MeHAF Awards $1.4 million to Integrate Health Care Delivery
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Maine
programs improve patient care through more seamless
approaches to providing primary care and mental health services-
The Maine Health Access Foundation
(MeHAF), the state's largest health foundation, awarded nearly $1.4 million in
grants to six Maine nonprofits
for projects that support better integration of mental and behavioral health
with primary health care services.
Patients served by these organizations and their affiliated partners can
expect to receive more timely, seamless and coordinated care from physicians,
nurses, psychologists, social workers and other health professionals.
"Patients often grapple with more than just physical
problems. For example, a patient with
poorly-controlled diabetes may not be responding to adjustments in diet or
insulin because they suffer from unrecognized depression. A doctor or nurse that uses an integrated
approach to care identifies and treats both the diabetes and depression,
instead of focusing just on physical symptoms," said Dr. Wendy J. Wolf, MeHAF's
President and CEO.
Each grant provides about $230,000 over three years to
the selected nonprofit groups. MeHAF's
grants will both strengthen clinical services and support innovative efforts to
better integrate the health systems that serve providers in order to improve
patient health statewide.
According to a 2008
study by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, people receiving
integrated health care often experience less severe symptoms, have better
responses to treatment and stay well.
Through these grants, MeHAF seeks these same results for people across Maine.
"Many Maine
people receive health services from more than one doctor as well as from nurses,
social workers, therapists, and other professionals," said Dr. Wolf. "Despite the good intentions of all these
professionals, patient care is often poorly coordinated. Yet, we know patients receive better care
when providers work together to take care of all the patient's needs. This is even more important for those who are
uninsured or under-insured."
Two statewide grants were awarded. Quality Counts will
develop a new way to measure the impact of integrated health care on patient experience
and health outcomes. The Department of Health
and Human Services, Maine Center
for Disease Control and Prevention will team up with local public and mental
health programs throughout the state to promote public messages about ways to
improve mental health.
Eastern
Maine Medical Center,
Mercy Hospital,
Health Reach
Community Centers, and TriCounty
Mental Health Services were awarded grants to improve clinical care in 15 Maine
counties.
(Grant details are found below.)
Each
year MeHAF provides approximately $4 million in grants and program funding across
the state to improve access to quality health care. MeHAF is committing nearly $500,000 for the
first year of these new projects, which begins January 2010. MeHAF was established in 2000 as a result of
the sale of the not-for-profit Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Maine to the
for-profit Anthem Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Maine.
MeHAF Statewide Integration Grants
·
Quality
Counts - $229,995 to develop a Behavioral Health Integration Metrics System
that will measure indicators such as patient outcomes and experience.
Contact:
Lisa Letourneau, MD,
MPH
,
Executive Director,
Letourneau.lisa@gmail.com
, (207)415-4043
·
Maine DHHS
Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention $229,999 to integrate public health and mental health
programs by implementing the Keep ME Well screening tool, developing public
mental health messages, and giving mini grants to local communities.
Contact: Debra Wigand, Acting Director, Debra.A.Wigand@maine.gov , (207)
287-4624
MeHAF Local Integration Grants
·
Eastern Maine Medical Center, Bangor: $220,770
for three years to integrate substance abuse, mental health and primary care
services;
Contact: Eric Brown, MD, Faculty Physician, EMMC Center for
Family Medicine, ebrown@emh.org,
(207)973-7968
·
Mercy
Hospital, Portland:
$230,000 for three years to reduce emergency room use through focused treatment
of adults with chronic disease and chronic mental illness;
Contact: Michael
Hachey, Senior Vice President, hacheym@mercyme.com,
(207)879-3000
·
Health Reach Community Health Centers, (Western
Maine, Belgrade, Coopers Mills, Richmond, Madison, and Bingham) $230,000 for
three years to add behavioral health consultants to primary care provider teams
at six Federally Qualified Health Centers serving people in rural communities;
Contact: Emma Ansara, FNP, Medical Provide, Emma.Ansara@HealthReach.org
(207)897-4345,
or Connie Coggins, President/CEO, HealthReach HRCHC@HealthReach.org
(207) 861-3400,
·
TriCounty Mental Health Services, (Bridgton
region): $230,000 for three years to expand its current integrated care
approach of embedding mental health clinicians in primary care practices within
the multiple practices of the Bridgton Hospital Physician’s Group.
Contact: Catherine Ryder, Director of
Clinical Services, cryder@tcmhs.org , (207)783-9141 ext.
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