Today, Comprehensive Healthcare announced that they have been awarded the Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinic (CCBHC) Expansion Grant in the amount of $1.99 million.
Within the parameters of the grant and with the use of allocated funds, Comprehensive Healthcare will be able to increase access to services for individuals with serious mental illness and substance use disorders throughout the Yakima Service area over a two-year project.
“We were awarded these funds because we have a strong continuum of care, which is a requirement organizations must have in place order to compete for this grant,” said Jodi Daly, Ph.D., President and CEO of Comprehensive Healthcare. “This award is a result of our proven positive outcomes and reputation among others in the industry and the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA).”
While this grant is specific to Yakima County, Daly says these funds will help with sustainability and increase capacity across the organization. It will also provide Comprehensive Healthcare an opportunity to test out work flow processes before transferring aspects of the project to locations in other counties.
“I look forward to working through this project, and increasing access to the critical services our communities need and deserve,” said Daly.
Examples of expanding services under the CCBHC program include:
- Increasing access to Medication Assisted Treatment (MAT).
- Peer support specialists will be hired to assist individuals to successfully transition from inpatient treatment back into the community.
- Quality of care will be improved through enhanced specialty training.
- To promote a community approach to improved mental health, and reduce stigma, Comprehensive Healthcare will provide four Mental Health First Aid trainings, free of charge, to community members, as well as train five (5) staff to provide Critical Incident Stress Debriefings to community organizations and first responders following traumatic events.
- In a specific effort to provide more culturally appropriate behavioral healthcare to American Indian/Alaska Natives (AI/AN), Comprehensive Healthcare will hire a liaison to provide direction on evidence-based treatment options and strengthen relationships.
- Additional counselors and peer support specialists will be hired to provide services in the schools, including those located on the Yakama Nation.
- Comprehensive Healthcare will also report measures on 21-quality indicators to ensure that whole person healthcare is being delivered consistently to all individuals.
The behavioral health agency will also be partnering with Pacific Northwest University (PNWU) on the evaluation and tracking of Comprehensive Healthcare’s progress throughout the project.
“We are thankful for our community partners at PNWU and their willingness to help us by monitoring our goals and ensuring our objectives are successfully accomplished,” said Daly.
To learn more about the CCBHC Grant, you can visit samhsa.gov.
