Saturday, April 5, 2025
4/5/2025
Health Center Program - SERVICE AREA ID NUMBER, CITY, AND STATE: ID # 19 ; Stone Mountain, GA PATIENTS PROJECTED TO BE SERVED IN 2026: From 01/01/2026-12/31/2026, MCH projects serving 30,100 total unduplicated patients. DESCRIPTION OF PROJECT: MedCura Health, Inc. (MCH) was established in 1980 to provide health care access for economically vulnerable residents of DeKalb County, Georgia and surrounding areas. The health center has grown significantly since its inception and now operates as a Patient-Centered Medical Home (PCMH) with multiple service delivery locations in Stone Mountain, Decatur, Conyers, Lithonia, Smyrna, Doraville, and Atlanta to serve residents of DeKalb, Fulton, and Rockdale counties, ZCTA 30016 in Newton County, and ZCTAs 30008, 30060, 30080, and 30082 in Cobb County, GA. This application requests $3,559,813 in Community Health Center (CHC) continuation funding. As an existing FQHC with an established presence in the region, MCH is well-positioned to continue providing access to comprehensive primary and preventive health services for the low-income residents of the service area. NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED: Data from the service area reveal systemic, widespread health disparities and emphasize the need for comprehensive primary and preventive health services that are accessible to those with low incomes and the uninsured. This densely populated area has a combined population of 2,128,625 and has grown by 12.0% since 2012. More than a quarter of residents (28.6% or 607,829 individuals) live on incomes at or below 200% of the Federal Poverty Guidelines (FPG) (ACS: 2018-2022, Census Bureau, 2023). The residents of this highly urban (98.4%) region face unique challenges to health and well-being (Census 2020, Census Bureau, 2023). Four of the five service area counties (Cobb, DeKalb, Fulton, and Newton) are designated Health Professional Shortage Areas (HPSAs) and Medically Underserved Areas or Populations (MUA/P). In addition, 17.0% of adults report no usual source of primary care, while 40.1% report no dental visit in the past year. The rate of preventable hospital events is 2,833 per 100,000 Medicare beneficiaries, indicating a significant need for improved preventative care (GeoCare Navigator, HRSA, 2024; US BRFSS, 2022; SparkMap, University of Missouri [UOM] Extension, 2024). PROPOSED SERVICES: Directly provided services include general primary care, diagnostic labs, screenings, emergency and after-hours coverage, voluntary family planning, immunizations, well child care, gynecology, prenatal care, labor and delivery, postpartum care, preventive dental, pharmaceutical services, case management, eligibility assistance, health education, outreach, translation, additional dental, mental health services, podiatry, psychiatry, and gastroenterology. Referral relationships are in place to expand access to diagnostic lab and radiology, emergency and after-hours coverage, gynecological care, labor and delivery, pharmaceutical services, case management, health education, transportation, translation, mental health and substance use disorder services, environmental health services, occupational therapy, physical therapy, psychiatry, and infectious disease services. Proposed clinical staffing to support project implementation include 3.60 FTE Family Physicians, 3.0 FTE Obstetrician/Gynecologists, 3.10 FTE Pediatricians, 2.40 FTE specialty physicians (Podiatrist, Gastroenterologist), 11.30 FTE Nurse Practitioners, 2.20 FTE Physician Assistants, 1.20 FTE Certified Nurse Midwives, 8.50 FTE nurses, 55.0 FTE other medical staff, 1.0 FTE Dentist, 2.0 FTE Dental Hygienists, 2.0 FTE Dental Assistants, 3.0 FTE LCSWs, 1.0 FTE LAPC, 5.50 FTE Case Managers, and 7.0 FTE Outreach Workers. POPULATION GROUPS TO BE SERVED: MCH prioritizes serving low-income individuals in the service area, including Medicaid recipients and the underinsured/uninsured.
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).