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Trillium Health Resources provides services to 28 North Carolina counties that hug the Atlantic Ocean and spread inward from the Virginia to the South Carolina lines.

Dave Peterson, senior regional director for Trillium Health Resources, delivered his annual report to the Dare Board of Commissioners April 4, 2022.

In 2021, Trillium served 58,452 individuals with mild to severe mental health needs. Some 70% of those individuals addressed mental health, 20% substance abuse disorders and 10% intellectual and developmental disabilities.

To deliver services, the agency has agreements with 500 providers.

In 2021, those services cost $475.92 million.

Statewide Medicaid transformation continues.

First, five insurance companies were awarded standard plans to deliver services to low-to-moderate risk Medicaid behavioral health recipients. The switch was effective July 1, 2021.

Medicaid tailored plans are expected to be implemented Dec. 1, 2022.

At that time, Trillium will continue to deliver services for severe behavioral health, substance use disorder and intellectual and development disabilities and will add physical health to address whole person care.

Trillium is in the process of contracting with a pharmacy benefits manager to oversee 2,000 pharmacies and all primary care agencies that serve individuals receiving Medicare.

Trillium will continue to provide its current call center, but will now add a call center for nurses, providers and pharmacies. A new disaster response unit will be established. Trillium is in the process of collecting disaster response plans from 500 agencies, said Peterson.

Peterson reported that during 2021 in Dare County, Trillium served 1,004 consumers with 681 for mental health needs, 317 for substance use and 123 for intellectual and development disabilities.

One of the agency’s current projects is providing mobile clinics to make services accessible to those in rural areas.

On March 29, at the Rodanthe-Waves-Salvo Community Building in Rodanthe, the agency unveiled one of seven mobile vans to deliver substance abuse services. Eventually, the mobile van will expand to bring mental health services.

Port Health is the provider of the mobile van services. The agency already delivers services in Nags Head and Hatteras village.

Tom Savidge, the CEO of Port Health, thanked Trillium for its innovation and also thanked Dare County where “leaders really do care about citizens,” said Savidge.

In remarks at the ceremony, state Rep. Bobby Hanig said, “the mobile unit is much needed.”

Also speaking at the ceremony were Wally Overman, vice chairman of Dare Board of Commissioners, Rob Ross, Dare commissioner, and Joy Futrell, the new CEO of Trillium.

The start date and schedule for the Dare van is yet to be determined.

In December, the state’s Department of Health and Human Services distributed $4.4 million to fund mobile van services. Trillium Health Resources was awarded $1.42 million to purchase seven of 15 vans awarded statewide.

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