TENNESSEE, USA — Tennessee's Project Rural Recovery is expanding to 10 new Tennessee counties thanks to $6.3 million budgeted in the current fiscal year by Governor Bill Lee and the Tennessee General Assembly.
Project Rural Recovery hopes to address infrastructure barriers to access in rural communities using mobile clinics, according to a press release from the Tennessee Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services (TDMHSAS).
After a grant award process, the department selected Ridgeview Behavioral Health Services and Pathways Behavioral Services as the community-based providers to service the new areas.
According to a press release, Ridgeview will serve Campbell, Fentress, Morgan, Scott, and Union counties in east Tennessee and Pathways will serve Crockett, Fayette, Hardeman, Haywood, and Lauderdale counties in west Tennessee.
TDMHSAS leaders said they selected the areas emphasizing rural, underserved, and distressed counties, the release said.
The mobile units have two exam spaces, restrooms, a waiting area, and a lift for accessibility. TDMHSAS said the behavioral and physical healthcare will be at no cost to the patients through the project.
“Rural counties in our state face so many unique healthcare challenges," said Jessica Youngblom, LMSW, TDMHSAS Director of Strategic Initiatives. Just by parking in a community and holding clinic hours one day a week on a regular basis, our mobile units can have an outsized impact on access to care and truly change the lives of the people they serve."
Project Rural Recovery started in March 2020 with a 5-year $10 million federal grant. According to the release, the new funding is part of the American Rescue Plan Act.
TDMHSAS said that initial community-based providers included Buffalo Valley, Inc. serving Lawrence, Lewis, Marshall, Perry, and Wayne Counties in middle Tennessee and the McNabb Center serving Claiborne, Cocke, Grainger, Hancock, and Jefferson Counties in east Tennessee.
TDMHSAS said Project Rural Recovery served more than 1,600 Tennesseans in the first two years.
