National Council 2015 FQHC Look-Alike
Learning Community
Application
Applications must be submitted electronically by
February 20, 2015 to Dawn Tenia at .
Becoming an FQHC Look-Alike Learning Community
Project Description
Studies show that people with serious mental illness have a shortened life span, often due to preventable health conditions. To address this mortality gap, community behavioral health organizations (CBHOs) are adding primary care to their services, and others are becoming or considering becoming Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs) and/or FQHC Look-Alikes.
This nine-month learning community will examine how becoming an FQHC Look-Alike will further your organization’s strategic plan. Participants will learn the details of the FQHC program, use existing tools to determine the geographic areas in your community that qualify as needing a community health center, and will complete the major portions of the FQHC Look-Alike application. Midway through the learning community, participating organizations will be asked to commit to either completing their FQHC Look-Alike application or achieving integration through an alternative business structure (such as partnering with an existing health care provider). Programs choosing not to pursue FQHC Look-Alike status will have their learning community participation fee converted to consulting credits with the National Council. These consulting credits can be used for one full day site visit or a variation of one (1) webinar and four (4) coaching calls to support the organization’s alternate integration strategy.
This learning community is recommended for mental health and/or substance abuse organizations operating in an area where there is no existing FQHC/FQHC Look-Alike or where the need for physical health services is not able to be met by an existing FQHC/FQHC Look-Alike.
The FQHC Look-Alike Program Update, February 8, 2013 (see HRSA.gov) will serve as the basis of the content for the Learning Community.
Participation in this learning community does not guarantee a successful FQHC Look-Alike application. Application decisions are made by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) and are out of the control of the learning community facilitators. The learning community facilitator is Pam Pietruszewski, Integrated Health Consultant with the National Council for Behavioral Health. Prior to joining the National Council, Pam worked for 11 years at the Institute for Clinical Systems Improvement, a regional collaboration of health care organizations working to improve health, optimize the patient experience, and make health care more affordable.
Project Goals and Objectives
Increase the number of CBHOs applying for and receiving FQHC Look-Alike status in their community by:
Assisting organizations in completing six (6) key sections of the FQHC Look-Alike application as defined in FQHC Look-Alike Program Update, February 8, 2013 from HRSA.
· Reviewing and providing comment on those sections from Learning Community members and facilitators
· Supporting organizations that decide FQHC Look-Alike designation is not right for them in building an integrated care program that will meet the needs of their consumers
· Providing technical assistance to organizations to prepare for online submission status with HRSA
Process
(see Project Schedule for more detail, p. 4/5)
The project will use a Learning Community model, in which teams of staff from up to 14 organizations convene in five (5) highly interactive web-based learning sessions. The instructional webinars will include the following six sections of an FQHC Look-Alike application: 1) Project Narrative, 2) Clinical Performance Measures, 3) Financial Performance Measures, 4) Budget, 5) Community Characteristics, and 6) Services Provided.
The learning community consists of bimonthly webinars, bimonthly coaching calls, and peer feedback and learning. In each bimonthly webinar, a section of the Look-Alike application is reviewed with participants. Following the webinar, participants draft that section of the application and submit for feedback from their learning community partner and facilitators. Coaching calls focus on questions related to the specific section of the application being written during that two-month period (or on building an integrated care program without becoming a look-alike). The Organization’s final “draft application” will be reviewed at the end of the learning community.
Criteria for Participation
· As a core part of its strategic vision, selected organizations must have plans to explore becoming a FQHC/FQHC Look-Alike and providing full-time comprehensive primary care services 40 hours per week in at least one established site.
· Selected organizations predominantly serve a diverse patient population in a currently designated medically underserved area (MUA) or medically underserved population (MUP).
· Organizations must be not-for-profit institutions (public private non-profit agencies may apply).
· The final application must be approved by the CEO.
Organizational Commitments
As part of the learning community process, all participating organizations will be required to complete the following activities.
· Submit a completed application (with your CEO’s signature) by February 20, 2015
· Make a non-refundable payment of $7,500 by March 20, 2015
· Team participation in all five (5) instructional webinars, with CEO participation in the first instructional webinar
· Complete all assignments within agreed upon time frames
· Participate in four (4) coaching calls
· If submitting Application, collaborate with one other learning community participant to review their sections as they draft them
· Create a learning community team that includes an administrative lead, clinical lead, and grant writer. If the grant writer is the administrative or clinical lead, then only two people are needed. This team will, together, participate in all activities outlined above.
Draft Schedule /Date / Topics, Technical Assistance & Assignments /
March 2015 / Learning Community Charter: Pam Pietruszewski
Webinar #1: Strategic Planning
Introduction to FQHC Look-Alike Designation: How does this fit with your overall organizational mission?
Facilitators: Pam Pietruszewski
Panelists: Beth Ann Perkins and Marian Weber, Health Consulting Strategies
Assignment #1: Strategic Planning
· Read the FQHC L-A application instructions.
· Meet with organization leadership and discuss FQHC L-A designation requirements, what it means to your behavioral health organization, and what groundwork is needed for sound financial performance.
· Complete readiness tool.
