Project Grant HB147070

RURAL COMMUNITIES OPIOID RESPONSE PROGRAM - MEDICATION ASSISTED TREATMENT ACCESS - APPLICANT: BAY RIVERS TELEHEALTH ALLIANCE | 618 HOSPITAL ROAD, TAPPAHANNOCK, VA 22560 | HTTP://BAYRIVERSTELEHEALTH.ORG/ PROJECT DIRECTOR: DONNA DITTMAN HALE, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, TEL. 804-443-6286 | FAX: 804-443-6150 |E-MAIL: DDHALE@COX.NET | GRANT PROGRAM FUNDS REQUESTED: $3MILLION, $1 MILLION PER YEAR. PROJECT TITLE: MAT ACCESS EXPANSION IN RURAL EASTERN VIRGINIA NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED: THE MIDDLE PENINSULA AND NORTHERN NECK OF VIRGINIA ARE HIGHLY AFFECTED BY SUBSTANCE USE DISORDERS, INCLUDING OPIOID USE DISORDER AND ALCOHOL USE DISORDER. THE NINE COUNTIES OF THE TARGET SERVICE AREA HAVE MEDICATION ASSISTED TREATMENT WAIVERED PROVIDERS SERVING LESS THAN 5% OF THEIR POPULATION AND EXTREMELY LIMITED AVAILABILITY OF TREATMENT PROGRAMS, ESPECIALLY OFFICE-BASED ADDICTION TREATMENT FACILITIES. THERE ARE WAITING LISTS FOR ACCESS TO MEDICATION ASSISTED TREATMENT AT THIS TIME. IN ADDITION, THERE ARE SEVERE WORKFORCE SHORTAGES, ESPECIALLY OF MENTAL HEALTHCARE PROVIDERS AND PRIMARY CARE PHYSICIANS. GRANT FUNDS WILL SUPPORT STAFF, INCLUDING HEALTH NAVIGATORS, A DATA COORDINATOR, PEER RECOVERY SPECIALISTS, MENTAL HEALTH SUBSTANCE ABUSE CLINICIANS, AND ADDITIONAL MEDICAL PERSONNEL CAPACITY, SUCH AS PSYCHIATRIC NURSES AND A TRAVELING NURSE TO PROVIDE IN-PERSON CARE TO SUPPLEMENT EXISTING TELEHEALTH-ENABLED SERVICES. PROPOSED SERVICES: THE PROPOSED SERVICES INCLUDE: 1) ESTABLISHMENT OF TWO NEW MEDICATION ASSISTED TREATMENT ACCESS LOCATIONS ON THE MIDDLE PENINSULA AND NORTHERN NECK WHERE FDA-APPROVED MEDICATIONS WILL BE ADMINISTERED TO TREATMENT OPIOID USE DISORDER AND ALCOHOL USE DISORDER VIA BOTH IN-PERSON AND TELEHEALTH ENABLED MODALITIES; 2) INTEGRATION OF SUPPORTIVE SERVICES TO INCLUDE COUNSELING AND BEHAVIORAL THERAPIES, SUCH AS GROUP AND INDIVIDUAL THERAPY AND AN INTENSIVE OUTPATIENT PROGRAM FOR INDIVIDUALS WITH HIGHER LEVEL NEEDS. EACH INDIVIDUAL SERVED WILL BE ASSIGNED A PEER RECOVERY COACH AND A HEALTHCARE NAVIGATOR TO ASSIST WITH CASE MANAGEMENT NEEDS, COORDINATION OF CARE TO ADDRESS OTHER MEDICAL AND SOCIAL NEEDS, HELP TO ACCESS THIRD PARTY PAYMENT SUCH AS MEDICAID AND OTHER HEALTH INSURANCE, AND SUPPORT TO DEVELOP COMMUNITY AND FAMILY SUPPORT NETWORKS TO SAFEGUARD LONG-TERM RECOVERY; 3) RECRUITMENT, HIRING, SUPPORT, AND RETENTION OF INTERDISCIPLINARY TEAMS OF CLINICAL AND SOCIAL SERVICES PROVIDERS WHO WILL SUPPORT MEDICATION ASSISTED TREATMENT SERVICES AT THE TWO NEW ACCESS POINTS. 4) BUILDING NEW COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS AND STRENGTHENING EXISTING COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS TO ENSURE THAT THE NEW MEDICATION ASSISTED TREATMENT ACCESS POINTS ARE INTEGRATED WITH THE SURROUNDING COMMUNITY AND PARTNERS, INCLUDING MEDICAL, SOCIAL SERVICES, AND LAW ENFORCEMENT; 5) SUSTAINING THE NEW MEDICATION ASSISTED TREATMENT ACCESS POINTS THROUGH ENSURING ALL ELIGIBLE INDIVIDUALS ARE ENROLLED IN MEDICAID, AS WELL AS EXPLORING CHARITY CARE OPTIONS THROUGH COMMUNITY PARTNERS SUCH THAT TREATMENT SERVICES WILL BE AVAILABLE TO ALL WHO NEED THEM, REGARDLESS OF THEIR ABILITY TO PAY. POPULATION GROUPS TO BE SERVED: THE PROJECT PROPOSES TO SERVE SOCIO-ECONOMICALLY DISADVANTAGED INDIVIDUALS WITH NEEDS FOR MEDICATION ASSISTED TREATMENT FOR OPIOID USE DISORDER, ALCOHOL USE DISORDER, AND OTHER SUBSTANCE USE DISORDERS IN THE FOLLOWING RURAL COUNTIES OF EASTERN VIRGINIA: MIDDLE PENINSULA REGION COUNTIES (5): ESSEX, KING AND QUEEN, KING WILLIAM, MATHEWS, AND MIDDLESEX; NORTHERN NECK REGION COUNTIES (4): LANCASTER, NORTHUMBERLAND, RICHMOND, AND WESTMORELAND. THE POPULATIONS OF THESE COUNTIES ARE DISPROPORTIONATELY DISADVANTAGED AS COMPARED WITH BOTH VIRGINIA AND THE UNITED STATES WITH REGARD TO RACE (LARGE SUB-POPULATIONS OF BLACK AND AFRICAN AMERICAN INDIVIDUALS), DISABILITY (HIGHER PROPORTIONS OF INDIVIDUALS LIVING WITH A DISABILITY), AND SOCIO-ECONOMIC STATUS (LOWER PROPORTIONS OF INDIVIDUALS WITH GREATER THAN A HIGH SCHOOL EDUCATION AND HIGHER PROPORTIONS OF INDIVIDUALS LIVING I