Daily Planet, Incorporated

Fy 2024 Behavioral Health Service Expansion - Health Center Grant Program Number: H80CS00018 Established in 1969, Daily Planet Health Services (DPHS) Is a FQHC Serving Individuals in and Around Richmond, Va Experiencing Homelessness, With Secondary Populations of Public Housing, Shared Housing (doubling Up) and Those Living With Hiv. Among Patients Who Chose to Disclose Their Income, 96% Were Living at or Below 200% of the Federal Poverty Level. Additionally, 33% of Patients Are Best Served in a Language Other Than English. With Limited Providers Accepting Medicaid, Offering Sliding Fee Scales, or Providing Bilingual Services, DPHS’ Patient Population Faces Significant Barriers to Accessing Care. DPHS’ Service Area Is Federally Designated as a Health Professional Shortage Area for MH Providers. According to the National Library of Medicine, “knowing the Prevalence of Sud Among Adults, Many of Whom Are Parents, and the Knowledge That Children of Parents With Sud Are at Greater Risk for Sud Themselves Suggests That We Have a Great Number of Youth in the Pipeline Headed for Misuse of Alcohol and Other Drugs." Combined With the Higher Likelihood of Substance Misuse and Overdose With Individuals Experiencing Housing Insecurity, the Need for Increased Access to MH and Sud Services for Children and Adults in DPHS’ Patient Population Is Clear. DPHS Offers Comprehensive Behavioral Health (BH) Services Including Mental Health (MH) and Substance Use Disorder (SUD) Counseling, Psychiatric Medication Management, Medication Assisted Treatment (MAT) Programs, and Behavioral Health Care Coordination. the 2023 Uds Report Reflected 3,135 Patients Who Sought Behavioral Health Services Through 17,476 Visits, Many With Co-occurring MH and Sud Conditions. DPHS Has Successfully Implemented and Sustained Su and BH Programs and Is a Preferred Obot Site for Medicaid. It Is a DPHS Best Practice to Leverage Trusted Relationships to Introduce New Programs and Providers to Patients. This Has Proven Successful an D Sustainable With DPHS’ Internationally Recognized Street Medicine Program, the First of Its Kind in Richmond, Leveraging Outreach Workers to Introduce Medical and Behavioral Health Providers. the Same Approach Would Apply to the Launch of a Pediatric BH Program. New Funding Would Support a LCSW and a Part-time Psychiatrist, Both Dedicated to Increasing the Number of Children and Youth Receiving Mental Health and Substance Use Disorder Services. DPHS Will Leverage Partnerships With the Centers for Families in Transition (c-fit) Offices in the Public Schools and Family Shelters for Direct Referrals in Addition to Warm Hand-offs From DPHS Primary Care Providers. the Funding Will Support a Non-office Based LCSW to Increase Access to Sud Services Through Home, Recovery House, and Shelter-based Visits Focusing on Chronically Homeless Individuals and the Newly Housed With Sud. the Sud Provider Will Work Closely With Obot and Primary Care Providers to Keep Patients Compliant and Engaged in Care. This Position Builds Off of DPHS’ Successful Integrated Medical Outreach Programs and Harm Reduction Services. a New Part-time Case Manager Will Help Support the Patients Working With the LCSW. a Bilingual BH Clinician Will Be Added to the Team to Increase the Number of Hispanic Patients Receiving Mental Health Services. Leveraging the Trust That Exists With Community Partners, Primary Care Providers, and Case Management, Will Help Combat the Cultural Barrier That Exists With Seeking Help. Staff and Providers at DPHS’ Southside Location Are Bilingual, Helping to Ensure That Access to Care and Services Is Comprehensive and Culturally Appropriate.