7/31/2010 10:30:29 AM
Coastal Bend Rural Health Partnership represents a three county area in rural south Texas. The counties include Kleberg, Jim Wells, and Brooks. The largest area employers are Texas A&M, the local independent school districts and the local community colleges.
The Coastal Bend Rural Health Partnership was established in 2002 to obtain funding for a Federally Qualified Heath Clinic (FQHC) in Kingsville, Texas. The collaborative applied for and received an incubator grant to fund the project which opened in 2003. This early success helped them realize the power of partnership and inspired them to continue their efforts.
Collaborative members acknowledge that, under the current system, community mental health consumers routinely enter the “wrong door” for treatment services. The Coastal Plains MHMR is only permitted to serve clients with schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, reoccurring depression or in extreme crisis. Non-qualifying consumers are referred to other area providers. Because of staffing limitations, these clients often fall through the cracks and fail to obtain necessary care.
A largely rural community, 79,000 residents live in this three-county area. The region has a large minority population with approximately two-thirds (63%) of the population being of Hispanic descent, as compared to only one third (36%) of all Texans. In addition, the population is predominately young, ranking 10th in the state for lowest median age. Slightly less educated than the average Texas community, only seven out of ten (69%) residents 25 years of age or older have completed high school as compared to nearly eight in ten (78%) Texans.
The region is not affluent. The median household income is $28,400, approximately 30% below the Texas median household income of $41,600. Nearly one-quarter (24%) of the population lives below the federal poverty level. In addition, the community also has a large uninsured (60%) population.
The area’s largest employers fall in the education sector with Texas A&M, local independent school districts and community colleges providing the majority of the employment opportunities.
Area workforce shortage concerns center around staffing limitations and training issues.
The collaborative is comprised of community mental health providers and consumers who are working together to identify needs and propose service improvements for this three-county area. The Collaborative efforts are funded by the MHT-SIG, public and private partnerships and in-kind contributions.
Goal: To 1) increase access to holistic and comprehensive health care for all income levels and across life spans, 2) integrate mental health and health care including dental and gynecological services, and 3) reduce stigma surrounding mental health services by focusing on mental illness as a brain disorder.
Plan: Screening Program Proposal. One full-time, Spanish speaking employee (FTE) will “walk” clients through the system ensuring they receive the care they need. This individual will have an office in all area clinics and will facilitate coordination of consumer services. After the program is established, additional FTE’s may be added.
The collaborative has not yet devised specific evaluation measures.
The Coastal Bend Rural Health Partnership will roll out their Screening Program gradually for fear of overwhelming the program’s one full time employee. This cautious approach will allow collaborative leaders and staff to learn from experience and be fully prepared for the demands of a large-scale program targeting all community mental health consumers. With a large Hispanic population, the Coastal Bend Rural Health Partnership will serve as a model for other communities seeking to implement a culturally congruent program.
Achieving the vision of a transformed Texas mental health system will take collaboration, innovation, and hard work. Each of the eight communities will collaborate with state partner agencies (TWG members), community stakeholders and consumers, and one another to craft solutions to their specific workforce and service challenges. On the path to transformation, these community collaboratives will learn lessons they will be able to share with other Texas communities seeking to transform their own mental health systems.
Rafael Trevino
Executive Director, Community Action Corp of South Texas
204 E. 1st St.
Alice, Texas
78332
rtrevino@swbell.net
361. 644.0145