Fiscal Year 2023 Capital Assistance for Hurricane Response and Recovery Efforts (CARE) - Address: 3333 Wilkinson Boulevard, Charlotte, NC 28208 (Mecklenburg County); Project Director: Debra Weeks, Chief Executive Officer; Contact Numbers: Tel: 704-391-0819; Fax: 980-335-0504; Email Address: dweeks@cwwilliams.org; Website: www.cwwilliams.org; Project Type: Equipment Only; Grant Funding Requested: $490,000 Target Populations: Low income, un/underinsured, and medically indigent Black, Hispanic, American Indian/Alaska Native and other individuals of color living in CWWCHC’s nine county service area of Anson, Cabarrus, Gaston, Iredell, Mecklenburg, Rowan, Stanly, & Union counties in NC and York in SC. Organization History: Founded in 1981, The C.W. Williams Community Health Center, Inc. (CWWCHC or Center) handles over 30,000 patient encounters annually representing over 13,000 patients, with 82% being classified as a racial or ethnic minority, 66 % living on incomes below 200% of the federal poverty level, 16% being homeless, and 42% being uninsured. Center services include primary/preventive medical and dental care, mental health and substance use disorder counseling and treatment, HIV/STI services, 340B pharmacy, community health worker services, non-emergency patient transportation, Traditional Chinese Medicine (acupuncture, acupressure, and herbal therapies), mobile medical/dental program and community outreach. Needs to Be Addressed. Natural disasters threaten human life. Ongoing changes in climate patterns worldwide that alter the frequency & severity of floods, storms, hurricanes, droughts, and other natural disasters are expected to continually increase. Unfortunately, CWWCHC is located in a region frequently barraged by hurricanes and floods. In addition, the Center’s main campus is located in an economically depressed community where the median household income is $25,560, the median age is 32, and the racial/ethnic makeup is over 73% Black and 15% White. CWWCHC’s main campus also is located in a designated Medically Underserved Area, a designated Dental Health Professional Shortage Area, and a Mecklenburg County Public Health Priority Area, where more than 30% of the population lives in poverty, many live in extreme poverty, and 14% of the population is homeless. CWWCHC’s satellite medical facility, located at 5800 Old Pineville Road, is located in a zip code with a median household income of 38,832, a median age of 30, and a racial makeup of 47% Black, 26% White, and 16% Hispanic/Other. CWWCHC’s patient base is characterized by multiple health disparities, including high rates of hypertension, diabetes, cancer, asthma, and HIV/AIDS. It also primarily includes low income, homeless, veteran, disabled, uninsured and underinsured populations, as well as limited English proficiency individuals. According to CWWCHC’s UDS report, CWWCHC served 13,239 patients in 2022, representing more than 30,000 patient visits. Of the 13,239 patients served, 60.2% lived below 200% of the Federal Poverty Level (FPL); 38.34% were uninsured; 22% had Medicaid; 23.6% had private insurance; 63.6% were Black, 17% were White, and 19% were Hispanic (any race). Summary of Proposed Project: To enhance CWWCHC’s ability to respond and/or recover from the negative impacts of natural disasters and increase the Center’s capacity to ensure the continuity of essential primary healthcare services for underserved communities, CWWCHC proposes to utilize CARE grant funding to purchase critically important equipment. This equipment will complement and otherwise advance the Center’s operational objectives to expand access to care, improve health outcomes, and reduce health disparities. The proposed equipment will be moveable, have a useful life of more than one year & can be readily shifted from place to place without requiring a change in the utilities or structural characteristics of the facility. Where possible, CWWCHC will purchase environmentally friendly equipment that will mitigate the negative effects on human health & the environment.
