Friday, May 2, 2025
5/2/2025
Fiscal Year 2023 Capital Assistance for Hurricane Response and Recovery Efforts (CARE) - FoundCare, Inc. is a non-profit Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC) with seven locations and one medical mobile unit in Palm Beach County, Florida. Through this CARE grant opportunity, FoundCare proposes to deploy a state-of-the-art mobile dental unit that will, during normal operations, collaborate with a wide variety of community partners and support existing FoundCare and other local or Florida FQHC location in need of dental services. In the aftermath of any storm, FoundCare will work within the network of established community & emergency providers to ensure coverage for any dental emergencies within the county and/or regionally as needed. Organized as a non-profit in 2003, FoundCare opened its first health center in 2009, achieved FQHC look-a-like status in 2010 and full FQHC status in 2013. Its mission is to fulfill unmet healthcare and social service needs of underserved individuals and families in Palm Beach County. In the region, there is a shortage of dental providers for low-income populations as evidenced by its HPSA designation for Dental Health (ID #61299912OX). This presents a challenge during normal operations and becomes particularly acute in times of emergency. Yet when it strikes, dental pain can be extremely severe and debilitating. The NIH estimates that 25% of adults have reported suffering dental pain over the last twelve months, while UDS data evidences that over 20% of FoundCare’s patients delayed and/or deferred medical care, which is likely much higher for oral health care. Over 21% of FoundCare’s service area residents do not have health insurance and those without dental insurance is significantly higher. Oral health procedures can be very costly, which often causes further delayed care resulting in minor issues often flaring up into major health crisis. Florida, as a peninsula surrounded by warm waters in storm season, has the highest potential for a direct hit by a hurricane in the nation. In Palm Beach county, as is the case with most regions of the state, the majority of the population lives within 20 miles of the coast. As a result, it is the most populated areas that are at the greatest risk of storm related damages. A mobile dental unit would be of tremendous benefit to the region, both during calm times, as well as, in the aftermath of any major or minor storm related emergency. As a self-powered and contained unit, it can operate sufficiently in areas with no electricity and can be readily deployed to where services are needed most. FoundCare is proposing to acquire a 38’ state-of-the-art mobile dental unit that would include two dental operatories, enabling approximately 18-24 procedures per day. It is anticipated that under normal operations it will be deployed 200 days per year and will provide services to around 1,000 unduplicated patients per year over approximately 2,800 patient visits. FoundCare has identified a well-rounded professional team to lead the management, implementation and evaluation of the proposed project. FoundCare’s Director of Dentistry, Mike Jean-Baptise, DDS, will be the designated Project Manager. He is uniquely qualified for emergency situations having worked for years with the New York City Fire Department as an emergency medical technician and is well-versed in emergency responsiveness and recovery efforts. He will be supported by 1 FTE Dentist, 1 FTE Dental Assistant, 1 FTE Patient Access Representative and 1 FTE Driver. FoundCare will avail its entire administrative team and other resources to ensure the success of the proposed Dental Mobile Unit. The project team will adhere to a carefully planned implementation schedule that clearly delineates project milestones in relation to HRSA’s required project performance period FoundCare currently manages over $13.5 million in federal and state funding and is well-equipped to successfully administer and guide the implementation and operation of the mobile unit while ensuring award compliance.
HHS’ Tracking Accountability in Government Grants System (TAGGS) website provides access to detailed descriptions of grants, loans, aggregated direct payments and other types of financial assistance awarded by the HHS Operating Divisions (OPDIVs) and the Office of the Secretary Staff Divisions (STAFFDIVs).