Big Bear, CA, June 13th, 2016 – Bear Valley Community Healthcare District is proud to announce that they have been awarded up to 6 million dollars from the California Department of Healthcare Services (DHCS) in a competitive grant process to serve undeserved populations over the next 5 years. The award comes after an in depth proposal was written to help one of Big Bears most vulnerable populations; the non-malignant chronic pain management patients.
Under this funding Bear Valley Community Healthcare District will implement a comprehensive, multidisciplinary approach which is viewed as best practice for meeting the needs of patients suffering from non-malignant chronic pain.
Bear Valley Community Healthcare District will be hiring a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) to provide program oversight as well as provide case management and care coordination. This approach will lead to a more comprehensive service delivery which will in turn provide improved health outcomes for pain management patients. The program will be a collaborative effort between various BVCHD departments including the Emergency
Department, Family Health Clinic, and Telehealth, along with other multimodal service providers as deemed appropriate. Sheri Murisck Director of Outpatient Services stated: “Our goal is to meet the needs of our patients through all stages of pain management through program development and networking with existing community resources.”
Through the PRIME grant, Bear Valley Community Healthcare District will be providing a gap-fill service, as there are currently no services of this kind available in the Big Bear area. Bear Valley Community Healthcare District will be looking to partner with local agencies as well as the community at large to establish quality healthcare for this population, close to home.
Kerri Jex Emergency Department Manager stated: “ The PRIME Project is an exciting opportunity for the hospital to grow resources and expand programs that will largely benefit our community and provide valuable resources that are currently unavailable or not accessible on the mountain. We are looking forward to developing the program and working with the community to meet the needs of our patients and improve quality of life for those that live with chronic no-malignant pain.”
The PRIME grant is just one of the areas that Bear Valley Community Healthcare District is looking to expand and enhance services provided to local residents as well as visitors to the Big Bear Valley. The current team at Bear Valley Community Healthcare District is committed to the enhancement of future services to ensure sustainability as the leader in local healthcare.
