Friday, May 9, 2025
5/9/2025
Rural Health Network Development Planning Grant Program - Need: Despite the volume of patients seeking mental and behavioral (MH/BH) treatment in primary care, many PCPs lack confidence in assessment and treatment of patients, especially patients with mental illness. Efforts by PCPs to assess and treat MH/BH conditions are limited without available psychiatric consultation, referral, and treatment resources. While some patients can be appropriately treated in primary care, patients with more complex MH/BH needs may be better suited for specialty MH/BH care. Likewise, patients with need for less intensive management may be better suited for treatment in a PCP setting. Facilitated referrals and open communication among PCPs and specialty MH/BH providers can ensure better treatment uptake. Backlogs in specialty MH/BH services can be reduced and efficiencies achieved when patients are treated at the appropriate level. Appropriate treatment of MH/BH conditions by PCPs can increase access in rural areas because it lowers patient costs, increases availability of treatment, and increases the perceived acceptability to many rural patients. Focus and Goals: The purpose of the North Arkansas Referral and Consultation (NARC) Network is to improve access to quality mental and behavioral health (MH/BH) services by building an integrated healthcare network that increases regional capacity for psychiatric consultation, collaborative care, and bidirectional referrals among rural primary care providers (PCPs), psychiatric providers, and other specialty MH/BH providers. As scarce local resources across the healthcare system are maximized, unified, and become more efficient, more patients will receive an appropriate level of care in a timely manner which will improve patient outcomes. The goals of the NARC Network Planning Project are to: • Conduct a comprehensive regional needs assessment to identify existing resources, patient needs and gaps in services, and provider needs • Expand and formalize the NARC Network by adding new providers, developing an operational plan, and establishing a formal MOU • Develop a strategic plan, action plan, and sustainability plan for the NARC Network based on results from the needs assessment • Conduct a robust evaluation of all NARC Network Planning Project goals, activities, and strategies Legislative Aims. The NARC Network planning proposal will support the following legislative aims: 1) achieve efficiencies (as scarce local resources collaborate and patients are treated at the appropriate level); 2) expand access to, coordinate, and enhance the quality of basic healthcare services (as MH/BH treatment at the PCP level is improved and expanded and more people with SPMI are connected with PCPs); 3) strengthen the rural health system as a whole (as organizations collaborate to deliver enhanced services across primary care and specialty MH/BH care.) Target Area. The target area includes three counties in rural Arkansas: Baxter County, Stone County, and Cleburne County. The three-county target area covers about 1,788 square miles in rural North Central Arkansas. The total population of the target area is 78,697. Target Population. The target population includes patients struggling with poor MH/BH, mental illness (AMI), and serious and persistent mental illness (SPMI) in the rural target area. Patients with AMI and SPMI suffer from significant health disparities in treatment access, as do rural populations. The target population experiences significant health disparities in chronic disease prevention, treatment, and management. Network planning activities will also include focused strategies to reduce health disparities in the prevalence and treatment of MH/BH conditions among underserved groups including individuals with low incomes, males, LGBTQ youth and adults, and previously or currently incarcerated youth and adults.
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).