Month: December 2017

Announcements from the Federal Office of Rural Health Policy

December 8, 2017

What’s New

Innovating Behavioral Health in Pediatric Care.  The SAMHSA-HRSA Center for Integrated Health Solutions (CIHS) promotes the integration of behavioral health services in primary care provider settings.  In January 2018, CHIS will launch an Innovation Community for Building Integration in Pediatric Care Settings to increase behavioral health capacity for children. This opportunity to receive educational resources, group and individual coaching, and learn about best practices is open to rural, suburban, and urban provider organizations including: local health department clinics with a pediatric focus, HIV provider organizations, maternal and child health providers in underserved communities, school-based health centers, federally qualified health centers, and rural health clinics. Participants will either be new to integrating behavioral health services or just beginning to integrate care (e.g., hiring a behavioral health consultant and/or introducing a mental health or substance use screen to their services array). The focus of the improvement activities will be to: 1) help each organization identify their baseline readiness to integrate services, and 2) assist them in developing and operationalizing a work plan.  Applications for the 2018 cohorts are due by close of business on Friday, December 15.  For more information, contact  Integration@thenationalcouncil.org.

Emergency Medical Services for Children.  FORHP is partnering with the Maternal and Child Health Bureau at HRSA for an intragency initiative to improve coordination of care for children experiencing mental health crisis in rural emergency care settings.  We are currently looking across state, federal and local programs to see what existing resources can inform this work. The result will be a toolkit that can be used by first responders and emergency care providers.  Examples of what we’re seeking include policies, trainings, procedures, surveys, simulation modules, peer-reviewed journal articles, current/ past research that can help identify gaps in care, useful information, best practices etc.  If you have anything to share, please send to Yolanda Baker, ybaker@hrsa.gov, and include “Critical Crossroads” as part of the email subject.

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