Thursday, April 10, 2025
4/10/2025
Integrating Behavioral Health into Primary Care through Telehealth Evidence-Based Telehealth Network - Project Title: Kansas Rural Tele-Behavioral Health Network Applicant Name: Kansas Clinical Improvement Collaborative, LLC Applicant Address: 1809 East 27th St., Hays, KS 67601 Applicant Website: http://kcic-care.com/ Requested Award Amount: $1,750,000 ($350,000 per year for 5 years) Applicant Facility Type: Clinically Integrated Network Project Director Name/Title: Janet Richardson-Barce Project Director Contact Info: (e) jrichardson-barce@kumc.edu (p) 913-558-1200 Funding Preference: (D) Project involves a telehealth network that includes an entity that provides clinical healthcare services, or educational services for health care providers and for patient and their family members and is a local government entity, the University of Kansas Hospital Authority (d/b/a/The University of Kansas Health System), a state public authority. Service Area: The total service area includes 13 rural western Kansas counties in which the network’s participating providers are located. The total population of the service area is approximately 105,000. Needs, Objectives, and Projected Outcomes: Kansas ranks last in the nation across 7 measures of prevalence of mental illness and access to behavioral health services for adults. For rural Kansans, access to behavioral health services is more limited than the statewide numbers indicate, as most behavioral health specialists practice in the state’s two metropolitan areas. The project’s objective is to improve access to care by implementing and sustaining behavioral health integration services in rural primary care practices. The network will leverage resources across multiple communities that otherwise would be unable to implement such services. The projected outcome is enhanced access to behavioral health services, improved outcomes, and reduced costs. Number of Rural and Underserved Originating Sites: 13 Actual Patients Served: KCIC estimates the primary care providers practicing at the originating sites served approximately 75,000 unduplicated patients in CY 2023. KCIC projects the following number of unduplicated patients will initiate behavioral health integration services in each year of the award period: Year 1 – 150; Year 2 – 300; Year 3 – 450; Year 4 – 300; Year 5- 300. Self-Assessment: In addition to required measures, KCIC will track and report on each originating site’s progress in implementing BHI services using the Practice Integration Profile (PIP) developed by the University of Vermont School of Medicine. KCIC also will track payer reimbursement for services to evaluate sustainability. Finally, the network will be evaluated through mixed-method evaluation performed by University of Kansas Medical Center Department of Population Health Outcomes – Telehealth Services: The anticipated outcomes of behavioral health integration (BHI) services include improved access to services, improved scores on validated rating scales for patients who receive services, and reduced total costs of care for these patients. The use of telehealth to provide BHI services through virtual behavioral health care managers with the support of psychiatric tele-consults will expand rural practice capabilities to provide these services in underserved communities. Additional Activities: None Sustainability: The program will be sustained through Medicare, Medicaid, and commercial reimbursement for General BHI and Community Health Integration services Recipient of Current EBTNP Award: No Applied for Previous EBTNP Award: Yes, in 2021 as an applicant How Applicant Learned About Opportunity: Grants.gov State Consultation: Yes
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).