Sunday, May 11, 2025
5/11/2025
FY 2024 Behavioral Health Service Expansion - Applicant: Refuah Health Center, Inc; H80CS00281 Address: 728 N. Main Street; Spring Valley, New York 10977 Project Director: Chanie Sternberg, Executive Director Project Director Phone: 845-354-9300 x. 1205 (voice); 845-354-9448 (fax) Email: CSternberg@RefuahHealth.org Funding Requested: $1,100,000 ($600,000 YR 1/$500,000 YR 2), AL/CFDS #: 93.224 Refuah Health Center, Inc. (Refuah) seeks $600,000 in Fiscal Year 2024 Behavioral Health Service Expansion funding to increase the number of patients receiving mental health services and substance use disorder (SUD) services, including those receiving treatment with medications for opioid use disorder (MOUD). This funding will enable Refuah to expand access to comprehensive mental health services for low-income and marginalized communities in Rockland County and rural Sullivan County in New York’s Lower Hudson Valley. Refuah has provided comprehensive healthcare services to low-income New Yorkers since 1992 and became a Section 330(e) Health Center Program grantee in 2002. Currently, Refuah operates four permanent sites in Rockland, two permanent sites in Sullivan County, and a fleet of seven mobile medical units. Refuah serves over 80,000 patients annually, offering primary care, dental, behavioral health, and a broad range of specialty medical services. Refuah’s target population includes low-income residents and families living at or below 200% of the Federal Poverty Guidelines (FPG) and the un/underinsured in Rockland and Sullivan Counties. Refuah serves a diverse community including Hispanic and Haitian immigrants and ultraorthodox Jews. Many of these families face health equity challenges and require culturally sensitive and linguistically appropriate care. Over 40% of Refuah’s patients are children under the age of 18. The proposed service area reports dismal mental health outcomes and lack of access. Both Rockland and Sullivan Counties are designated as Medically Underserved Areas (MUA) and Mental Health Professional Shortage Areas. Local and regional Communities Health Needs Assessments identity mental health access and SUD services as top health priorities. To increase patients receiving mental health and SUD services, Refuah’s project proposes the following objectives: 1. Increase Access to Behavioral Health Providers: - Hire a full-time equivalent (FTE) psychiatrist and additional social workers with expertise in Refuah's diverse populations. - Designate a Behavioral Health (BH) Director and mentor to provide subject matter expertise and ongoing training for BH staff. 2. Leverage Existing Behavioral Health Infrastructure: - Utilize existing BH infrastructure, which includes integrated BH in Women's Health and Family Medicine with practices like warm hand-offs to increase access and comprehensive care. - Leverage robust enabling services to address social determinants of health, including food insecurity, unstable housing, limited health insurance, linguistic barriers, financial strain, broadband issues, and limited access to transportation. 3. Expand Telepsychiatry Services: - Designate existing space at Refuah’s Liberty, NY site to create a mental health hub, enhancing telepsychiatry services in rural Sullivan County. This hub will connect patients to telepsychiatry and onsite social workers. 4. Recovery and Support Services: Hire additional recovery and support staff to provide robust enabling services and community outreach and education programs to address stigmas and discrimination associated with seeking behavioral health services, particularly in underserved populations. With HRSA's support, RefuahHealth will expand behavioral health service delivery, ensuring that low-income and marginalized populations in Rockland and Sullivan Counties receive the mental health and SUD services they need to thrive. This funding will play a crucial role in expanding access, reducing stigma, and improving overall health outcomes for our target population.
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).