O T
U T SI D E H I N KE R S
ALBANY COMMUNITY HEALTH CLINIC
During the dog days of 2020’s COVID-19 pandemic, a nurse-led clinic in Laramie launched a behavioral health integration program in Wyoming. And now, things are only just beginning to heat up. The Albany Community Health Clinic (ACHC) recently completed its first year of HRSA’s Nurse Education, Practice, Quality and Retention Interprofessional Collaborative Practice grant. A key component of the three-year, $1.5 million award is establishing a behavior health integration (BHI) program at ACHC, which is part of UW’s Educational Health Center of Wyoming (EHCW). Over the past year—and while powering through the delays, uncertainties and tragedies caused by COVID— ACHC’s tight-knit coalition of professionals built an adaptable BHI care model. So far, 43 patients are enrolled in the voluntary program, which encourages a patientdriven holistic care approach, integrating primary care with mental health, social work, counseling and life goals. “Our BHI program aligns perfectly with the ultimate mission of ACHC in that it seeks to serve all members of our community, including those with few resources.”
Nancy McGee, DNP, APRN-BC Clinical Associate Professor / Project Director for ACHC
04
says Nancy McGee, DNP, PMHNP-BC and the HRSA grant Project Director. “The program has increased access to critical mental health services in our community and is supporting our clients to engage in meaningful life changes.” Starting September 2020, ACHC hired a clinical social worker, two additional part-time PMHNPs, a medical assistant and two part-time office staff. The ACHC team, which also included a rotation of seven FWWSON DNP students, developed an inter-clinic workflow consisting of patient warm hand-offs, daily huddles, EMR modifications, monthly meetings and evolving procedural guidelines. Throughout the year, ACHC’s BHI team also consulted with Community Health Center’s Weitzman Institute, led sessions of Wyoming Project ECHO, and trained in Solution-Focused Brief Therapy. Results of the clinic’s year-one grant work are enhancing the connection, communication and collaboration among the nursing staff and care providers, and ultimately providing a customizable, patient-centered care model. Each BHI patient’s care team consists of, at the least, a
As the project director, I am really impressed by each team member’s willingness to expand their comfort zones and reconsider a new model of care. This team is more flexible and supportive of innovation than any group I have worked with previously. The BHI program fits so nicely into the ultimate mission of our clinic—because we seek to serve all members of our community, even those with few resources. Behavioral Health Integration at ACHC has increased access to critical mental health services in our community and is supporting our clients to engage in meaningful life changes.”
