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November 17, 2015 | Issue No. 10
CHRC issues FY 2016 Call for Proposals |
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On November 10, 2015, the CHRC issued the FY 2016 Call for Proposals (RFP), which looks to support programs that will expand capacity,
reduce health disparities, and help reduce avoidable hospital utilization.
This year’s RFP looks to support four types of programs:
(1) Promoting comprehensive women’s health
services and reducing infant mortality rates; (2) Expanding access to dental
care; (3) Integrating behavioral health service delivery in the community and
addressing the heroin and opioid epidemic; and (4) Expanding access to primary
and preventative care services and chronic disease management. The CHRC anticipates
awarding approximately $1 million in new funding this fiscal year.
Organizations interested in
applying are encouraged to take part in an informational RFP conference call at
11:00 AM on November 18th (Phone Number: 1(866) 247-6034, Access Code: 4102607046). Organizations interested in applying for funding must submit a Letter of Intent (LOI) no later than noon, December 15, 2015. Once grantees are notified of their
eligibility, full grant proposals will be due no later than noon, January 11,
2016. Grant awards will be announced in mid-March 2016. More information
about this year’s Call for Proposals, the informational conference call, and application
instructions can be found on the CHRC website.
Health Care Access Maryland and Lifebridge "report out" first year results of Access Health Program to CHRC |
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On October 8, 2015, CHRC grantee HealthCare Access Maryland
(HCAM) and their hospital partner, Lifebridge Health/Sinai Hospital, presented an update on implementation of
the Access Health program,
which targets super-utilizers of the Sinai Emergency Department and is
supported by a CHRC grant awarded in FY 2014 for $800,000. The project
began implementation in June 2014 and has enrolled 318 individuals. These
participants have been divided into three risk-stratified groups: (1) High
utilizer (10 or more ED visits in 4 months); (2) At risk (3 or more ED visits
in 4 months); and (3) Low risk (uninsured, one to two visits). As part of
its evaluation, the program compared the volume of ED visits generated by the
at-risk group (140 individuals) pre-enrollment (for 4 months) and
post-enrollment (for 4 months). This comparison showed a 55% reduction in
ED visits and a 53% reduction in inpatient stays for these 140 individuals,
which translates into total cost savings/avoided charges of $694,184 as of June
5, 2015.
Health Partners leverages CHRC dental grant to receive additional grant from CareFirst |
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Health Partners received a two-year, $250,000 grant from the CHRC last
year to assist the organization in their efforts expand their dental
program/practice. Health Partners utilized the initial CHRC seed grant funding
to leverage an additional $75,000 grant from CareFirst. Senator Thomas “Mac” Middleton joined Health
Partners, CareFirst, CHRC, the DHMH Office of Oral Health, and the Charles
County Health Department to announce the two dental grants on October
26.
This public-private
partnership provides an example of how CHRC initial seed funding enables grantees
like Health Partners to leverage additional private resources and develop
sustainable programs. Since 2005, the
$52.3 million awarded by the CHRC in initial seed funding has enabled its
grantees to leverage $18.6 million in additional federal
and private/non-profit resources.
Pictured below, in front from left, Sen. Thomas "Mac" Middleton; Deborah Rivkin, Vice President of Governmental Affairs, CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield; Tricia Lehman, CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield; Mark Luckner, Executive Director, Maryland Community Health Resources Commission; and Dr. Harry Goodman, Director of Office of Oral Health, Department of Health and Mental Hygiene. In back from left are Bill Leebel, Public Relations Officer, Charles County Health Department; James Bridgers, Charles County Deputy Health Officer; George Nash, Health Partners Board member; Chrisie Mulcahey, Health Partners Executive Director; Kit Wright, Health Partners Board president; and Bill Berry, Health Partners Board member.
 
MobileMed celebrates being designated a Federally Qualified Health Center |
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Mobile Medical Care Inc. (MobileMed), a multi-year
recipient of CHRC funding, celebrated its new designation as a Federally Qualified
Health Center (FQHC) at its annual meeting on October 26, 2015. This FQHC designation qualifies MobileMed
clinics to receive enhanced Medicare and Medicaid reimbursement and puts the
organization on the path towards achieving long-term financial sustainability.
MobileMed, which participates in the Montgomery Cares program, delivers primary
care at several fixed site and mobile health van locations throughout
Montgomery County.
MobileMed has received CHRC funding in 2008, 2012, and 2014
to increase health care access for multi-cultural, low-income patients in
Germantown, Rockville, and Aspen Hill, respectively. MobileMed utilized the
current grant for $480,000 to initiate services in Aspen Hill, designated as a
Medically Underserved Area. This expansion enabled the organization to apply
successfully for a two-year $900,000 New Access Point award from the federal
government, which makes it possible for MobileMed to enhance its services and serve
more individuals in need. As an FQHC,
MobileMed will be eligible to apply for continued funding on an ongoing basis
in order to promote its efforts to deliver health care in underserved
communities in Montgomery County.
Pictured below from left to right: John Sackett, COO Adventist HealthCare; Monique Sanfuentes, Director, Community Health and Wellness, Suburban Hospital; Del. Craig Zucker; Mark Luckner, Exec. Dir. Maryland CHRC; Montgomery County Council President George Leventhal; Peter Lowet, Exec. Dir. MobileMed; Connie Lierman, MobileMed President; Sen. Brian Feldman; Sen. Susan Lee.
CHRC grantees highlighted
at the annual Maryland Rural Health Conference |
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On October 29, 2015, the Worcester County Health Department
and the Lower Shore Clinic, both recipients of CHRC funding, were invited to
present their CHRC-supported programs at the 2015 Maryland Rural Health
Conference. The focus of this year’s conference was “Navigating the Present and
Building the Future of Rural Health.”
Of the 154 grants awarded by the CHRC, 74 grants ($17.9
million) have supported programs in rural jurisdictions. The programs have collectively expanded
access to services for 50,940 individuals in rural areas. The Worcester County Health Department
received a two-year $250,000 grant that targeted individuals with diabetes who visited
local emergency departments on the lower shore (Atlantic General, McCready, and
Peninsula Regional Medical Center). The
grantee reports that there was an 85% reduction in ED use of those receiving care coordination, and $189,000 was saved in averted ED visits. The grantee leveraged
the initial CHRC grant funding to obtain a three-year $600,000
care-coordination grant from HRSA.
The Lower Shore Clinic, an outpatient mental health provider in Salisbury, received a two-year, $240,000 grant to add the delivery of primary care services to its service offerings. The grantee discussed how they created a one-stop healthcare shop that led to a 48.5% reduction in ER visits for non-urgent care and a 90% preventive care compliance rate for patients with chronic somatic conditions. The grantee also reported that the integration of primary care services at its clinic improved its fiscal outlook, as overall program revenues grew from approximately $1.3 million in 2009 (before integration) to approximately $4.4 million in 2015 (after integration), which has allowed the clinic to sustain and grow the services well beyond the original award.
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