H79SM086412

Advocates Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinic (CCBHC) - Advocates is seeking a SAMHSA CCBHC Improvement and Advancement Grant to maintain and enhance its existing CCBHC, targeting services to underserved and un/underinsured populations in five communities in the MetroWest (MW) region of Massachusetts (MA).

This project seeks to improve the accessibility and quality of community behavioral health services to address a growing need for comprehensive and integrated behavioral, mental, and physical healthcare delivered in a culturally-aware setting. Communities served include Framingham, Natick, Ashland, Marlborough, and Southborough. These are high-need communities, particularly Framingham, where the CCBHC clinic is located, and whose residents experience higher rates of poverty and mental health challenges, including mental health hospitalizations, than the state average.

The CCBHC serves a diverse population, including many Spanish and Portuguese-speaking households, particularly in Framingham - the most culturally and economically diverse of the five communities. In addition, substance use disorder (SUD) is a growing concern in the region, with heroin use on the rise and contributing to a higher-than-average hospitalization rate. The COVID-19 pandemic and national racial strife have exacerbated these issues in recent years.

Since established in 2020, Advocates CCBHC has served 728 unique individuals. Advocates plans to advance its CCBHC to serve at least 250 unduplicated individuals per year, for a total of 1,000 in the next four years. Advocates provides comprehensive, accessible, and responsive "whole person" care to individuals experiencing a range of needs, drawing on proven delivery models and evidence-based practices (EBPs).

Specifically, Advocates seeks to achieve the following goals and objectives:

1) Decrease barriers to care by expanding access to 24/7 behavioral health services. Annual objectives: 100 people will receive support from peer specialists/recovery coaches; 30 uninsured people will access services, and 40 Spanish or Portuguese people will access services.

2) Improve efficiency and effectiveness of BH services. Annual objectives: 80% of individuals served will complete primary care screenings to assess needs; 200 people will use care management to coordinate their care, and 75 people will use a housing coordinator to secure housing.

3) Increase access to services that meet the unique BH needs of the target populations. Annual objectives: 30 people will use MAT to manage and decrease their substance use; 10 people will use coordinated specialty care and open dialogue each year; and 30 youth/young adults (12-24) will use A-CRA in individual, group, and family therapy each year.

Advocates will deliver services at its CCBHC outpatient clinic in Framingham and its satellite clinic in Marlborough. Services provided will build on Advocates' experience and expertise in providing crisis response, screening, case management, rehabilitation, peer support, and community-based mental health and substance use services.

To fulfill the goals outlined for this project, Advocates will partner with three area DCOs: Spectrum Health Systems, Inc., South Middlesex Opportunity Council Inc., and Wayside Youth & Family Support Network. These organizations each have significant experience providing services to the target population and are longtime collaborative and referral partners.

Evaluation activities will take place in partnership with the Heller School for Social Policy and Management at Brandeis University.

Advocates Community Counseling

THE PURPOSE OF THIS PROGRAM IS TO INCREASE ACCESS TO AND IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF COMMUNITY MENTAL AND SUBSTANCE USE DISORDER TREATMENT SERVICES THROUGH THE EXPANSION OF CCBHCS. CCBHCS PROVIDE PERSON- AND FAMILY-CENTERED INTEGRATED SERVICES.

93.696 - Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinic Expansion Grants

Division of Grants Management [HHS - SAMHSA]

Framingham, Massachusetts 017025255 United States

Single Zip Code

Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinic (CCBHC)– Improvement and Advancement Grants (SM-22-012)

Amendment Since initial award the total obligations have increased 300% from $999,645 to $3,998,958.