Email assignment to: /
April 2015 / Coaching Calls /
May 2015 / Webinar #2: FQHC LA Governance Structure and Operational Oversight Webinar
Application focus area: Project Narrative
Facilitator: Pam Pietruszewski
Panelists: Beth Ann Perkins and Marian Weber, Health Consulting Strategies
Assignment #2: Continue Strategic Planning and Building FQHC L-A Governance Structure and Operational Oversight
· How does this requirement change your current BOD composition?
· Develop a brief narrative discussing your organization’s plan for restructuring your BOD to meet HRSA standards?
· What are your operational areas of focus?
Email assignment to: /
June 2015 / Coaching Calls /
July 2015 / Webinar #3: Knowing your community: Using the UDS Mapper to determine your Community Characteristics
Facilitator: Pam Pietruszewski
Panelist: Amelia Clarke, Meridian Health Services
Assignment #3: Community Characteristics
· Use the UDS Mapper and other on line resources to complete FORM 4: COMMUNITY CHARACTERISTICS.
· Discuss findings with your leadership team and summarize in a narrative.
· Formalizing your Community Health Needs Assessment
Email assignment to: /
August 2015 / Coaching Calls /
September 2015 / Webinar #4: FQHC L-A Clinical Services and Partnerships Which is the best fit for you?
Application focus areas: Community Characteristics, Services Provided, Clinical Performance Measures
Facilitator: Pam Pietruszewski
Panelists: Beth Ann Perkins and Marian Weber, Health Consulting Strategies
Assignment #4: Determine the model of integration that is right for your community.
· Discuss each option with your leadership team
· Develop a work plan for moving forward on what is best for your organization.
a) Organizations that decide to continue to pursue FQHC designation will continue to be coached on their application and preparing for their site visit.
b) Organizations that choose a different model of integration will be coached on enhancing their integrated health capacity.
Email assignment to: /
October 2015 / Coaching Calls /
November 2015 / Webinar #5: Budget
Application focus areas: Financial Performance Measures, Budget
Understanding FQHC L-A Billing and Financing before and after designation and setting your Financial Performance Measures
Facilitator: Pam Pietruszewski
Panelists: Beth Ann Perkins and Marian Weber, Health Consulting Strategies
Assignment #6: Budget and Budget Narrative
· Complete: FORM 2: STAFFING PROFILE; FORM 3: INCOME ANALYSIS; Form 3A: FQHC Look-Alike Budget Information; Budget Detail Worksheet
· What did you learn as a result of completing these forms?· What are your plans for financing your FQHCLA before and after designation?
Email assignment to: /
Site Participation Application
Organization NameAddress
Telephone
CEO Name
CEO E-mail Address
Medical Director Name
Medical Director E-Mail Address
We have read the FQHC Look-Alike Program Update ☐ Yes ☐No
What was the size of your organization in 2014? / Total Budget / Total FTEs
What is your organizational structure? / Private Non Profit Agency / Public Non Profit County Agency / State Agency / Other (describe)
Which most closely describes your service area? / Rural / Frontier / Urban / Suburban / Other
How many visits/encounters did your agency provide in 2014? / Number
How many unduplicated clients did your agency serve in 2014? / Number
Annually, what percent of clients are children/youth, adults, or older adults? / Percent
Children/youth
0-17 / Percent
Adults
18-64 / Percent
Older Adults
65+
What percent are non-English speaking? / Percent
What percent of clients are:
/ White/Caucasian / American Indian / Alaska Native / Asian / Pacific Islander / African American/ Black / Hispanic / Latino
Other significant information about your organization:
Describe your existing integrated health services (use as much space as necessary):
Are you partnering with non-FQHC organizations?
YES (complete the next set of questions) NO
(skip to Organizational Commitment section)
Do you have a formal (e.g., written agreement, joint business plan) relationship for:Þ Non-psychiatric medical care delivered in the Mental Health (MH) agency? / Yes / No
Þ Mental health services delivered in the primary care clinic? / Yes / No
Does the primary care clinic currently employ mental health staff? / Yes / No
Does the MH agency place staff on site in the primary care clinic? / Yes / No
Does the MH agency provide psychiatric consultation to the primary care providers? / Yes / No
Does the primary care clinic provide staff on site in the MH agency? / Yes / No
Does the primary care clinic provide medical consultation to the providers at the MH agency? / Yes / No
How long have the two organizations worked together on integrating care? / Years
Have you participated together in any HRSA grant-funded pilots or collaboratives focused on integrated care? / Yes / No / If yes, please describe
What is the shared vision (of integrated care) that you are working towards?
Other Significant Information about the Relationship between the Organizations:
Organizational Commitment
Please identify your team below:
We have identified the following individuals as our project team: / Role / Title / Organization / Phone / E-mail1.
2.
3.
These two-three individuals commit to work jointly on: / Yes / No
Þ Pre-session Conference Call
Þ Attend five (5) instructional webinars
Þ Participate in four (4) coaching calls
Þ Provide feedback on writing from an assigned partner in the learning community
Þ Complete five (5) application sections
By submitting this application, our Agency commits to providing organizational leadership and support for our team in completion of the project and to participate in the Learning Community and attest that becoming an FQHC/FQHC Look-Alike is part of our strategic vision.
______
CEO Date
______
Organization
Cohort 4 FQHC Look-Alike Site Application, Page 4