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IHN-CCO Seeks Proposals for Pilot Projects to Support Healthcare Transformation

April 17, 2018

CORVALLIS, ORE. — April 17, 2018 — The Delivery System Transformation Committee of InterCommunity Health Network Coordinated Care Organization (IHN-CCO) invites providers and organizations to submit proposals for pilot projects that can positively impact the health outcomes of IHN-CCO members in Benton, Lincoln, and Linn counties. The projects are intended to support the transformation of the healthcare delivery system to improve quality, cost and access to health care.

 

Funding for the pilot projects is part of IHN-CCO’s commitment to promoting and strengthening community partnerships and creating new connections to support innovation in health care within the tri-county region. IHN-CCO has offered annual awards for pilot projects since 2013.

 

To be considered for funding, a required Letter of Intent Form must be submitted by 5 p.m., Monday, May 21, 2018. The Request for Proposal Guidelines, required Letter of Intent Form, and other informational documents can be found on the IHN-CCO website: ihntogether.org/RFP.

 

Two informational sessions will be offered as a resource for potential pilot proposers:

Dates: Thurs., April 26, 2018 and Thurs., May 10, 2018

Time: 4:30 – 5: 30 p.m.

Location: Samaritan Health Plans, 2300 NW Walnut Blvd., Corvallis

 

The Impact of Pilot Projects in Benton, Lincoln and Linn Counties

 

IHN-CCO has worked with community partners and providers to implement 59 transformation pilot projects over the past five years for the tri-county area.   Each pilot project was uniquely designed to transform health care in the community. Below are some examples of the positive impact that pilot projects have on the health of local communities.

 

Benton County
 

·         Increase the patient capacity for child psychiatrists. Access to specialty mental health care for children and adolescents is very limited both nationally and locally. This leaves children with complex psychiatric needs, both diagnostic and medical, with significantly limited access to care. Through the Child Psychiatry Capacity Project, Samaritan Mental Health Family Center introduced a new model of care that employs a Mental Health Specialist (MHS) that is trained to gather psychiatric data and provide in-between visit support to the child, their family and their primary care physician. The focused collaboration ensured a psychiatrist was serving youth with complex needs and providers were supported to treat more youth effectively in primary care.

·         Provide new home-based care services to help seriously-ill people remain in their homes. Through the Home Palliative Care Project, a team-based approach was individually designed with the person receiving the care through collaboration between Lumina Hospice and The Corvallis Clinic. The project is now an ongoing program that helps people stay out of the emergency department and have shorter hospital stays, and improves the ability of individuals to manage their illness.

·         Integrate health navigators into housing services to increase access to health services for residents and further stabilize the individual or family’s living situation to prevent evictions. Willamette Neighborhood Housing Services developed a connection with the health system and low-income housing projects, engaging residents with on-site health related services and making referrals to health services. Nearly 600 residents received services, with over 700 referrals made and close to 100 evictions prevented.

 

Lincoln County

 

·         Provide nutrition assistance through school-based health centers to school-aged children and their families who need adequate food.  Lincoln County Public Health and School-Based Health Centers are working with local food agencies and programs to improve the screening process for access to food, increase enrollment in and completion of nutrition education classes, and link more people with the Food Share program.   

·         Increase new parents’ skills and understanding around healthy growth and development of their child, age 0-4 years.  Lincoln County Health and Human Services’ project, using the Parents as Teachers (PAT) program, helps to improve immunization rates along with increasing parent involvement in their child’s development.

·         Deliver mental and behavioral health services in natural settings and support in schools, child welfare offices, and courts to youth and their families. The Olalla Center for Children and Families’ project provides active support and connections through regular gatherings and mentoring outside the Center’s walls.  Program staff go to where youth and family are in need.

 

Linn County

 

·         Use community paramedics to support non-emergency health care needs. The Albany Fire Department developed a community paramedic project that provides an opportunity for paramedics to operate outside their normal emergency response and transport roles.  In some situations, paramedics are called to a home multiple times for an individual that needs help but does not need to be transported to the hospital.  This project supports the ability for the paramedic to give needed services, make connections with the person’s primary care doctor, and help with access to community resources. 

·         Integrate medical care with child abuse prevention services. A project was created to increase the connection of high-risk children and their families served in the Family Tree Relief Nursery with primary care medical homes.  The project created a blended service model of a home-based intervention specialist and community health workers with peer support specialists.  This program now serves hundreds of families and individuals to increase family health, stability, and attachment. 

·         Link pediatric clinic with social service program for women, infants, and children. A breastfeeding support services project was created that linked Samaritan Lebanon Health Center-Pediatrics and Linn County Women, Infants, and Children (WIC).  The project places Spanish speaking Lactation Consultants in a medical clinic.   The goal is to promote and support new mothers trying to breastfeed their babies.  By increasing the number of women breastfeeding and the length of time they breastfeed, the project will support positive outcomes for the babies.  The project also connects mothers with WIC and other community resources.

 

For more information about the 59 pilot projects funded by IHN-CCO, visit “Transforming Health Care” at ihntogether.org.

 

About InterCommunity Health Network Coordinated Care Organization

InterCommunity Health Network Coordinated Care Organization (IHN-CCO) was formed in 2012 as a partnership to improve the health outcomes of the people living in Benton, Lincoln, and Linn counties, Oregon. The partnership consists of county governments and their public health, mental health and addiction service departments, local health care providers, Federally Qualified Health Centers, and the following organizations: The Corvallis Clinic, Oregon Cascades West Council of Governments, Quality Care Associates, Samaritan Health Plans, Samaritan Health Services, InterCommunity Health Network health plan, and Samaritan Mental Health. IHN-CCO serves more than 55,000 Oregon Health Plan members.

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