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Tompkins County’s Whole Health integration: officials report growing client volume and internal referrals after Brown Road clinic opening
Summary
County staff told the Health and Human Services Committee that integrating public health and mental health operations has created a shared referral system, a new Brown Road clinic opened in November, and internal referrals and unique client visits are rising.
County Whole Health staff gave the committee a detailed progress report on the integration of public health and mental-health services, saying the effort has produced a joint organizational structure, shared administrative functions and a new clinic that is expanding access.
"The goal of integration ... was to provide holistic care to our community," said Jeremy, a Whole Health staff presenter, describing the work the departments have done to treat people "as one person, rather than having to engage in multiple systems." Jeremy led the presentation tracing organizational changes, new joint positions and operational steps taken since the departments began integration.
The most visible change, staff said, is the Brown Road clinic. "This past fall, we opened a mental health clinic at the Brown Road location," Jeremy told the committee. He said the location offers more parking and quieter surroundings and that staff have capacity for 500 clients there; client visits and unique individuals have risen since the November opening.
Integration also included an internal referral system, staff reported. Jeremy said the county developed an electronic internal-referral mechanism so staff in different programs can send a single referral and multiple program teams receive email notification. "We created our own system with the help of IT, where you just say this person needs all these services. Check, check, check, check, check. Hit send," he said. The presenter said internal referrals have increased sharply since the clinic opened, and staff described that spike as evidence the integration is improving access.
The department described administrative consolidations and new positions that support the work: a single leadership structure with deputies for mental health, public health and finance/operations; added data and quality positions; and shared administrative staff that manage billing and reporting across programs. Jeremy said some of the positions were repurposed from existing budgets and required no new county dollars.
Committee members asked for follow-up details. Grant asked about quality assurance positions; Jeremy described the unit as four FTEs handling data analysis, QA leadership, clinical chart review and records management to support audits and reporting. Committee members also raised facility-maintenance concerns about Brown Road’s exterior and grounds; Jeremy acknowledged facilities work orders and weather-related delays for grounds care.
The committee approved a Whole Health budget adjustment resolution at the meeting to extend program staffing through the end of the year while federal funding questions remain. Several legislators voiced caution about extending county tax dollars beyond the year-end if federal funding does not return. "At the end of the year, it'd be great if you could come back and explain everything that they did and the outcomes," one legislator said; Jeremy agreed to report outcomes to the committee.
The presentation emphasized client-centered goals and promised continuing updates as the integration advances. The county staff stressed the integration is intended to reduce crisis events by improving early access and coordination across health, prevention and social services.
