What Programs & Services Does KAMU Provide to Members?
Board Training includes discussion on board purpose and duties, which include mission, policy, financial responsibilities, administrative roles and responsibilities, and CEO relationship; characteristics of a high performance board; successful boards/board evaluation; and leadership. The training is customized to meet the needs of the clinic.
Community Development is aimed at growing, strengthening, and sustaining the primary health care safety net in Kansas by helping existing centers expand into new communities and by assisting in the development of new centers. Assistance includes needs assessments and data analysis; education about community need; health center and clinic regulations and program requirements; and new start assistance.
Behavioral Health / Primary Care Integration is an ongoing endeavor that KAMU and member clinics work to achieve. KAMU has been actively involved in Integration of Behavioral Health and Primary Care since October 2009. The original integration pilot project was a partnership between KAMU, the Association of Community Mental Health Centers of Kansas, (ACMHCK), and Kansas Health Solutions. The pilot project for Integration of Primary Care and Behavioral Health Care included nine Kansas safety net clinics, one primary care physician office, and 10 mental health centers. The goals of the project were to increase coordination of care for high risk individuals, co-manage chronic patients, improve health outcomes, decrease hospitalizations, and decrease costs.
Following the pilot, the Sunflower Foundation provided two $50,000 grants to KAMU and the ACMHCK to send teams of five to Cherokee Health Systems Integrated Training Program. At the conclusion of those two grants, 54 individuals representing 28 different organizations had been trained at Cherokee Health Systems. Seven of the 54 were trained as Behavioral Health Consultants (BHCs). Some of the outcomes for the teams who have attended the training include cross training of staff; coordination of services for individuals in both programs; placement of BHCs and other specialists in the primary care safety net clinic; improved health outcomes; decreased hospitalizations and decreased costs. KAMU continues to engage all participants with information, grant opportunities, and additional updates as appropriate.
Oral Health / Primary Care Integration is an initiative to preserve and strengthen the oral health safety net that serves the health care needs of the individuals in underserved areas. KAMU was granted $100,000 from the DentaQuest Foundation through the Strengthening the Oral Health Safety Net Initiative for two years of the three-year initiative. With this funding, KAMU is working to build capacity to promote oral health issues by developing work plans to impact the initiative’s priority areas.
Patient Centered Medical Home is a model of care promoting improved access, patient – provider relations, and quality through clinic transformation. This model of care assists clinics to move to an outcomes focused approach to health care.
Quality Improvement is a focus on improved outcomes for the patients served within the Kansas safety net. This is accomplished by creating active quality improvement teams employing interventions to improve the overall health care experience for the patient.
Technical Assistance (TA) is the provision of advice, assistance, and training to ensure the successful development, operation, and growth of Kansas safety net clinics. KAMU provides assistance in the following areas: fiscal and program management assistance; operational and administration support; program development analysis; and data and policy research and analysis.