Certified community behavioral health clinic - planning, development, and implementation project - iroquois is a community mental health center (cmhc) that seeks ccbhc status to expand behavioral…

Certified community behavioral health clinic - planning, development, and implementation project - iroquois is a community mental health center (cmhc) that seeks ccbhc status to expand behavioral healthcare in four southwest kansas counties. This area is under-resourced; all counties are frontier, hpsas, and muas/mups. Iroquois will increase the number of persons accessing, engaging in, and remaining in comprehensive mental health services (2,750 in the 4-year grant period), especially among vulnerable farmers, the elderly, and veterans. Population to be served: iroquois is a nonprofit cmhc that is the primary provider of comprehensive behavioral health services in clark, comanche, edwards, and kiowa counties in southwest kansas. The area is characterized by limited resources, provider shortages, and high rates of persons who are uninsured or in poverty with serious mental illness, substance use disorders, suicides, and incarcerations. With mental health concerns on the rise, only 48% of kansans with a mental health concern receive treatment. Iroquois seeks support from samhsa to position itself as a ccbhc to fill the gaps in behavioral health services and improve the mental health status in the targeted area. Iroquois serves any adult and child regardless of ability to pay. In 2021, iroquois served 497 clients. Based on demographics of those served, persons to be served under the ccbhc are expected to be: 49% male, 50% female, and 1% transgender; 85% white, 5% black, and 10% other races/mixed race; 15% latinx; 25% under the age of 18, 50% between the ages of 19 and 64; and 25% age 65 and over; and 75% uninsured and/or of low income. Iroquois will increase staff and expand outreach and interventions that will better engage and retain vulnerable populations in mental health services, especially those who typically under-utilize such services, such as farmers, veterans/military and their families, and the elderly. Strategies/interventions: iroquois will directly provide crisis mental health services; screening, assessment, and diagnosis; patient-centered treatment planning; comprehensive and evidence-based outpatient mental health and substance use services; targeted case management; psychiatric rehabilitation services; peer support, counselor services, and family supports; screening and monitoring of key health indicators and health risks; and services for veterans and active military and their families. Goals and objectives: to increase the number of persons accessing behavioral health services, and to increase the intensity of interventions to better outreach, educate, engage, and retain persons in treatment, iroquois plans to: 1) strengthen its workforce by adding new staff, by improving its compensation strategies to be more competitive in the market, and by providing clinical training; 2) increase substance use disorder (SUD) services; 3) improve care coordination across behavioral health and primary care, especially for persons with CO-occurring medical conditions; and 4) expand outreach, engagement, and retention interventions, especially among vulnerable populations such as farmers, veterans, and the elderly. Under the ccbhc, iroquois will serve 575 persons in Y1; 650 in Y2; 725 in Y3; and 800 in Y4, for a total of 2,750 persons in the 4-year grant period.