Funding offers hope for extending life span of people with severe mental illness
HICKORY, NC – July 25, 2013 –
Catawba Valley Medical Center (CVMC) has received $391,578 in grants from
The Duke Endowment to fund the development of Project Enhance. Project Enhance will integrate
primary care and mental healthcare into
Catawba Valley Behavioral Healthcare (CVBH) to serve individuals with severe mental illness (SMI) and chronic
health conditions. The main goals are to improve the health of individuals
with SMI; enhance the consumer’s experience of care (including quality,
access and reliability); reduce and control the per capita cost of care,
and extend the life span of participating patients with severe mental illness.
“When we are ill, we suffer as a whole person,” said Greg Billings,
MSN, RN, NEA-BC, Administrator, CVMC’s Psychiatry Services. “While
traditional care often focuses on either physical ailments or mental health,
the most effective models of care consider the whole person. Through the
support of The Duke Endowment, CVMC and CVBH will establish a comprehensive
care program for those in our community most at risk from co-occurring
physical and emotional health conditions.”
“Integrated care is critical when it comes to providing comprehensive
services for those at risk,” said Mary Piepenbring, Vice President
of The Duke Endowment. “We believe this strong partnership will
improve health outcomes for many.”
Project Enhance is a program that will be used to provide integrated primary
and behavioral healthcare through the addition of primary care services
to CVBH’s existing behavioral health setting. CVBH will serve as
the health home for participating behavioral health patients and will
provide the core services, in addition to both primary care and behavioral
healthcare. Outcomes research for this project will be designed and carried
out under the direction of Lenoir-Rhyne University faculty.
Project Enhance is committed to achieving a reduction in hospitalizations,
Emergency Department visits, smoking, weight/BMI, and increase in adhering
to medication management of chronic diseases. The project will serve a
minimum of 350 individuals the first year, 450 the second year, and 600
the third year. CVBH will partner with CVMC, Community Care of North Carolina,
Partners Behavioral Health Management, a substance abuse provider, indigent
medical clinics, and other agencies to provide linkage to specialty services
and other needed resources. While time is needed to show measurable impact,
this program will directly address the 25 year discrepancy in longevity
for individuals with SMI compared to the general population.
About The Duke Endowment
The Duke Endowment, located in Charlotte, N.C., seeks to fulfill the legacy of James B. Duke
by improving lives and communities in the Carolinas through higher education,
healthcare, rural churches and children’s services. Since its inception,
the Endowment has distributed more than $3 billion in grants.
About Catawba Valley Behavioral Health
Catawba Valley Behavioral Health is a nonprofit comprehensive behavioral healthcare provider serving more
than 5,000 individuals annually in two community mental health centers,
in addition to operating a Psychosocial Rehabilitation Program, Assertive
Community Treatment Team, Peer Support, Targeted Case Management, Mobile
Crisis Management and residential programs.
About Catawba Valley Medical Center
Catawba Valley Medical Center in Hickory, N.C., is the region’s largest not-for-profit, public
healthcare system and serves the community without direct funding from
taxes. CVMC provides and promotes physical, mental, emotional and spiritual
well-being of the public in addition to serving as a center for health
education, wellness services, preventive medicine and acute care. CVMC
has received three Magnet designations from the American Nurses Credentialing
Center and has been recognized with three Women’s Choice Awards,
being named one of America’s Best 100 Hospitals for Patient Experience
in 2012, a 2013 Best Hospital for Patient Experience in Obstetrics and
one of America’s Best Hospitals in Orthopedics in 2013 by WomenCertified®.
In 2013, CVMC received the QUEST® Award for High-Value Healthcare
from Premier, recognizing a reduction in harm, mortality, readmissions
and costs, while improving the patient experience and delivering evidence-based
care. For more information, please visit
http://www.catawbavalleymedical.org.