H79SM083071

Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinic Expansion Grant - East Bay Community Action Program (EBCAP) is seeking $2 million in funding to support a Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinic Expansion Project. This project aims to increase access to and improve the quality of community behavioral health and substance use disorder treatment services.

EBCAP is the only organization in Rhode Island that is a Community Action Program, federally qualified community health center, and state licensed community mental health center. It provides person- and family-centered, integrated health and enabling services. EBCAP is a Joint Commission accredited and NCQA PCMH Level 3 fully integrated practice that has incorporated multiple evidence-based screenings and models of care at all its sites.

For a long time, EBCAP has served the severely and persistently mentally ill and severely mentally ill persons in our state. The populations of focus for this project are the 2,686 persons (with particular emphasis on SPMI and SMI) currently using medical-only services under the umbrella of EBCAP's integrated health services. These individuals have at least one behavioral health diagnosis but are not currently receiving behavioral health care due to lack of resources and adequate staffing.

EBCAP's service areas include the cities and towns of East Providence, Bristol, Barrington, Warren, Little Compton, Tiverton, Newport, Middletown, Portsmouth, and Jamestown. It represents the only point of guaranteed access to care regardless of ability to pay in its service areas.

In the first year of the project, EBCAP anticipates serving a minimum of 798 additional persons, for a total of 18,593 encounters (face to face and clinical support non-billable encounters). In the second year, it expects to serve a minimum of 976 persons, for a total of 22,741 encounters.

EBCAP will provide comprehensive 24/7 access to community-based mental and substance use disorder services, treatment of co-occurring disorders, and physical health care in one single location. With the merger and acquisition of one of Rhode Island's certified CMHCs in 2016, EBCAP is now the only behavioral health safety net provider serving the Upper East Bay region service area. The incorporation of behavioral health/substance use disorder services, Medication-Assisted Treatment (MAT), and an extensive host of enabling services allows EBCAP's patients to have access to a full continuum of comprehensive, integrated care.

The goals of this initiative are to increase recruitment and retention rates via a salary restructure, increase the number of individuals served, provide greater access, and increase access to same-day intake assessments. Additional goals include ensuring that staff are fully trained and equipped to provide culturally-sensitive trauma-informed care, particularly to special populations such as SPMI, veterans, and those with opioid use disorders.

EBCAP will ensure the availability of fully integrated services care coordination for medical patients who have behavioral health/substance use disorders but do not engage in treatment and/or recovery services by providing live time psychiatric consults and conferencing.

Objectives of this project include a 20% increase in MAT data waiver providers, a 15% reduction in hospitalization, and an increase in services that support recovery, such as a 10% increase in referrals for vocational rehabilitation services.

East Bay Community Action Program

93.829 - Section 223 Demonstration Programs to Improve Community Mental Health Services

Division of Grants Management [HHS - SAMHSA]

Rhode Island United States

State-Wide

Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinic Expansion Grants (SM-20-012)