FY 2022 CERTIFIED COMMUNITY BEHAVIORAL HEALTH CLINICPLANNING, DEVELOPMENT AND IMPLEMENTATION - HRDI CCBHC PROJECT ABSTRACT HRDI'S POPULATION OF FOCUS FOR OUR CCBHC IS LOW-INCOME, UNINSURED/UNDERINSURED, PRIMARILY MINORITY (AFRICAN AMERICAN AND LATINO) INDIVIDUALS AND FAMILIES ON THE SOUTH SIDE OF CHICAGO WHO ARE IMPACTED BY A MYRIAD OF BEHAVIORAL HEALTH CONDITIONS. WE WILL LEVERAGE AND BUILD UPON OUR NEARLY 50 YEARS OF EXPERIENCE PROVIDING TRAUMA INFORMED, BEHAVIORAL HEALTH SERVICES TO INDIVIDUALS, FAMILIES AND MEDICAID ELIGIBLE ADULTS WITH SERIOUS MENTAL ILLNESSES (SMI), CHILDREN/ADOLESCENTS WITH SERIOUS EMOTIONAL DISORDERS (SED), ADULTS AND YOUTH WITH LONG-TERM AND SERIOUS SUBSTANCE USE DISORDERS (SUD), AND INDIVIDUALS WITH CO-OCCURRING DISORDERS (COD). THESE INDIVIDUALS HAVE LIMITED ACCESS TO COMMUNITY-BASED BEHAVIORAL HEALTH, SUBSTANCE ABUSE TREATMENT OR MEDICAL SERVICES, AND THEY ARE FROM SOME OF THE MOST SOCIO-ECONOMICALLY DISADVANTAGED AND RESOURCE-CHALLENGED COMMUNITIES ON CHICAGO'S AND SUBURBAN COOK COUNTY'S SOUTH SIDE. WE WILL PRIORITIZE OUTREACH TO AND ENGAGEMENT OF SPECIAL PRIORITY POPULATIONS, INCLUDING VETERANS AND THEIR FAMILIES. HRDI SEEKS TO BECOME A CCBHC IN ORDER TO ADDRESS THE SIGNIFICANT UNMET AND DISPARATE NEEDS OF RESIDENTS ON THE SOUTH SIDE OF CHICAGO THAT ARE EXPERIENCING A HIGH DEMAND FOR MH AND SUD SERVICES. THE LACK OF AVAILABLE RESOURCES, COUPLED WITH THE PREVALENCE OF MENTAL HEALTH STIGMA IN OUR TARGET COMMUNITIES POSE SIGNIFICANT BARRIERS TO CARE FOR INDIVIDUALS . THESE ISSUES HAVE BEEN FURTHER EXACERBATED BY THE RECENT PANDEMIC. GIVEN THIS REALITY, HRDI HAS ESTABLISHED THREE GOALS FOR OUR CCBHC PROGRAM TO MEET THE NEEDS OF OUR TARGET POPULATIONS IN CHICAGO'S SOUTHSIDE: (1) INCREASE ORGANIZATIONAL AND REGIONAL CAPACITY; (2) INCREASE ACCESS TO TREATMENT FOR INDIVIDUALS WITH SMI/SUD; AND (3) INCREASE ACCESS TO SERVICES FOR VETERANS, CHILDREN AND OTHER INDIVIDUALS AFFECTED BY TRAUMA AND COMMUNITY VIOLENCE.