Integrated care and SDOH prioritized in CHRC FY 2022 Call for Proposals

By

Nicole Pasia

|

Addressing social determinants of health (SDOH) and integrating health and social services are top priorities in the Maryland Community Health Resources Commission’s (CHRC) FY 2022 Call for Proposals, released earlier this month. The grant program, titled “Promoting Community Health Resources,”  will award a total of $7 million over a maximum of three years.

 

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Awards from this year’s Call for Proposals are expected in mid to late May. This round of awards follow the Commission’s Pathways to Health Equity Call for Proposals, which concluded its application period in December and is expected to announce $13 million in awards later this month. 

Unlike the Pathways to Health Equity program, which had specific requirements such as defining service areas by zip code, the Promoting Community Health Resources program is open to a broader set of applications. 

Each application must address both SDOH, which the Commission briefing noted as “one of the most effective ways to improve health and reduce health disparities,” and the integration of health services. The Commission also noted the importance of integrated health during the pandemic.

“The current Call for Proposals recognizes that the COVID-19 pandemic has necessitated new means of providing health care and other services, including telehealth, remote patient monitoring, socially distanced programs, countermeasures to reduce transmission, etc.” the proposal brief said. “The CHRC encourages applicants to consider innovative strategies that take into account both the current state of the pandemic and possible future conditions.”

Aside from meeting both of the above priorities, applicants must also tailor their programs to one of the following areas of focus: 

  • Addressing chronic disease prevention and management
  • Improving family, maternal, and child health
  • Addressing behavioral health and substance use disorder (SUD)

Each area of focus addresses significant health problems facing Maryland. For example, Commission research found 30.8% of the state population is obese, a figure expected to rise over the next five years. The maternal mortality rate for African American and Black Marylanders is four times higher than the rate for white Marylanders (44.7 maternal deaths vs. 11.3 per 100,000 live births). Additionally, opioid overdose death rates, which were on a slight decline prior to the pandemic, jumped up by 20% from 2019-2020.

Last year’s grantees included a wide range of non-profit organizations, federally-qualified health centers, and health departments. St. Mary’s County Health Department received the largest amount of funding ($650,000) to support the opening of two school-based health centers that provided primary care and behavioral health services for students and teachers, as well as testing and vaccinations for the broader community.

More information and applications for the FY 2022 Call for Proposals can be found on the Commission website.  

Timeline for Submission: 

  • February 14, 2022 – Frequently Asked Questions call 
  • February 28, 2022 – Mandatory Letters of Intent and Audited Financial Statements are due 
  • March 22, 2022 – Full grant proposals are due 
  • Late April / Early May 2022 – Select number of applicants notified to present to the CHRC 
  • Mid/Late May – Applicant presentations; award decisions immediately follow