BHN ccbhc 2021 - behavioral health network, INC.'s ccbhc expansion project aims to increase access to high quality, integrated behavioral health and recovery supports for 300 SMI/ SED/ SUD/COD patients

Funding will augment our existing service components, restructure crisis services to increase access to community-based care, develop payment infrastructure to improve access to care, and sustain gains made in our integrated and comprehensive service model. Ccbhc participants will continue to demonstrate measurable improvement in functioning, reduction in behavioral health symptoms and reduction in utilization of higher levels of behavioral health and medical care. Our program has decreased hospitalizations and increased access to medications for opioid use disorders. Our secondary goal is to use the experience and data from this project, in partnership with our payer dcos, to create value-based payment models. Current data strongly suggests that grant-funded GAP care has been highly effective in reducing emergency department utilization for a cohort of individuals with patterns of frequent use. BHN proposes to fully refine and continue to measure impact from our existing ccbhc expansion grant, funding that enabled US to integrate behavioral health and care management; fill gaps in universal access to care coordination and targeted case management; and implement medication assisted treatment for substance use disorders. Central to the 2021 ccbhc expansion will be activities related to creating a behavioral health (BH) urgent care center to divert persons from inappropriate ED utilization for BH crisis services and stabilization. BHN is the emergency services provider in the southern pioneer valley of western massachusetts. We are in the planning stage of creating the new model of care to support high risk, high need frequent utilizers of BH services. This new ambulatory urgent care center and enhanced community crisis stabilization (CCS) will decrease ED utilization for crisis interventions. BHN will apply to run a mobile integrated health care (MIH) program in partnership with hospitals and community EMS provider in order to divert services to BHN. We will also offer medication stabilization, psychiatry services, and assess social determinants needs and provide linkages to care. Comfort medications for detoxification withdrawal will be offered as clients wait on bed availability. BHN and our medical partners will develop services in collaboration with the MA executive office of health and human services (eohhs). Eohhs launched a plan in may, 2019 to design and implement an ambulatory behavioral health treatment system. They hosted 8 listening sessions, solicited written feedback and is working with providers to develop a roadmap for critical changes needed in the commonwealth. BHN's BH urgent care concept was designed as a result of our collaborative work with eohhs and the MA department of public health. Services will be provided at BHN and in our primary care dcos for high-risk, high utilizing, and/or difficult to engage clients in needed care for serious BH illnesses. BHN is requesting $2,000,000 per year.