Orange County NC Website
Browse       Search
MINUTES-Draft <br />ORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF HEALTH <br />March 23, 2016 <br />S:\Managers Working Files\BOH\Agenda & Abstracts\2016 Agenda & Abstracts/ March Page 3 <br /> <br />• Total number of patient encounters: more than 300 <br />• Total number of patients referred: 90 <br />• Total number of patients served: 58 <br />• Total number of integrated visits: more than 30 <br />• Total number of ongoing psychotherapy appointments: 71 <br /> <br />She continued by noting the two ways behavioral health services were provided. One way was as <br />requested by clinicians during a clinic visit which would involve the provider asking Ms. Welch to see <br />a patient during a primary care visit after patient issues were identified. The second way was via <br />follow up interventions for issues that required longer term intervention. Dependent on the patient’s <br />needs, the services were provided either by phone and/or through in person counseling sessions. <br />Passive suicidality, interpersonal violence, active PTSD (current or from the past), anxiety, <br />depression and stress management were just a few of the patient conditions/issues that the <br />integrated behavioral health pilot have addressed. <br /> <br />Ms. Mulholland provided patient examples and provider feedback which supported the need for the <br />funding of a behavioral health position. She also spoke on the client and provider benefits. The <br />benefits are: <br /> <br />• Patients – having immediate, open access to mental health services; safety net; less stigma; <br />client comfort and safety; improved health outcomes. <br />• Providers – on-site, accessible specialty care; support for clinic staff; better control of chronic <br />conditions; lower no-show rates; improved clinic efficiency; indispensable service; lifeline for <br />patients and providers. <br /> <br />Lastly, Ms. Goodhand gave the Board details on the projected costs for funding the behavioral <br />health position and posed the staff’s recommendation to the Board. <br /> <br />Motion to approve the request for one additional FTE for a Social Work Clinical Specialist to <br />provide integrated behavioral health services and forward to the Board of County <br />Commissioners for action was made by Paul Chelminski, seconded by Barbara Chavious and <br />carried without dissent. <br /> <br />The BOH members had questions that were addressed by Ms. Welch, Ms. Goodhand and Dr. <br />Bridger. <br /> <br />B. Strategic Planning Process Pt. 1 <br /> <br />The Board embarked on its first step in the 2016-2018 Strategic Planning process. The priorities <br />that resulted from the 2015 Community Health Assessment are Social Determinants of Health, <br />Mental Health/Substance Abuse and Physical Activity/Nutrition. Keeping with the precedent from <br />previous Board of Health Strategic Plans, the Chair and Vice-Chair of the Board of Health decided to <br />adopt the same priorities that resulted from the CHA. Dr. Bridger presided over the process which <br />required the Board to narrow down the priorities to focus areas, discuss those focus areas and the <br />vote for the focus areas that will become the priority for each subcommittee. The priority <br />subcommittees are: <br /> <br />1) Social Determinants of Health – focus on FSA, Cultural & Language Barriers and Access <br /> <br />2) Mental Health/Substance Abuse – focus on Integrated Care focus, Service Delivery and <br />Access <br />