Expanding Access to Behavioral Health Urgent Care Celeste Lee, - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Expanding Access to Behavioral Health Urgent Care Celeste Lee, Senior Director of Grantmaking Grant Program Webinar June 22, 2018

Foundation Overview Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts Foundation 3

BCBSMA Foundation: Mission & Structure The mission of the BCBSMA Foundation is to expand access to health care for vulnerable and low-income people in the Commonwealth. Private, nonprofit organization founded in 2001  $7.7 million annual budget  9 staff members  13 member Board of Directors  $3.8 million in annual grantmaking Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts Foundation 4

How We Work Our mission is to expand access to health care for low-income and vulnerable people in the Commonwealth Community Policy/Advocacy Partnership Agenda Agenda  Fund community programs  Conduct policy research & analyses  Help launch/expand innovative models  Provide independent, objective data/voice  Build/strengthen community capacity  Elevate & inform public discourse  Facilitate public-private partnerships  Convene stakeholders & build consensus Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts Foundation 5

BCBSMA Foundation: Areas of Focus Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts Foundation 6

Criteria for Foundation Focus Areas • Relates to a current and critical issue • Draws on Foundation’s unique expertise • Puts good data into the system • Leads to concrete policy options that result in real impact and system improvements • Allows for synergies between policy work and grantmaking • Encourages collaboration Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts Foundation 7

Foundation’s Grantmaking Considerations The Guardrails The Basics •Address issues that affect low- •Consider issues that are not widely income and vulnerable populations supported so that we are filling gaps •Investigate and support innovative/promising existing models •Budget of $1.3M per year should we investigate •“Go deep” with fewer grantees •Multi-year initiative, following a •Consider issues with the potential to planning year make a measurable impact on the community, possible to replicate, will inform and impact policymaking Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts Foundation 8

Grant Program Review Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts Foundation 9

Expanding Access to Behavioral Health Urgent Care: Our Approach Funding one year of planning and capacity-building  Goal: To build upon existing Emergency Services Programs (ESPs), review the current implementation models, and work together to develop a shared vision for strengthening and improving urgent care services in Massachusetts for adults with mental health, substance use and co-occurring conditions.  Learning Objective : To understand the various models of behavioral health urgent care across the state, identify the strengths and challenges of the existing programs, and determine what additional value the Foundation can bring to the system.  Technical Assistance : Engagement with and support to grantees in a variety of ways:  Expert counsel to assist with overcoming barriers and challenges  Assistance with achieving transformational change  Analytical tools for problem-solving and producing measurable outcomes  Best practice sharing among grantees  Identify opportunities for the Foundation’s research and policy initiatives. Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts Foundation 10

Our Approach (continued)  A grant program for existing ESPs only  Applicants should be prepared and willing to address mental and substance use disorders and co-occurring conditions in adults  Applicants should fully-leverage their relationships with Behavioral Health Community Partners (BH CPs) and other community-based resources, and be willing to share grant funding, as appropriate Funding to determine:  How uniformity of services can be achieved across all Massachusetts behavioral health urgent care programs;  How comprehensive on-site clinical and peer support services for mental health, substance use and co-occurring conditions can be improved and sustained;  How to ensure timely and appropriate next level of care, and ongoing culturally competent care management;  How programs can be sustained and have potential for replication. Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts Foundation 11

Essential Elements: Are you ready to apply? As the Foundation seeks to help ESPs address gaps in the current urgent care system, the following components will be among the important considerations in selecting grantees: ESPs that are poised to participate in a planning year to envision and focus on improvements and  enhancements to the current urgent care system for adults with mental and substance use disorders, and co-occurring conditions. Programs that are prepared to expand to provide additional on-site services to meet the needs of  adults with the above-mentioned issues, and augment ongoing care management and support. Programs with strong community-based linkages and resources to ensure timely referral and  ongoing access to the next level of care appropriate for the patient. ESPs that can envision and work towards diversions from avoidable ED utilization and law  enforcement encounters.  ESPs that will candidly identify challenges, barriers, shortcomings and deficits in the current urgent care programs/system, and work towards pursuing improvements and capacity-building. Programs committed to refining their capacity for data capture and management for continuous  improvement and to support potential future policy initiatives. Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts Foundation 12

Our Investment and Commitment Planning year grants up to $200,000; five to seven grant awards.  Proposals submitted to the Foundation via online portal.  Proposal review by staff and external experts.  Extensive applicant interview or site visit process in the fall.  Grants awarded in December 2018 for a 2019 Planning Year. The Foundation’s involvement and support.  Periodic convening for technical assistance, to promote cross-collaboration support and learning, and to learn from state officials and other programs throughout the U.S.  Assist grantees with planning for enhanced implementation and evaluation in subsequent years, including eligibility for multi-year funding  Disseminate the lessons learned and identify opportunities for policy initiatives  Grantees will host Foundation staff site visits  Full grantee engagement required. Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts Foundation 13

Deadlines and Grants Management All proposals submitted through online portal.  August 22 - full proposals due by COB  August to October - in-depth interviews or site visits during due diligence period  December 20 – grant award notification  Before December 31 – return signed grant agreements  First week of January – grant checks issued via certified mail Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts Foundation 14

Thank you for you interest! Questions? The Foundation will post answers to frequently asked questions (FAQ) from this webinar at www.bluecrossmafoundation.org. Please inform colleagues who were not able to participate in the webinar of the FAQs. If you require additional clarification please submit your questions via email to grantinfo@bluecrossmafoundation.org. Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts Foundation 15