Maryland Community Health Resources Commission
January 31, 2022 | Issue 77
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UPDATE: Pathways to Health Equity Call for Proposals
The Health Equity Resource Communities (HERC) Pathways to Health Equity Call for Proposals generated 40 proposals requesting more than $42 million, from applicants representing urban, suburban, and rural communities throughout the state. A review committee comprised of CHRC Commissioners and HERC Advisory Committee members has reviewed the proposals according to criteria listed in the Call for Proposals.
On February 1 at 10:00 AM, CHRC Commissioners will hold a virtual meeting to select a number of top scoring applicants to invite to present at the next CHRC Commission meeting. The Zoom link and dial-in details for the meeting on February 1 can be found at: CHRC Meeting on FEB 1.
CHRC meetings are open to the public, but participation is limited to Commissioners and CHRC staff. After the meeting on February 1, the list of applicants invited to present will be posted on the CHRC website, and all Pathways applicants will be notified about the status of their applications.
The Commission will meet again in mid-February to hear presentations by invited Pathways applicants and make determinations about grant awards. Zoom information for the mid-February meeting will be posted soon on the CHRC website. Pathways grant awards will be announced shortly after the mid-February meeting.
The CHRC has approximately $13 million to award for the two-year Pathways grants.
To sign up for the Health Equity Resource Community (HERC)/Pathways Mailing List, visit Sign Up.
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UPDATE: FY 2022 Call for Proposals
During the February 1, 10:00 AM meeting, CHRC Commissioners will also vote to release the CHRC’s FY 2022 annual Call for Proposals. As stated above, this is a public meeting. The Zoom link and dial-in details for the meeting on February 1 can be found at: CHRC Meeting on FEB 1.
The FY 2022 Call for Proposals will be released and posted to the CHRC website shortly after this meeting. A Frequently Asked Questions call for potential applicants will be held a few days after the Call for Proposal is released. Zoom information for this meeting will be posted soon on the CHRC website.
Under the FY 2022 Call for Proposals, the Commission will provide a total of $7 million in new grant funding for the following three areas: (1) Addressing chronic disease prevention and management, including diabetes and its comorbidities, hypertension, and heart disease; (2) Promoting family health, including maternal and child health, and childhood asthma; and (3) Addressing Behavioral Health, including Mental Health and Substance Use Disorder and the ongoing impact of the opioid crisis.
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Council on Advancement of School-Based Health Centers Issues 2021 Annual Report
The Maryland Council on Advancement of School-Based Health Centers, which is staffed by the Commission, has issued its 2021 Annual Report. Key deliverables of the Council in 2021 include:
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passage by the Maryland General Assembly of Council recommendations to eliminate additional authorization requirements for telehealth by School-Based Health Centers (SBHCs), increase funding for the SBHC grant program, and enhance central agency staffing for SBHCs.
- recommendations to restructure the SBHC grant program and conduct a statewide needs assessment.
- identification of strategic priorities related to SBHC data, quality, and best practices to provide guidance to the Bureau of Maternal and Child Health as the Bureau assumes oversight for most aspects of the SBHC program.
- recommendations to enhance the role of SBHCs in administering the COVID-19 vaccine.
- a Vision Statement articulating the Council’s Core Values, Vision, and Mission.
To access the annual report, click here.
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Choptank Community Health Expands Access to Integrated Behavioral Health and SUD Treatment Services
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Choptank Community Health was awarded a CHRC grant in May 2020 to increase access to integrated behavioral health and substance use disorder services for their primary care and dental care patients who have underlying mental health issues, and to address the needs of vulnerable adults and children in the Mid-Shore community, an underserved area for mental health services.
The new program integrates somatic and behavioral health services within the Choptank health centers rather than through an external provider partnership. A new behavioral health director (Vicki Rahenkamp LCPC, CCTP, C-DBTP, Director of Behavioral Health, pictured) joined Choptank in October 2020, and a new team of behavioral health therapists as well as a psychiatric nurse practitioner have joined Choptank over the past year. Choptank was able to leverage funding from the American Recovery Act to accelerate the growth of the program which was originally slated to hire only 2 therapists in the first two years.
