Teaching Health Center Planning and Development Program - Eligible Entity Type: Federally Qualified Health Center will operate the residency program alone or as part of a GME consortium Project Director Contact Information: Jenitza Serrano, MD Residency Type: Psychiatry Residency Funding preference statement: If applicable Population Target Area(s): Tucson, Arizona Funding Amount Requested (total for the two-year project period): $500,000 Projected number of resident positions in the newly established program: 24 residents; 6-6-6-6 model Expected ACGME Date: May 2024 Residency Matriculation Dates: July 1, 2025 The Marana Health Center (dba MHC Healthcare or MHC) has been providing primary and preventive health services to individuals within rural areas of Pima County, Arizona, for over sixty-four years and officially became a Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC) in 1998. Pima County is located in the south-central region of Arizona and is the second most populous county with the entire area designated a Health Professional Shortage Area (HPSA) and Medically Underserved Area (MUA). MHC’s service area has a current Mental Health HPSA score of 20 out of 25 (HRSA, 2021). Marana and the surrounding areas in Pima County continue to see rising mental health issues in the communities it serves, such as substance abuse, depression, anxiety, PTSD, and other conduct disorders. In rural communities within the Marana scope of services, Serious Mental Illness (SMI) patients are approximately 16% of the total behavioral health population. This can point to causes that present for individuals living in rural areas that directly affect an individual's mental health including financial hardship, domestic violence, social barriers, physical health issues associated with isolation, and adverse childhood events (ACEs). The residents of the rural communities within the Marana scope of service have a high prevalence of depression, domestic violence, and substance abuse. In most urban populations, Serious Mental Illness (SMI) clients are approximately 11% of the total behavioral health population. In rural areas, however, this percentage increases to 16%. Due to transportation and isolation issues, these patients tend to go more extended periods of time without seeking needed healthcare services (Pima County Needs Assessment, 2021). MHC plans to build a robust 6-6-6-6 Psychiatry Residency Program (PRP) with a heavy focus on mental health, addiction therapy, and other psychiatric-related diseases prevalent in the Town of Marana and rural surrounding communities. To realize MHC’s goal is to develop the PRP to train and retain skilled psychiatrists that can support the needs of the community that is culturally competent and provides compassionate care. MHC will increase mental health access, continue serving the growing needs, and positively affect MHC’s current Mental Health HPSA score. The PRP will be designed to meet the high demand for mental health care by retaining a diverse pipeline of psychiatry residents that want to stay and practice psychiatry and behavioral health, building the clinical capacity to create a positive lasting impact in underserved communities.
