Pawnee Nation of Oklahoma

PROJECT PURPOSE

The Pawnee Nation is developing a state certified behavioral health treatment facility achieving the mission of providing community-based, culturally focused, behavioral health services. The facility will offer a continuum of inpatient and outpatient services that will expand health care offerings for Native American and other demographically underserved groups (including non-Native populations). The service continuum will provide a holistic public safety approach and responsiveness to the increased prevalence of mental health, substance use disorder, and other related health conditions exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. The continuum of treatment, clinical services and supports provides for a 26-bed inpatient behavioral health unit for adults as well as seniors, and outpatient mental health and substance use treatment services for all ages. The clinical delivery model will be provided by a mix of psychiatrists, nursing staff and therapists utilizing both in person and telehealth options ensuring treatment accessibility. The facility will be based in Service Area 11, including Pawnee, Payne, Noble, Kay and Osage counties and will accept referrals statewide. The addition of the facility will add to the capabilities of the overall health center mission in addressing the COVID-19 pandemic related service delivery with focus on testing and diagnostics, vaccinations, treatment (mental/physical).

EVIDENCE

Programmatic data will be captured to demonstrate to Oklahoma ARPA the results and benefits of the state certified behavioral health treatment facility in meeting mental health and substance use disorder treatment needs of Oklahomans. Time-tested internal systems and procedures for data collection and submission will be leveraged to measure project performance ensuring accurate data collection/reporting. Measures include: 1) Construction timeline compliance (facility established within 24 months) 2) Workforce Promotion (N=275+ employed) (3) Mental Health and Substance Use Disorders treatment delivery (outpatient and inpatient encounters N= 30K+ over 2 years with projected growth over time) N= 1,152 unique individuals served annually

POPULATION DESCRIPTION

Pawnee ranks 46 of 77 in health outcomes placing it within the least healthy- 25-50% of OK counties. Pawnee County as compared to state statistics scores higher in terms of percent of population experiencing poor mental health days (5.2 vs. 4.8) and yields 20% of children living in poverty. Within Service Area 11, three counties fall within areas impacted by the highest concentrations of multi-generational poverty in OK. Moreover, COVID-19 contributed to existing disadvantages with the exacerbation of mental health and substance use disorder. The devastating impacts were realized as the pandemic heightened levels of anxiety, depression, and substance abuse resulting in 260+ new adult deaths statewide. Both anxiety and depression during the pandemic has reached nearly 4x higher than in 2019. Overdoses are at an all-time high. Rural suicides have increased by 27% with the rate increasing 10% statewide. Behavioral health services were accessed at a higher rate with the level of unmet nee

PERFORMANCE MEASURING

The proposed health facility will provide recovery efforts to the area in response to major economic events and ?shocks? to the community, including the opioid crisis and the COVID-19 pandemic, by providing mental health treatment services to those in need as well as employing an estimated 70 people in support of the facility?s services. The proposed health facility will also provide economic resiliency to the region by providing long-term mental health and well-being services to improve the lifestyles of those living in the community, and providing preparedness efforts in the event that future emergency events create distress to the region.

ONGOING INVESTMENT AMOUNT

$

ONGOING INVESTMENT DESCRIPTION

None

ONGOING INVESTMENT REQUIRED

Able to continue operation without additional funding from the State of Oklahoma