SLED Opportunity · DELAWARE · DELAWARE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND SOCIAL SERVICES
AI Summary
The Delaware Department of Health and Social Services seeks proposals for the Rural Community Health Hubs initiative to improve healthcare access in rural Sussex and Kent Counties through mobile health units and fixed-site health hubs, focusing on underserved populations and emphasizing sustainability and system integration.
Rural communities in Sussex and Kent Counties face persistent barriers to accessing healthcare, including provider shortages, limited specialty care, transportation challenges, and high rates of chronic disease. These barriers disproportionately impact elderly residents, individuals with disabilities, and low-income populations. Geographic isolation and lack of reliable transportation continue to limit access to preventive services, chronic disease management, behavioral health care, and specialty services.The Rural Community Health Hubs initiative is designed to address identified disparities by establishing a coordinated network of mobile health units (Component A) and brick and mortar health hubs (Component B), integrated with community-based healthcare systems, that deliver comprehensive, evidence-based healthcare services directly to underserved rural communities. By bringing care to where people live, work, and gather, this initiative promotes preventive care, reduces access barriers, improves continuity of care, and strengthens rural health systems.This initiative emphasizes sustainability planning as a key component of proposals and scoring, including strategies to maintain services beyond the funding period through partnerships, revenue diversification, and operational efficiency.Component A: Mobile Health Units Funding will support deployment and operation of mobile health units to deliver preventive, primary, behavioral health, specialty, and health education services directly to communities with significant access gaps.Component B: Brick and Mortar Health Hubs Funding will support establishment or expansion of fixed-site health hubs that provide preventive, primary, behavioral health, specialty, and health education services in central, accessible locations in rural communities.Applicants may submit proposals for Component A only, Component B only, or both Component A and Component B. Each proposal must clearly indicate the component(s) for which funding is requested.Project GoalsThe Rural Community Health Hubs initiative aims to improve health outcomes and access to healthcare in rural Sussex and Kent Counties by deploying community health hubs integrated into Delaware’s healthcare delivery system. Aligned with the strategic goal of “Make Rural America Healthy Again,” this initiative addresses critical access gaps to strengthen prevention, early detection, and chronic disease management.Through a coordinated, systems-based approach, the initiative establishes sustainable mobile health infrastructure, enhances workforce capacity, and builds strong clinical and community partnerships. The program prioritizes data-driven deployment and equitable service delivery to rural communities with the greatest need.Goal 1: Expand access to comprehensive healthcare services in rural communities.1.1 Deploy mobile health units (component A) and/or operate brick-and-mortar hubs (Component B) to provide preventive care, primary care, chronic disease management, behavioral health, and specialty services, and health education.1.2 Deliver services at accessible community locations, including schools, churches, town centers, community centers, and community parking lots.1.3 Prioritize access for underserved rural populations, including elderly residents, individuals with disabilities, and low-income residents.Goal 2: Improve health outcomes through early detection and chronic disease management.2.1 Provide evidence-based screenings for cancer, diabetes, hypertension, HIV, and other chronic conditions.2.2 Expand access to specialty services, including maternal and infant health, dental care, mental health services, substance use disorder treatment, pediatric services, and stroke care.2.3 Ensure continuity of care through referrals, follow-up, and integration with health system partners.Goal 3: Advance health equity through data-driven deployment.3.1 Target rural communities with the most significant access gaps using county and census tract level data, including the CDC Social Vulnerability Index (SVI), along with other relevant community-level indicators and continuous evaluation efforts to inform deployment and real-time adjustments for both mobile units and hubs.3.2 Ensure equitable service reach and outcomes across high-SVI rural areas in Sussex and Kent Counties, including communities and populations served at non-residential locations such as food distribution sites, shelters, and outreach settings.3.3 Monitor demographic and services utilization data to drive continuous quality improvement.Goal 4: Strengthen healthcare system integration and workforce capacity.4.1 Partner with Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs), local healthcare systems, and community-based organizations to ensure clinical integration and continuity of care.4.2 Staff mobile health units with qualified, multidisciplinary clinical teams.4.3 Integrate mobile units with technology to support Electronic Medical Records (EMRs) and the Delaware Health Information Network (DHIN).Goal 5: Establish sustainable mobile health infrastructure.5.1 Use service utilization, geographic, and outcome data to refine deployment strategies.5.2 Implement sustainable operational and billing models, including fee-for-service, telehealth reimbursement, and value-based arrangements.5.3 Include explicit sustainability strategies addressing long-term operational viability, service continuation for uninsured populations, and partnerships or revenue diversification.
SLED stands for State, Local, and Education. These are solicitations issued by state governments, counties, cities, school districts, utilities, and higher education institutions — as opposed to federal agencies.
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