Dothouse Health, Inc.

Fy 2024 Behavioral Health Service Expansion - Project Title: Response to Fiscal Year 2024 Behavioral Health Services Expansion, Funding Opportunity HRSA-24-078 Applicant Name: Dothouse Health, Grant Number H80CS11300 Amount of Funding Requested: $596,667 in Year 1, $491,917 in Year 2 Dothouse Health (DHH) Established in 1887 as a Settlement House, Became a Community Health Center in 1972 and Continues to Serve a Significant Immigrant Population in the Fields Corner Section of Boston’s Dorchester Neighborhood. DHH Serves 93% of Low Income Individuals in Our Service Area Where 70% of Residents Self-identify as a Racial or Ethnic Minority and Almost 20% Are Best Served in a Language Other Than English. Have Limited English Proficiency. Our Service Area Has Designated Health Professional Shortage Areas in Primary Care, Mental Health and Dental Health. Across Almost Every Measure of Public Health, Service Area Residents Experience a Range of Physical and Behavioral Health Disparities. the Reported Depression Prevalence in Our Community Is 16.5% and Is Likely Underreported Due to Stigma Related to Cultural Norms. Rates of Persistent Sadness and Anxiety Among Adults in Our Dorchester Neighborhoods Are High Particularly Among Individuals With Household Income Below $50,000, the Unhoused or Those Who Are Out of Work or Unable to Work. Boston Experienced a 7% Increase in Opioid Related Deaths in 2022 With 352 Overdose Deaths. Between 2019 and 2022, Boston Experienced a 36% Increase in Opioid Related Deaths - Twice the Statewide Rate. the Opioid Crisis Has Disproportionately Impacted Black and Latinx Individuals in Boston: 30% of All Opioid Related Deaths in Boston Were Among Black Individuals (a 29% Increase) and 21% Were Among Latinx Individuals (a 9% Increase). in Addition to Opioid Related Deaths, There Continues to Be Morbidity and Mortality That Comes With Alcohol Use Disorder (aud). in Ma, There Are on Average 3,050 Deaths Each Year From Excessive Alcohol Use. Diagnosis and Treatment of Aud Continues to Be a Challenge Despite Its Prevalence. Behavioral Health Conditions Are on the Rise as Well and Barriers to Services Remain. in 2022, Among Adults in Ma Who Reported Experiencing Anxiety and Depression, 33% Stated They Could Not Access Mental Health Services in the Last 4 Weeks, Exceeding the U.s. Average of 28.2%. Youth Mental Health Is Also Concerning as Boston Public School’s (BPS) 2021 Youth Risk Behavior Survey Reported, 43% of BPS Students Felt Sad or Hopeless, 15.6% Seriously Considered Suicide, 16% Currently Drink Alcohol and 17.3% Currently Use Marijuana. DHH Will Utilize This Funding to (1) Improve Staffing and Access to Integrative and Long-term Behavioral Health (BH) Services; (2) Increase the Number of People Receiving Office Based Addiction Treatment (obat); (3) Hire, Recruit, and Train a Recovery Coach and Community Engagement Specialist to Increase Awareness and Engagement Individuals and Organizations in the Community Around Sud Services Available for Patients at DHH; 4) Support Patients With BH and Sud Conditions to Connect to Community Resources With the Help of a BH Navigator; (5) Improve Screenings for Depression, Anxiety, Alcohol Use and Sud; (6) Train Patient-facing Staff on De-escalation and Trauma Informed Care and; (7) Improve Rates of Follow Up for Patients of DHH Who Were Either in the Ed or Hospitalized With a Primary BH Concern. With This Multipronged Approach, We Estimate a 10% Increase in Unique Patients With Mental Health, Substance Abuse, or Dependence Diagnosis.