During this recorded learning session, Sandra Wilkniss (Senior Program Director of Population and Public Health at NASHP) presents NASHP's research and learning from convening state Medicaid, public health, behavioral health, and CHW leaders as states strive to build sustainable financing approaches for the CHWs and peers.
In September 2022, the Delta Center for a Thriving Safety Net convened grantees and Delta Center partners in New Mexico for peer sharing and relationship building. This summary aims to capture the most important themes from the event.
This brief summarizes key challenges faced by the rural ambulatory safety net in delivering primary care and behavioral health services since COVID-19 and the policy changes that have been implemented in response to those challenges. It also offers state-level policy recommendations to improve rural-specific primary care and behavioral health care through sustaining and supporting the movement towards telehealth, addressing social needs, and advancing value-based payment and care.
To provide the best possible care to patients and thrive in new payment environments, community health centers (CHCs) and community behavioral health organizations (CBHOs)— two pillars of the safety net—are redesigning their workflows, infrastructure, and partnerships.
Advancing payment and delivery reform in the ambulatory safety net in rural areas presents unique challenges and will require solutions specific to this context, for both primary care and behavioral health.