Integrating Behavioral Health into Primary Care through Telehealth Evidence-Based Telehealth Network - Project title: VHT Tele-Behavioral Health Program Applicant: Valley Health Team (VHT) Address: 21890 W. Colorado Street, San Joaquin, CA 93660 Website: www.vht.org Award request: $350,000 per year for 5 years Facility type: FQHC Project Director: Soyla Reyna-Griffin, CEO PD Phone: 559-693-2462 PD Email: sgriffin@vht.org Funding Preferences: VHT meets the criteria for a funding preference under A) ORGANIZATION as VHT is a community-based organization headquartered in a rural area. VHT was founded by a group of local community members in rural areas as a means to address the lack of medical providers in the area and continues efforts to address those needs to this day with 9 of VHT’s 15 sites located in rural areas. Service Area: The service area, in Fresno County California, is home to 36,665 residents, of which 64.67% are low-income, living below 200% FPL. The service area falls within four HPSAs for primary care and the entire service area falls within one high-needs geographic HPSA for mental health. The service area also falls within four MUAs. More than 92% of the population identifies as a racial and/or ethnic minority and over 25% of all households lack access to a broadband connection at home. Needs, Objectives, and Outcomes: A 2022 Community Health Needs Assessment conducted on behalf a group of local hospitals identified mental health as the leading health need in Fresno County. Priority health needs were identified through a combination of focus groups, community surveys, and key informant interviews. Thus, a consensus of input from all stakeholders including providers, community members, patients and other community organizations, identified mental health as the most important and pressing health need in Fresno County. As a result of this project VHT’s health system will improve access to integrated behavioral health services for the target population by spreading the PCBH evidence-based model of care to two rural health center sites. Originating Sites: VHT’s network will consist of two Originating sites and one Distant site. Originating sites are both rural and located in designated MUAs. During calendar year 2023, the Originating sites served 5,864 patients. Over the 5-year project period these sites will provide PCBH care to 240 patients a year via telehealth. Self-Assessment: VHT has an establish Quality Improvement Program with the systems and processes in-place to support management of project performance. The plan is to merge tele-behavioral health and PCBH monitoring and reporting outcomes into VHT’s existing QI plan. A systematic case review tool will identify each patient and his/her comprehensive treatment status which will be used to discuss patients that are newly enrolled in tele-behavioral health services, not improving or have severe outcome measure scores, not recently discussed with the psychiatric consultant, not engaging in care, or improving in remission, ready for relapse prevention planning, or disenrollment. Outcomes - Telehealth Services: This project’s implementation evaluation has the potential to show the effectiveness of telehealth-delivered mental health treatment and whether the effectiveness of tele-behavioral health care differs based on treatment modality, format, or presenting condition, while comparing it with in-person delivery of the same treatment. Sustainability: Since long-term quality is the best assurance of sustainability VHT will consider, document, and publish all the ways that “practicing measurement-based treatment to target” contributed to the health of patients and how it added value to the organization which will position VHT to participate with accountable care organizations in their shared savings and value-based payments plans. Current/Previous EB-TNP Recipient: No Learned of Funding Opportunity: HRSA eNews State Consultation: VHT notified the SORH of its intent to apply for EB-TNP funding on 2/14/24 and solicited feedback to ensure project aligns with rural
