New CTC-RI projects and funding for 2023

With generous funding support from UnitedHealthcare, Rhode Island Department of Health and Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Rhode Island, CTC-RI will launch several innovative projects in 2023 to invest in and strengthen primary care capacity in several priority areas. Anticipated projects in the new year include:

• Primary Care Team-Based Training and Support – Learning collaborative for up to 10 practices to train in best practices in team-based care, defining team roles, and developing strategies for primary care in a post-pandemic environment to strengthen staff and patient care experience.

• Pediatric Population Health Pilots – Projects to support increasing care access for children with restrictive eating disorders and improving transitions of care for youth transitioning from pediatric to adult primary care.

• Increasing Integrated Behavioral Health (IBH) Capacity in Pediatrics – Components under this area include offering IBH training to BH clinicians working in outpatient settings, developing incentives for outpatient BH clinicians to enter into IBH arrangements with primary care, and supporting a learning collaborative to increase IBH capacity in pediatrics by expanding the care team to include CHWs/BSWs.

• Alzheimer’s Care Support – Pilot to improve the capacity of primary care practices to implement evidence-based clinical guidelines and improve care for patients with Alzheimer’s and their caregivers.

CTC-RI will be issuing several calls for applications with funding available for practices to participate in these projects. Stay tuned for more information to be shared in upcoming newsletters!

“Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Rhode Island is committed to improving the health and well-being of Rhode Islanders by improving access to high-quality, affordable, and equitable care. As an organization, we strive to find innovative ways to strengthen access to behavioral health services. We are pleased to fund projects in 2023 at CTC-RI that will increase the capacity of primary care providers to deliver integrated behavioral health services. We look forward to continued partnership with CTC-RI and other Rhode Island stakeholders to move this important work forward.”

Rena Sheehan

Vice President Clinical Integration at Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Rhode Island

“UnitedHealthcare is pleased to continue our support of CTC-RI’s primary care transformation efforts, specifically those programs that will support pediatric and adult integrated behavioral health. We recognize that the support of primary care physicians, with a focus on improving behavioral health and whole-person care, is vital to making the health system work better for everyone – ultimately leading to helping people live healthier lives.”

Tim Archer

CEO, New England Health Plan at UnitedHealthcare Employer & Individual

Improving Care for People with Asthma: Working with Community Partners ECHO Session

Our 4th Asthma Essentials ECHO session brought together 48 participants and was facilitated by Pat Flanagan, MD. The didactic session, presented by Daniel Fitzgerald, MPH, ICPS, American Lung Association and Ashley Fogarty, MPH, Rhode Island Department of Health, focused on “Working with Community Partners.” Participants learned about resources available through the American Lung Association to support adults and through the RI Department of Health to support students and families. Marjorie Carges, MD, Bald Hill Coastal Medical, provided the case presentation which allowed for richer discussion of supporting patients with asthma in foster care and how to leverage community resources to support these patients. Access materials and the recording from previous meetings here. Funding for this program is provided by the RI Department of Health and Tufts Health Plan.

CTC-RI celebrates with Rhode to Equity teams at Biannual Conference

Note: This is a corrected version of the article originally posted in our December newsletter acknowledging our RIDOH and EOHHS convening and funding partners for the Rhode to Equity Work.

In December, CTC-RI was pleased to support the 1st in-person convening of the Rhode to Equity (R2E) project which began in July 2021. RIDOH and EOHHS are funders and key partners in this project. There were 6 multi-stakeholder teams coming together to address health inequities in their communities. Approximately 100 people gathered at the Boys and Girls Club of Pawtucket, including R2E team members, state agency staff, managed care organization staff, community health workers and other relevant stakeholders.

Highlights of the day included subject matter expert sessions with national and local leaders on healthy housing, food justice, and housing first models. Keith Stokes, Director of Business Development for the City of Providence provided the keynote presentation. In his role at the City, he advances a social and economic justice process that will strategically deploy federal American Rescue Plan Act funds in neighborhoods and city populations that have faced historical racial discrimination practices that have been exacerbated through the COVID-19 pandemic. He shared the history of slavery in RI and its impact on current day racial injustice and inequities. 

Valerie Tutson, Executive Director, RI Black Storytellers, led the group in an exercise to amplify the power of storytelling to give people agency and voice. Attendees practiced both telling and listening to stories.

The day ended with everyone reflecting on what they were going to take away from the conference proceedings and incorporate into their R2E projects. We look forward to the next in-person meeting in June 2023!