Expanding the Reach and Impact of Behavioral Health Services in the Bronx

Since early this year, Frontline has been highlighting teams from across the organization who are working to make our Top Company Objectives a reality. Today’s “Objectives in Action” team in the spotlight: Behavioral Health.

Top Company Objective: Expand the reach and impact of care management and behavioral health solutions serving high-need populations.

Team: Behavioral Health

The situation: In neighborhoods of the Bronx that have large percentages of residents living below the poverty line (including the South Bronx), health and wellness resources are limited and can be difficult to access, particularly behavioral health resources. As a result, residents tend to receive services in a fragmented way and aren’t getting the comprehensive, integrated care they need.

To make the situation even worse: These communities also have high rates of mental health and substance use disorders that often go untreated.

Top Company Objective in action: For years, VNS Health has provided mental health care to children and adolescents through its FRIENDS clinic, based in the South Bronx.  To meet the broader and changing needs of the community, we are now in the final stages of transitioning this clinic to operate under the federal Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinic (CCBHC) model, which will enable the clinic to significantly expand its range of services.

Supported by a $4 million federal infrastructure grant from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMSHA), the expanded clinic, which is scheduled to be fully operational by the end of September, will provide fully integrated mental health and Substance Use Disorder (SUD) treatment to community residents—which is important since these conditions often go together. With conditional approval for our Article 32 License (Substance Use Disorder treatment) in place, we will begin weaving together this new service with our existing mental health services in the FRIENDS clinic beginning in September.

CCBHC clinic services are reimbursed through Medicaid and Medicare and will be provided to anyone who needs them, regardless of insurance status. The clinic is open to all: It doesn’t matter what age a person is, where they come from, or how much money they have—under the CCBHC model, the clinic will help everyone through an integrated care approach that stresses rapid access to comprehensive, coordinated care and treatment. To further support this approach, we are the only clinic in the area that’s open in the evenings and on weekends, ensuring that working people, kids in school, and families can get the help they need, when and where they need it.

As part of the CCBHC model of care, our expanded Behavioral Health clinic in the Bronx will allow us to:

• Build on our longstanding presence in the Bronx and expand access to behavioral health services for community residents of all ages with mental health and substance use conditions, thereby reducing unnecessary hospitalizations and ER visits
• Expand access to medication-assisted treatment for SUD, which is critical in treating opioid use disorders
• Deliver 24/7 crisis support to Bronx residents
• Connect clients with other medical services and coordinate their care
• Link clients with resources to address their social determinants of health needs such as stable housing and healthy eating

Results: It’s too soon to know the results, of course, but this is an important and exciting step for our organization. In addition to being fully aligned with our mission, the CCBHC model will allow us to expand the reach of our behavioral health services and extend a safety net to more people who might fall otherwise through the cracks.

Why it matters: In addition to the mental health services provided by our FRIENDS clinic over the years, Bronx residents will now have access to the high-quality, integrated mental health, substance use and specialty care they need and deserve. This model of care will address gaps, coordinate care, and streamline physical and behavioral health services for the families and communities we serve.

Driving toward our 3-year Strategic Goals: Our CCBHC clinic provides us with yet another way to achieve our goal of having 100,000 patients, members and clients in our care by 2026.

What Behavioral Health team members are saying:

“We are thrilled to be able to bring this nationally recognized, evidence-based model of behavioral health care to the South Bronx clients we serve,” says Jessica Fear, Senior Vice President, Behavioral Health. “With the opening of our CCBHC, VNS Health has the opportunity to lead the way while delivering on our mission of expanding our Behavioral Health portfolio.”

“Our Behavioral Health clinic in the Bronx is a significant step forward in expanding access to integrated mental health and substance use care for our community,” notes Alex Karydi, Director of Behavioral Health Product Development, “The transition to the CCBHC model allows us to serve a broader population, provide comprehensive care, and support individuals by addressing both their mental health and substance use challenges. This initiative is crucial for reducing hospitalizations, enhancing crisis support, and linking our clients to essential services that address their overall well-being.”

“Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinics (CCBHCs) play more than just a crucial role in the behavioral health landscape; they also serve as pivotal cornerstones within their communities,” adds Annie John, Vice President, CCBHC/Integrated Clinical Programming. “The CCBHC model is our investment in community-based care for our vulnerable populations through the provision of comprehensive, integrated, high-quality services.”