Rural Health Network Development Planning Grant Program - Project Title: Bertie County Integrated Behavioral Health Network Applicant Organization Name: Foundation for Health Leadership & Innovation Address: 2401 Weston Parkway STE 203, Cary, NC 27513 Project Director Name: Amelia Muse, PhD, LMFT Contact Phone Number: 919-821-0485 Email Address: amelia.muse@foundationhli.org Web Site Address: Foundationhli.org Network Name: Bertie County Integrated Behavioral Health Network Legislative Aim: Funding Program Aim #2 Focus Area: Network Development (primary focus), Integrated Behavioral Health (secondary) Proposed Service Region: Bertie County, NC. Bertie County is fully rural, based on HRSA’s rural analyzer. Project Goal: Engage key partners and stakeholders who support primary and behavioral health services in Bertie County, NC to plan a sustainable, community-driven network dedicated to strengthening integrated behavioral healthcare in this rural county. Target Patient Population: This project will target the rural community of Bertie County, North Carolina. The county of Bertie is a HRSA-designated rural area, as defined by the Rural Health Grants Eligibility Analyzer. Abstract Body The Bertie County Integrated Behavioral Health Network will focus on developing a network in Bertie County, a rural county located in eastern North Carolina. Bertie County residents, because of rurality, poverty, and lived experiences in a historically underserved area, have disparate health care and outcomes, especially in primary and behavioral health care services. The Foundation for Health Leadership and Innovation (FHLI), the applicant organization, will collaborate with four Network Partners including three provider organizations and a faith-based organization. FHLI and Network Partners will facilitate network planning meetings, identify network members representing organizations, community-based services, and grassroots residents, and co-develop work plans that address the aim, goals, and objectives. The Network Partners include Access East, a whole-person care management entity for rural Eastern North Carolina; Albemarle Regional Health Services, the district health department; East Carolina University, a public research university serving rural patients in NC; and Greater Wynns Grove Baptist Church, a faith-based organization located in Colerain, NC. The Network Partners have each signed a letter of commitment and currently serve many rural communities in Bertie County. FHLI and the Network Partners have extensive experience serving underserved populations as evidenced by the number and scope of rural and behavioral health programs each organization manages and the successes in planning, implementing, and evaluating coalitions, clinical services, and community programs in NC and Bertie County. Representatives from the county hospital, FQHCs, behavioral health providers, schools, county government, and other community-based organizations will be invited to serve as network members. The network will collaboratively design ways to reduce disparities and make behavioral health equitably available in Bertie County. FHLI and its partners will use a variety of methods to develop the network, including collecting information on the current environment, conducting monthly network planning meetings, and using key informant interviews, focus groups, listening sessions, and surveys to ensure the community voice is heard throughout the network planning process. Expected outcomes include an assessment of existing integrated behavioral health services in Bertie County, a long-term vision for the sustainability of the health network, and action plans with best practices and solutions to improve access to integrated behavioral health services in Bertie County. At least one solution will be piloted during the network planning timeframe. FHLI is requesting a funding preference based on Qualification 1 (Bertie County is in a designated HPSA) & Qualification 2 (Bertie County is designated as an MUA/MUP).
