Northwest montana integrated care project - the western montana mental health center (WMMHC) ccbhc planning, development, and implementation project will establish a certified community behavioral…

Northwest montana integrated care project - the western montana mental health center (WMMHC) ccbhc planning, development, and implementation project will establish a certified community behavioral health clinic providing integrated behavioral healthcare at its flathead county campus located in kalispell, montana. Combined with WMMHC's four other campus locations, this new ccbhc site will serve individuals with serious mental illness (SMI), substance use disorder (SUD), CO-occurring mental and substance use disorders (COD), as well as children and adolescents with serious emotional disturbance (SED) in five (5) western montana counties. Veterans, american indians, and low income households are included in the population of focus. All counties in montana are health professional shortage areas (hpsa's). Low population density across an expansive land area makes montana one of the most rural states in the united states (US) and creates communities that are isolated from the health services that do exist. Montana is a poor state with a median household income 12.8% less than the national median. American indians, who experience a disparate incidence of poverty, lower life expectancy, suicide, substance abuse, and access to quality mental healthcare, comprise the largest racial minority at 6.6% (1.3% US). 8% of montana adults are veterans (5.7% US). Montana is consistently ranked in the top ten states for risk factors related to alcohol use among 18-25-year old adults, and has ranked in the top five states for suicide rates for each of the past 30 years. SMI, SUD, COD, and SED exist in montana at rates higher than national averages and communities consistently report in needs assessments barriers to access and isolation from services. Flathead county is experiencing rapid population growth outpacing behavioral healthcare availability and resources. WMMHC's goals are to establish a ccbhc in flathead county, increase access to evidence-based person- and family-centered integrated behavioral healthcare, and to improve the quality of community behavioral health services for 800 new clients. Objectives and strategies include gaining licensure for primary care, hiring primary care staff, training clinical staff collaborative care and integrating care within four months of award. Additionally, WMMHC will increase access by expanding tele-health and same day access to services, expand targeted case management and mobile crisis services, and implement culturally and linguistically appropriate translation services. Finally, WMMHC will improve the quality of care by recruiting and maintaining licensed personnel with professional development training and by working with regional educational institutions to provide residency, fellowship, and internship opportunities.