Integrated behavioral health services have been successfully initiated at the Denton, Federalsburg, Goldsboro, Cambridge, and St. Michaels health centers over the last year. Choptank patients now have access to psychotherapy, psychiatric assessment, medication management and MAT. Patients at the Federalsburg health center can also access SUD treatment provided by a dual-licensed provider for mental health and substance use treatment. Ongoing expansion of mental health and SUD services to other Choptank clinic locations will occur over the next two years.
In recent years, the CHRC has prioritized funding for projects that support integrated behavioral care and assist the state's response to the heroin and opioid crisis. The grant to Choptank is one of 77 grants totaling over $20 million which have collectively served more than 76,000 individuals. For more information about these programs, click here.
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AHEC West Receives Grant from Maryland Physicians Care
AHEC West recently received a grant from Maryland Physicians Care (MPC) in support of the Health Right program, which coordinates urgent dental treatment for low-income Western Marylanders. While funded by MPC, the grant was awarded by UPMC Western Maryland, which allocated funds based on applications from local non-profits. The MPC/UPMC Western Maryland grant provides $14,000 per year for the next three years in support of Health Right and new or existing health-related initiatives in the community.
Founded in 1988 as a stand-alone non-profit to serve the healthcare needs of low-income area residents, Health Right became a program of AHEC West in December 2017. Health Right works with the Allegany County Health Department dental clinic and area dentists to provide free basic dental services to those unable to afford dental care, including exams, x-rays, and extractions. In fiscal year 2021, 315 low-income adults enrolled with Health Right received over 2,600 dental procedures through the program. Thanks to generous donations and discounts from the program’s dentist-partners, the grant will fund $42,000 worth of dental care annually.
Fiscal year 2021 funding for Health Right included grants from more than a half-dozen government and private entities, including the Maryland Community Health Resources Commission (CHRC) and the Rural Maryland Prosperity Investment Fund (RMPIF), which supported services for those in recovery from addiction. Other funders include the County United Way, Guardian Insurance, the Ted A. Wolfe Trust of the WMHS Foundation, the city of Cumberland, the Harry and Jeanette Weinberg Foundation, and Delta Dental. For more info about Health Right visit AHEC West.
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COVID-19 Vaccine Hesitancy Media Summit
Black Public Media is hosting a virtual summit on March 2 to bring together Black creatives, health care professionals, and other stakeholders to help formulate community messages that boost vaccine receptivity among minority communities in the region. The program is affiliated with the National Network to Innovate for COVID-19 and Adult Vaccine Equity (NNICE), which is funded by the CDC. Click here for more information.
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The Maryland Department of Health Latest Updates on COVID-19
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The Maryland Department of Health (MDH) continues to provide daily updates as they become available. Visit coronavirus.maryland.gov for the most current information about COVID-19 and Maryland's ongoing response to the pandemic, and the M DH public hub covidLINK that provides additional information about COVID-19 including answers to questions about the COVID-19 vaccines and how to get vaccinated.
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February is American Heart Month
American Heart Month offers opportunities for all Americans to focus on their heart health and learn more about the health risks that contribute to cardiovascular disease, the leading cause of death in the US. To learn more about heart disease, and ways to lower the risks of developing heart disease visit the CDC.
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Larry Hogan, Governor
Boyd K. Rutherford, Lieutenant Governor
Dennis R. Schrader, Health (MDH) Secretary
CHRC Commissioners: Edward J. Kasemeyer, Chair, J. Wayne Howard, Vice Chair, Scott Gibson, Flor Giusti, David Lehr, Karen-Ann Lichtenstein, Carol Masden, Sadiya Muqueeth, DrPH, Destiny-Simone Ramjohn, PhD, Ivy Simmons, PhD
Mark Luckner, Executive Director
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