Telehealth Network Grant Program - Applicant Name: Ben Archer Health Center Address: P.O. Box 370, Hatch, NM 87937 Project Director Name: Mary Alice Garay, Executive Director Contact Phone Numbers: 575-267-3280 575-267-1747 (Fax) Email Address: mgaray@bahcnm.org Web Site Address: www.bahcnm.org Funding Requested: CHC, MHC Congressional District: NM-002 Proposed Service Area ID: 139 City: Hatch State: New Mexico Ben Archer Health Center’s Access to Care and Education (ACE) Nutrition Project will expand preventive health services by adding nutrition education services for patients living with chronic conditions in Luna, Otero, Sierra, and Doña Ana Counties, New Mexico. The project will serve the target population of patients diagnosed with or at high risk for diabetes, obesity, hypertension, and cardiovascular disease, with a focus on rural, medically underserved, low-income, and diverse populations that face barriers to preventive care, healthy food access, and chronic disease management. Funding will allow Ben Archer Health Center to add new nutrition services that address the root causes of chronic disease by helping patients make sustainable improvements in diet, physical activity, and overall wellness. Ben Archer Health Center (BAHC) is a Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC) serving medically underserved populations across Doña Ana, Luna, Otero, and Sierra Counties in southern New Mexico. BAHC requests $300,000 per year for five years to expand access to evidence-based nutrition services through an integrated telehealth network designed to improve chronic disease prevention and management in rural communities. Ben Archer Health Center is requesting a funding preference based on the organization being a rural, community-based organization. The project supports the Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) initiative by increasing access to preventive nutrition services, promoting healthy lifestyles, and reducing the burden of diet-related chronic diseases through coordinated, patient-centered care. BAHC will establish a comprehensive telehealth nutrition program integrating Medical Nutrition Therapy (MNT), nutrition counseling, and chronic disease management into primary care. Services will be delivered by a multidisciplinary team consisting of a 0.25 FTE Program Director, a 1.00 FTE Registered Dietitian, a 1.00 FTE Program Coordinator/Data Manager, and eight .50 FTE Community Health Workers strategically located throughout the service area to improve access in both originating and distant telehealth sites. Community Health Workers will conduct nutrition and food insecurity screenings, provide culturally responsive nutrition education, coordinate referrals, facilitate telehealth visits, reinforce individualized nutrition care plans, and connect patients with community resources. The project will leverage BAHC's existing telehealth infrastructure, EPIC electronic health record, and integrated care model to improve coordination between primary care providers, registered dietitians, behavioral health, and community-based services. Project outcomes include increased access to Medical Nutrition Therapy, improved nutrition knowledge and healthy eating behaviors, enhanced chronic disease management, reduced barriers to care, and improved clinical outcomes.Sustainability will be achieved through reimbursement from Medicare, Medicaid, and commercial insurers for eligible telehealth nutrition services, continued implementation of BAHC's sliding fee discount program, and certification of Community Health Workers through the State of New Mexico to enable billing for eligible services under New Mexico Medicaid Managed Care Organizations. By strengthening access to evidence-based nutrition services and preventive care, the project will improve health outcomes and reduce nutrition-relate Ben Archer Health Center confirms that at least 50% of total award funding will be used to support activities in rural areas across Luna, Sierra, Otero, and Doña Ana Counties.
