The Pathways Center has been awarded funding from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration to become a Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinic in Coweta and Heard counties.
The grant will allow Pathways to focus on expanding access to and integrate behavioral health and primary health care by acquiring additional clinical licensed providers, and to strengthen infrastructure and enhance clinical training on evidence-based practices to support seamless and integrated care.
According to a press release, SAMHSA defines a Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinic as a model designed to ensure access to coordinated comprehensive health care. These clinics are required to serve anyone who requests care for mental health or substance use, regardless of the patient’s ability to pay, their place of residence or their age.
These clinics will also include developmentally appropriate care for children and youth.
The model requires 24/7 access to crisis care, which will continue to be provided by Pathways Center’s Care Campus, which is located on Hospital Road in Newnan.
A clinic is also required to provide coordination of care to ensure individuals served receive needed behavioral health care, physical health care and social services support.
According to the Pathways press release, the SAMSHA grant award will allow Pathways to focus on expansion and enhancements on a variety of services, effective Sept. 30. These services include crisis services; treatment planning; screening, assessment, diagnosis and risk assessment; outpatient mental health and substance use services; targeted case management; outpatient physical health screening and monitoring; community-based mental health care for veterans; peer, family support and counselor services; and psychiatric rehabilitation services.
The grant award will also allow Pathways Center to expand the number of military and veterans serviced in Coweta and Heard counties. All direct care staff at Pathways will be trained in the area of “Enhancing Clinical Competency through an Understanding of Military Culture.”
That course will provide counselors, therapists and other clinical team members with information about military culture in general, the effects of military culture on sub-populations and how behavioral health concerns affect military service members and veterans.
For more information about how to receive services at the Pathways Center, visit pathwayscsb.org.
