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The Alabama Coalition for a Healthier Black Belt: A Proof of Concept Project

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Abstract

The Alabama Coalition for a Healthier Black was a demonstration of concept project. This paper is a descriptive and qualitative overview of this 2.5 year project. Limited key project results are reported here. Located in the rural Black Belt region of Alabama this coalition had several key aims: to develop a collaboration between primary care and mental health care through co-location of services; use of video-conferencing capability to provide mental health services more efficiently; enhanced training in rural healthcare; and development of stigma reduction campaigns along with other coalition partner specific initiatives. Co-location and telepsychiatry implementation produced the major challenges and resulting adaptations to original aims. Despite many challenges these new service patterns were put into place and appear to be sustainable.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurobiology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, 908 20th Street South, Birmingham, AL, 35294, USA

    Robert M. Savage, Jacqueline M. Dillon, Jacinda C. Hammel, Tonia C. Lewis & Natasha C. Johnson

  2. Cahaba Center for Mental Health, Selma, AL, USA

    Lafon M. Barlow

  3. Alabama Department of Mental Health, Montgomery, AL, USA

    Molly M. Brooms

  4. West Alabama Mental Health Center, Demopolis, AL, USA

    Patricia M. Moore

  5. Montgomery Area Mental Health Authority, Montgomery, AL, USA

    Henry E. Parker

  6. Community Care Network, Montgomery, AL, USA

    Kanini Z. Rodney

Authors
  1. Robert M. Savage
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  2. Jacqueline M. Dillon
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  3. Jacinda C. Hammel
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  4. Tonia C. Lewis
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  5. Natasha C. Johnson
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  6. Lafon M. Barlow
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  7. Molly M. Brooms
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  8. Patricia M. Moore
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  9. Henry E. Parker
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  10. Kanini Z. Rodney
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Robert M. Savage.

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Savage, R.M., Dillon, J.M., Hammel, J.C. et al. The Alabama Coalition for a Healthier Black Belt: A Proof of Concept Project. Community Ment Health J 49, 79–85 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10597-012-9488-z

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10597-012-9488-z

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