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Adagio Health receives $150,000 grant from Staunton Farm Foundation

Grant will support expansion of behavioral health services for Western PA residents

Pittsburgh, PA (October 24, 2022) – Adagio Health has been awarded a $150,000 grant from the Staunton Farm Foundation in support of expanded behavioral health services, specifically in Lawrence and Beaver county offices, with the goal to support increased numbers of western Pennsylvania residents.

Right now, Lawrence and Beaver counties are in need of additional health and wellness services. Adagio Health intends to bridge the gap by providing behavioral health screenings, interventions, referrals, care navigation, and trained providers to the area to increase support for patients with mental health needs, making these in-demand services accessible and further improving the health of western Pennsylvania residents.

“We know that there is increased need for behavioral health services across the country, and that need is also reflected in the rural counties and communities that we serve,” said BJ Leber, president and CEO of Adagio Health. “This generous grant from Staunton Farm Foundation will help us achieve better health outcomes by supporting and expanding the care and services we offer.”   

“Staunton Farm Foundation is proud to partner with Adagio Health to bring critically needed health services to Lawrence and Beaver counties,” says Joni Schwager, Executive Director. “Our more rural communities face challenges due to a dearth of services.”

According to the American Hospital Association, the COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated the need for behavioral health services while individuals with existing disorders faced additional barriers to care. As America confronts a health care landscape deeply – and likely permanently – altered by the COVID-19 pandemic, behavioral health care access has emerged as both a challenge and opportunity.

Both Lawrence and Beaver counties demonstrate a need for greater mental health services. According to the University of Wisconsin, data indicates that both counties have:

  • Equal to or higher than state rates of poor/fair health, poor physical and mental health days and frequent mental stress
  • An inefficient ratio of mental health providers to patients, noting a 780:1 ratio compared to 420:1 overall in other areas of Pennsylvania
  • High drug overdose and suicide rates

Residents are also more likely to be food insecure and have a lack of healthy food sources. Adagio Health WIC reports that approximately 40% of WIC clients in Lawrence and Beaver counties screen positive for food insecurity.

The Staunton Farm Foundation grant will allow Adagio Health to continue and expand Integrated Services including behavioral health and support for people with substance use disorder (SUD) and will allow for additional training for providers to better serve patients. Adagio Health staff trainings will include:

  • Screening, Brief Intervention and Referral to Treatment (SBIRT)
  • Motivational interviewing
  • Crisis intervention
  • Suicide prevention
  • Substance use treatment
  • Referral processes
  • Specialty populations, including women veterans and LGBTQ+ communities
  • Professional development for care providers

Additionally, patients and clients seeking support in Beaver and Lawrence counties can access Adagio Health Food Cupboards where they will be provided with healthy food and educational materials, along with specific care navigation services and referrals for supplementary social services including behavioral health, medical assistance, housing, food, crisis services and more.

Since 2020, Adagio Health Behavioral Health Clinicians have completed 379 therapy sessions, 109 brief interventions and 50 referrals for 167 unique patients. Funds from the Staunton Farm Foundation grant will help Adagio Health continue to reach residents with behavioral health needs while working to improve the overall health of western PA residents.

Adagio Health recently opened a newly renovated medical office in Hopewell Township, Beaver County, at 2304 Brodhead Road. The office is open Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.  Appointments can be made by calling 724-375-8147, and walk-ins are also welcome. For more information visit https://adagiohealth.org/Hopewell

About the Staunton Farm Foundation – The Staunton Farm Foundation is dedicated to improving the lives of people who live with mental illness and/or substance use disorders. The Foundation works to enhance behavioral health treatment, support, and recovery through grant making to nonprofit organizations in 10 southwestern Pennsylvania counties (Allegheny, Armstrong, Beaver, Butler, Fayette, Greene, Indiana, Lawrence, Washington, and Westmoreland).

About Adagio Health – For more than fifty years, Adagio Health has provided health care, nutrition, and education services in western Pennsylvania. Today, the nonprofit organization’s footprint includes seven counties in West Virginia. Adagio Health’s services include low or no cost family planning and reproductive care for women, men, and teens; screenings for breast cancer, cervical cancer, and other chronic conditions; and adult immunizations including COVID-19, flu, MMR, pneumonia and more. Adagio Health also manages the state-funded Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Detection Program (BCCEDP) in 62 counties across Pennsylvania. Adagio Health serves thousands of children and families through its WIC and Power Up (SNAP-ed) nutrition programs; provides tobacco cessation services to adults and teens; and offers reproductive health education for teens and young adults. Adagio Health receives funding from the State and Federal government, foundations, individuals and the corporate community.