Description
The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, Center for Mental Health Services is accepting applications for fiscal year (FY) 2009 for Grants for Primary and Behavioral Health Care Integration (PBHCI). The purpose of this program is to improve the physical health status of people with serious mental illnesses (SMI) by supporting communities to coordinate and integrate primary care services into publicly funded community mental health and other community-based behavioral health settings. By building the necessary partnerships and infrastructure to support this goal, the expected outcome is for grantees to enter into partnerships to develop or expand their offering of primary healthcare services for people with SMI, resulting in improved health status. The population of focus for this grant program is individuals with serious mental illness served in the public mental health system. Physical health conditions among people with serious mental illnesses impact their quality of life and contribute to disproportionate premature death. In 2006, the National Association of State Mental Health Program Directors (NASMHPD) issued a technical report, Morbidity and Mortality in People with Serious Mental Illness, which revealed that people with serious mental illness on the average die 25 years earlier than people without serious mental illness. While several factors contribute to this alarming disparity (including barriers to appropriate care, stigma and the lack of cross-discipline training), empirical findings indicate that early mortality among people with serious mental illnesses is clearly linked to the lack of access to primary care services for this population. People with serious mental illnesses have elevated rates of hypertension, diabetes, obesity and cardiovascular disease as compared to people without serious mental illnesses. Many of these health conditions are exacerbated by unhealthy practices like inadequate physical activity, poor nutrition, smoking, substance abuse, and by the side effects of psychotropic medication, including weight gain. Many of these health conditions are preventable through routine health promotion activities, primary care screening, monitoring, treatment and care management /coordination strategies and/or other outreach programs at home or community sites. Because people with serious mental illnesses frequently seek and obtain services from community-based behavioral health providers, these organizations must be able to formulate partnerships to foster integration of primary care services and provide wellness education on site with the goal of improving health outcomes for clients. The purpose of this program is to improve the overall wellness and physical health status of people with serious mental illnesses by making available coordinated primary care services in community mental health and other community-based behavioral health settings. SAMHSA expects that people with serious mental illnesses will show improvement in their physical health status through participation in the programs associated with this grant. PBHCI also includes a focus on providing wellness education and support services. This grant program supports SAMHSAs Pledge for Wellness 10 by 10 Campaign to prevent and reduce early mortality among people with mental illness by 10 years over the next 10 years. It is projected that better coordination and integration of primary and behavioral health care should lead to outcomes such as improved access to primary care services; improved prevention, early identification and intervention to avoid serious health issues including chronic diseases; enhanced capacity to holistically serve those with mental and/or substance use disorders; and better overall health status of clients. Grants for Primary and Behavioral Health Care Integration (PBHCI) is one of SAMHSAs services grant programs. SAMHSAs services grants are designed to address gaps in substance abuse and mental health prevention and treatment services and increase the ability of States, units of local government, American Indian/Alaska Native Tribes and tribal organizations, and community- and faith-based organizations to help specific populations or geographic areas with serious, emerging physical health, mental health and substance abuse problems. SAMHSA intends that its services grants result in the delivery of services as soon as possible after award. Service delivery should begin by the 4th month of the project at the latest. Primary and Behavioral Health Care Integration grants are authorized under Section 520A of the Public Health Service Act, as amended. This announcement addresses Healthy People 2010 focus areas 18 (Mental Health and Mental Disorders) and 26 (Substance Abuse).