CMH Partners with Columbia and Greene Counties to Secure $1.8 Million Grant to Expand Behavioral Care, Women’s Health, and Patient Support Services

Columbia Memorial Health (CMH) and partner agencies in Columbia and Greene counties were recently awarded $1.8 million by the New York Rural Health Transformation Program for expansion of behavioral health and women’s health services.

The grants are part of a New York State Department of Health initiative to strengthen rural health care across the state. CMH received $1 million to improve access to behavioral health and women’s health services, while the Greene County Public Health Department, Columbia County Department of Health, and Healthy Alliance received a combined $800,000 to develop centralized care coordination to help patients maintain good health after hospital discharge and improve access to preventative care such as annual cancer screenings.

“This initiative symbolizes a strong regional collaboration to expand access to care, address health disparities, and improve health outcomes for the residents of Columbia and Greene counties,” said Dorothy Urschel, DNP, president and CEO of CMH.

The $1 million CMH grant will support the expansion of behavioral health and women’s health services in Columbia and Greene counties. Specifically, it supports a collaborative effort with county agencies and Healthy Alliance to reduce gaps in access to care and coordinate referrals for behavioral health, maternal and child health, and social care resources. Healthy Alliance leads the Social Care Network (SCN) serving the Capital Region, Central New York, and North Country.

“Too many people in rural communities face barriers that make it harder to access care and stay healthy,” said Erica Coletti, CEO of Healthy Alliance. “This investment helps connect medical, behavioral, and social care so people can get the support they need earlier, before challenges become crises.”

The $800,000 earmarked for the two county agencies will establish a central coordinating entity to bridge the gap between hospital discharge and follow-up care, with initial efforts to begin at the five busiest CMH primary care sites. It will also support efforts to expand cancer screening outreach in rural communities, including mobile “pop-up” clinics at CMH primary care clinics and other sites.

“Through this partnership, we are committed to building a more a community-centered health care system that better serves the needs of our rural populations,” said Laura Churchill, DNP, FNP-BC, Greene County director of public health.

The grant will support roles for staff who will work directly with patients to improve outcomes.

“Within our plan are staff navigators to support patients in clinics where they already receive care,” said Victoria McGahan, Columbia County public health director. “This will help us identify social needs earlier, connect individuals to appropriate services, and confirm that needs were addressed.”