H79SM085182

South Shore Mental Health, doing business as Aspire Health Alliance, is a certified community behavioral health center that is expanding access for children and adults aged 16+ with a dual Serious Mental Illness (SMI) and Substance Use Disorder (SUD) diagnosis.

Aspire Health Alliance is a community behavioral health care provider serving Southeastern Massachusetts. The organization believes that mental health is essential for overall health. Their history and mission are centered around serving two vulnerable groups: children who have experienced developmental delays, trauma, or harm resulting in profound emotional distress, and adults with the most serious and persistent mental health challenges.

Using funds from the Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinic (CCBHC) expansion, Aspire aims to increase access to timely and high-quality care. They plan to achieve this through tele-mental health services and evidence-based, effective, person- and family-centered services for youth aged 8-16 and their families. Additionally, Aspire will provide comprehensive care and support services to clients aged 16+ with co-occurring Substance Use Disorder (SUD) and Serious Mental Illness (SMI) in order to increase service engagement and foster long-term recovery.

Aspire's goals are to serve a total of 715 individuals through two identified program goals. Mental health was overwhelmingly identified as the leading health issue in South Shore Health's Community Health Needs Assessment. Specific concerns were raised about the prevalence of anxiety and stress among youth and adolescents, as well as the co-morbidity among those with substance use disorder issues. Substance use was the second leading health issue, with concerns about access to care. The limited behavioral health service system in the region further exacerbates these unmet needs.

With the CCBHC expansion funds, Aspire and its designated collaborating organizations will offer and/or expand all required activities. Specifically, Aspire will improve access to care for youth aged 8 to 16 through an expansion of telehealth services, reduce service wait times, and ensure staff are trained on the latest and emerging best practices in telehealth. They will also address the unique needs and challenges of serving individuals with co-occurring SUD/SMI by expanding comprehensive care and support services, hiring and training clinicians to improve capacity for diagnosis and integrated care, and hiring peer support workers to provide support, encouragement, and referrals.

The primary evidence-based practices that Aspire will utilize are Motivational Interviewing and Dialectical Behavioral Therapy, as well as Trauma Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for use with youth and families. Aspire will collect National Outcome Measures (NOMS) data for unduplicated clients meeting enrollment criteria at required intervals. Clinicians will conduct the NOMS intake, while family partners and peer support specialists will conduct reassessments and discharge. The CCBHC data coordinator will enter NOMS data into SPARS. Evaluation advisors will review performance data quarterly to assess progress on CCBHC performance measures, NOMS follow-up rates, and progress toward objectives. They will also review and analyze other project data on a monthly basis, meet with the team to assess progress and identify challenges needing to be addressed, complete required progress reports, and assess progress on identified behavioral health disparities.

South Shore Mental Health Center

FUNDING TO SUPPORT DEVELOPMENT OF PROPOSALS TO PARTICIPATE IN TIME-LIMITED COMMUNITY BASED BEHAVIORAL HEALTH DEMONSTRATION PROGRAMS DESCRIBED IN SUBSECTION (D) OF SECTION 223 OF P.L. 113-93 PROTECTING ACCESS TO MEDICARE ACT OF 2014, 42 USC 1396(A) NOTE. ADDITIONAL FUNDING AS OUTLINED UNDER SECTION 11001 OF BIPARTISAN SAFER COMMUNITIES ACT OF 2022 (P.L. 117-159) TO EXPAND THE NUMBER OF STATES ALLOWED TO PARTICIPATE IN THE SECTION 223 CCBHC DEMONSTRATION PROGRAM. THE LEGISLATION APPROPRIATES $40 MILLION TO THE SECRETARY TO AWARD PLANNING GRANTS, PROVIDE TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE TO STATES, AND TO SELECT UP TO TEN STATES EVERY TWO YEARS (UNTIL ALL FUNDS ARE EXPENDED), WITH THE FIRST 10 STATES LAUNCHING CCBHC DEMONSTRATION PROGRAMS BEGINNING JULY 1, 2024.

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

Division of Grants Management [HHS - SAMHSA]

Massachusetts United States

State-Wide

Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinic Expansion Grants (SM-21-013)

Amendment Since initial award the End Date has been extended from 08/30/23 to 08/30/24 and the total obligations have increased 18% from $2,000,000 to $2,355,501.