Rural Health Network Development Planning Grant Program - Organization name and full address: About Our Kids 208A W 10th Street Lamar, MO 64759 Organization Type: 501 (c)(3) Nonprofit Organization Organization Website: https://www.aokyouth.org/ Proposed Service Region: Barton and Dade Counties, Missouri, USA Network Name: ORBIT 3.0 (Opioids: Rural Battle Implementation & Targets) Legislative Aims: Achieve Efficiencies, Expand Access to coordinate and improve the quality of basic healthcare services and associated health outcomes, Strengthen the rural health care system as a whole. Focus area based on Community Need: Mental Health and Substance Abuse Disorder/Opioid Abuse Disorder treatment and recovery services. Funding Preference: About Our Kids, Inc. and ORBIT qualifies for the Health Professional Shortage Area funding preference because Barton County MO and Dade County MO are located in a designated HPSA. Key Staff: Network Director - Jerod Morey; Project Director - Jillian Gardner Project Summary: The purpose of this proposal is to create a concrete plan to: a) extend critical new telemental health services to battle Mental Health (MH) and Substance/Opioid Use Disorder (S/OUD) problems facing the Southwest MO communities of Barton and Dade Counties, and; b) create the ability to bill existing funding sources for our ORBIT initiative (Opioids: Rural Battle Implementation & Targets) so its activities are sustained for the long haul. AOK seeks funding to develop the community’s capacity to access existing funding and provider sources that will increase access and utilization of mental health and substance abuse services by residents. Once implemented, our plans will address a critical structural challenge faced by target area residents by increasing access to MH and SUD/OUD services for a community that desperately needs it. Our project aims to accomplish five goals to improve our health care system, increase access to services, and improve health outcomes for our community members. 1. Create business model and practices for AOK to sustain and grow its MH and S/OUD treatment services 2. Establish Telemental Health Service model at AOK for residents to utilize 3. Improve AOK and network fundraising capacity 4. Create communications plan for communities to access mental health and substance abuse services 5. Develop professional development plan for mental health and substance use professionals serving the target area
