Quality Improvement Fund - Justice Involved - Applicant: HCC Network Address: 608 Missouri Street, Waverly, MO 64096 Grant Number: H80CS26561 Project Director: Molly Adams Project Description: HCC Network is requesting $1,000,000 in total for 2 years to support the work of the HCC Network Transitions in Care for Justice-Involved Populations project. The project will focus on strengthening transitions in care for individuals who will soon be released from incarceration to community-based, high-quality primary care services including services that address critical health and health-related social needs. HCC Network is a federally qualified health center and serves rural population areas. Populations to be Served: Individuals who will soon be released from incarceration from the Lafayette County and/or the Ray County Jail and will reside in Carroll, Lafayette, Ray, or Saline counties in West Central Missouri. This will include individuals (age 18 or older) who are living in a carceral setting and are scheduled or expected to be released from incarceration in 90 days or less. A total of 87,712 people live in the 2,647.39 square mile service with a population density of 33 persons per square mile, which is less than the national average population density of 94 persons per square mile. The service area is predominantly white (89.88%) and non-Hispanic (92.96%). Residents are likely to have higher health disparities due to lower per capita income, higher rates of individuals without a high school diploma, lower high school graduation rates, and higher rates of disabilities. The limited health care resources in the area are even more challenging to obtain for those who are or have been involved with the justice system, especially if they are also coping with mental illness or substance use disorder(s). Needs to Be Addressed: The already limited health care resources in the service area are difficult to obtain and even more challenging to obtain for those involved with the justice system. This is particularly true for those coping with mental illness or substance use disorder(s). Lafayette County and Saline County are overseen by the 15th Circuit Court while Carroll County and Ray County 8th Circuit Court. In 2022, the 8th and 15th Circuit Courts had 2,188 filed selected drug and alcohol charges and 843 guilty outcomes for selected drug and alcohol charges. In 2023, there were 32 individuals admitted to Adult Treatment, Veterans & DWI Court and 18 exited. Homelessness, mental illness, substance misuse, and incarceration are closely linked. In Missouri state fiscal year 2022, approximately 921 individuals in the four-county region received clinical services from the Division of Behavioral Health psychiatric program. The majority of diagnoses were related to depression, anxiety and fear disorders, and trauma and stress-related disorders. Co-occurring indicators reflect that 33.2% of those receiving treatment also had a substance use disorder, and 10.5% had a co-occurring developmental disability. Data is not available at the local level to track the number of justice involved individuals with co-occurring mental illness and/or substance misuse disorders. All counties in the service area have HPSA designations for primary, dental, and mental health. Proposed Services: Pre-release planning, community health workers, PRAPARE, mediation, MAT, peer support services, care coordination, health evaluations, screening, primary health services, immunizations, behavioral health, screenings for social determinants of health, and recommendations/referrals for both health and social health-related needs.
