites, including 1,023 patients with mental health (MH) services, 391 patients with substance use disorder (SUD) services, and 363 patients with medications for opioid use disorder (MOUD) (UDS). NEED: Service area residents are experiencing record levels of MH issues and SUD. Adults report an average of 6.0 poor mental health days per month, compared to 4.8 nationally, while 19.4% report being in mental distress more than half the month, compared to 15.0% in the US (Cty Health Rankings, RWJF, 2024). A third (33.3%) of adults in the Mt Rogers Health District (SVCHS service area) report depression, compared to 26.8% in VA and 19.6% in the US (Comm Health Imp Data Portal, VA Dept of Health, 2024). The suicide mortality rate is 21.6, much higher than the state (13.4) or national (13.8) averages (all mortality rates are per 100,000, age-adjusted) (WONDER, CDC, 2016-2020). An estimated 20.2% (4,003) of residents ages 12 to 17 and 7.9% (19,314) of adults have experienced a major depressive episode in the past year. A quarter (22.3% or 54,195) of adults report any mental illness, while 5.6% (13,646) have a serious mental illness (service area estimates based on state-level rates) (National Survey of Drug Use and Health, SAMHSA, 2021-2022). Drug and alcohol use disorders are also widespread in the service area. An estimated 14.1% of adults report heavy drinking, while 15.7% report binge drinking (SparkMap, Univ of MO Ext, 2024). An estimated 7.7% (1,522) of residents ages 12 to 17 and 17.8% (43,274) of adults have a SUD, including 3.0% and 11.7% with an alcohol use disorder (AUD) and 5.7% and 8.6% with SUD, respectively (service area estimates based on state-level rates) (Natl Survey of Drug Use & Health, SAMHSA, 2021-2022). SERVICES: SVCHS proposes to increase access to MH, SUD, and MOUD services for the target population. SVCHS has a well-developed integrated BH program; in addition, it operates three BH New Day Recovery (NDR) sites. To expand services, SVCHS will add capacity with 10.7 FTE staff, including 0.35 FTE LCSW/NDR BH Manager, 0.1 FTE LCSW/BH Director, 0.2 FTE NDR Program Coordinator, 0.6 FTE NDR BH Supervisors, 0.2 FTE SUD Counselor, 1.25 FTE BH Provider, 1.0 FTE Community of Hope Supervisor, 3.0 FTE NDR Community Outreach Workers, 3.0 FTE Peer Recovery Specialists, and 1.0 MOUD Nurse Practitioner. In addition, SVCHS will purchase equipment and furnishings to create “Communities of Hope” within the NDR sites that provide amenities focused on life skills necessary for sustained recovery (non-federal). The BHSE project also includes supplies to equip BHSE staff to complete job duties, as well as training and certification for BH Providers and Peer Recovery Specialists. POPULATION GROUP: SVCHS anticipates that BHSE expansion will increase the number of patients receiving BH services by the end of CY2025, including a total of 1,123 MH services patients, 441 SUD services patients, 403 patients receiving MOUD and an increase of 30 unduplicated new health center patients. This will support the BHSE purpose of increasing the number of patients who access MH, SUD and MOUD services.
