FY 2024 behavioral health service expansion - northern nevada HOPES (HOPES) is seeking funding to expand its behavioral health treatment program

HOPES recently opened a new federally qualified health center (FQHC) in a high need area with a large concentration of poverty, uninsured, and unemployment; and directly next door to the area's largest homeless shelter. Twenty-five percent of individuals in the area are living in poverty and nearly 10,000 are uninsured. This new FQHC will ultimately provide integrative care to 12,000 underserved adults, including those experiencing homelessness, the undocumented, people experiencing substance use and mental health concerns, members of the lgbtq community, and those living in poverty. In washoe county the need for behavioral health treatment continues to grow for individuals experiencing behavioral health concerns, while at the same time a continued behavioral health provider shortage has left many without access to care. In washoe county there are 306 patients to every 1 behavioral health provider, creating a massive and urgent need for services in our community. Individuals residing near the new FQHC are at a disproportionate disadvantage to accessing needed behavioral health services due to lack of transportation, insurance, and income. The requested funds will allow HOPES to expand its behavioral health program to address the unmet need in our community. HOPES will utilize requested funding to expand its individual, group, and intensive outpatient mental health and substance use treatment programming. HOPES will also use funding to enhance its ability to provide community members with medication assisted treatment for opioid and alcohol dependence.