Fiscal Year 2023 Capital Assistance for Hurricane Response and Recovery Efforts (CARE) - Appalachian Mountain Community Health Centers (AMCHC), a Community Health Center (CHC) and Health Care for the Homeless project (HCH), was funded in May 2015 through HRSA’s Section 330(e) and 330(h) New Access Point (NAP). AMCHC works to increase access to comprehensive, culturally competent, quality primary, behavioral health and women’s health care services to a wide swath of Western North Carolina (WNC), focusing on the most disadvantaged communities and our region’s most vulnerable residents. AMCHC provides comprehensive, coordinated, high quality primary and preventative care that includes medical, behavioral health and substance abuse/MAT, diagnostic lab and radiology, family planning, pharmacy, and other enabling and social services to people of all ages regardless of their financial or insurance status or the ability to pay within 18 zip codes in four diverse counties. AMCHC’s Board has continually evaluated the health needs and barriers to care in the community and has expanded its service delivery capacity from one site serving Asheville, NC, to six primary care service delivery sites, one school-based health center, and one administrative site serving the following North Carolina counties: Buncombe, Cherokee, Graham, and Jackson. In addition to Section 330 (e) funding for the general low-income population. The service area exhibits levels of poverty (15%) consistent with the state (15%). The percentage of low income (36%), however is higher than the state rate (34%). AMCHC uses results from its Needs Assessment as a component of the Board’s strategic planning process to discuss the organizations goals and objectives and to determine if the health center is maintaining the right locations. AMCHC recognizes that its Tallulah Health Center located in rural Robbinsville, North Carolina acts as the primary healthcare provider for the community. AMCHC will use CARES funding to complete the necessary renovations needed to add square footage to the existing Tallulah site to ensure capacity for care coordination and continued care delivery during the future natural weather occurrences. Within the rural area of Robbinsville, people are economically vulnerable; have lower levels of income; and have lower levels of educational attainment. With limited access to public transportation systems and restricted incomes, many people cannot afford to travel to seek health care services or afford the health care services needed to improve their wellbeing. The result is that people within the service area are more likely to be in poor health and to experience higher rates of chronic lower pulmonary disorders, cardiovascular disease, cancer, and mental health issues compared to populations statewide and nationally. AMCHC will expand the size of its current 340B pharmacy, add a three-chair dental suite, dedicated space for physical therapy activities, additional office space to house care team members, and a meeting room to be used by team and community members. Additionally, AMCHC will use CARES funding to purchase a generator to support continued operations during future weather occurrences causing power outages. The additional square footage, renovations, and generator will support the capacity to add new healthcare services, thus expanding access in the rural area as well as ensuring equipment that will support the infrastructure during the next weather occurrence.
