Friday, May 9, 2025
5/9/2025
Rural Health Network Development Planning Grant Program - Applicant Organization Information: Medical Care Development, Inc., 105 2nd Street, Suite 2A, Hallowell, ME 04347 (rural census 010700), Facility type: Non-profit 501(c)3 Public Health Institute, Website: www.MCD.org Project Director: Andrew Solomon, MPH, Senior Program Manager, Technology Initiatives, 207-622-7566 or ASolomon@mcd.org Project Track: Regular Network Planning Grant Track Network Name: Virtual Healthcare Bridge (VHB) Legislative aims: The proposal intends to address all three legislative aims identified in the Notice of Funding Opportunity, including 1.) Achieve efficiencies; 2.) Expand access to, coordinate, and improve the quality of basic health care services and associated health outcomes; and 3.) Strengthen the rural health care system as a whole. Focus Area: Medical Care Development’s focus area is to improve access to healthcare for unbridged island communities of coastal Maine through telehealth. Proposed Service Region: The island communities of: Great Cranberry (rural census 966100), Little Cranberry (rural census 966100), Frenchboro (rural census 966200), Matinicus (rural census 971100), Swans Frenchboro (rural census 966200), Isle Au Haut (rural census 971100), Isleboro (rural census 044000), North Haven (rural census 971100), Chebeague (rural census 004200), Vinalhaven (rural census 971100), and Mount Desert (rural census 965900) Population to be served: Coastal Maine island residents who face significant barriers to access in-person health care services, including travel time, availability of travel, and other social determinants. Network Members include: MDI Hospital, a critical access hospital and three health center locations on Mount Desert Island, MaineHealth, an integrated health system with Pen Bay Medical Center and Waldo County General Hospital, and Northern Light Health, an integrated health system with the Northern Light Health Center on Mount Desert Island, Maine Coast Memorial Hospital, Blue Hill Hospital, and Eastern Maine Medical Center. Network Members also include Hospice of Hancock County and Hallowell Family Practice, an independent primary care practice. Medical Care Development is submitting this application in collaboration with the Maine Seacoast Mission, a non-profit community service organization. 93 Percent of the member locations included in this Virtual Healthcare Bridge proposal as described above, including MCD and the Maine Seacoast Mission, are located in Rural Health Grants eligible locations. All network members have existing collaboration with Medical Care Development and have established some existing telehealth infrastructure. All network members have expressed a commitment to an integrated network, facilitated by the Maine Seacoast Mission, to improve access to care for these island communities. Experience in serving rural underserved populations: Each network member has a history of serving rural, underserved populations. MCD is host of the HRSA-funded Maine eConsult Network, the Northeast Telehealth Resource Center (NETRC), and the Collaborative for Advancing Rural Excellence and Equity. Since 2012, as part of the HRSA-funded Telehealth Resource Center Program, MCD has provided technical assistance and necessary resources for advancing telehealth to facilitate access to quality health care in rural and underserved communities throughout New England and New York. Maine Seacoast Mission, MDI Hospital, MaineHealth, and Northern Light Health provide nearly all medical services to Maine island communities, in addition to providing service to the majority of the state. As described in Attachment 8: Proof of Funding Preference Designation, Medical Care Development is requesting funding preference based on three qualifications: Health Professional Shortage Areas, Medically Underserved Community/Populations, and a focus on Primary Care, and Wellness and Prevention Strategies.
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).