Project Grant H8I48981

ACCELERATING CANCER SCREENING - PROJECT TITLE: FISCAL YEAR 2022 ACCELERATING CANCER SCREENING APPLICANT ORGANIZATION NAME: NORTH COUNTRY HEALTHCARE, INC. ADDRESS: 2920 N FOURTH STREET, FLAGSTAFF, ARIZONA, 86004 PROJECT DIRECTOR NAME: ANNE NEWLAND, MD, MPH CONTACT PHONE NUMBERS: (P) 928-522-9564 (F) 928-522-9565 EMAIL ADDRESS: ANEWLAND@NCHCAZ.ORG WEBSITE: WWW.NORTHCOUNTRYHEALTHCARE.ORG GRANT PROGRAM FUNDS REQUESTED: YEAR 1: $250,000 YEAR 2: $250,000 TOTAL: $500,000 PROJECT ABSTRACT NORTH COUNTRY HEALTHCARE SEEKS A PARTNERSHIP WITH THE UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA CANCER CENTER FOR THE HEALTH RESOURCES & SERVICES ADMINISTRATION FISCAL YEAR 2022 ACCELERATING CANCER SCREENING (AXCS) FUNDING OPPORTUNITY TO INCREASE EQUITABLE ACCESS TO CERVICAL, BREAST AND COLORECTAL CANCER SCREENING AND REFERRAL FOR CARE AND TREATMENT BY ENHANCING PATIENT OUTREACH AND EDUCATION, CASE MANAGEMENT, CARE COORDINATION, TRANSLATION AND INTERPRETING SERVICES, TRANSPORTATION, AND ELIGIBILITY ASSISTANCE FOR UNDERSERVED POPULATIONS ACROSS NORTHERN ARIZONA TO REDUCE DISPARITIES IN PATIENT ACCESS TO CANCER SCREENING AND ASSOCIATED OUTCOMES. BOTH CENTERS RECOGNIZE THAT AFFORDABLE AND ACCESSIBLE HEALTHCARE TRANSFORMS COMMUNITIES BY NARROWING HEALTH DISPARITIES, REDUCING CHRONIC DISEASE AND UNNECESSARY HOSPITALIZATIONS, AMONG OTHER CONTRIBUTIONS. NORTH COUNTRY HEALTHCARE, INC. HAS ITS HISTORICAL ROOTS IN A FREE CLINIC MODEL THAT TRANSITIONED TO FEDERALLY QUALIFIED HEALTH CENTER STATUS UPON COMMUNITY HEALTH CENTER FUNDING IN 1996. THE PRIMARY CLINIC SITE AND ADMINISTRATIVE HUB IS LOCATED IN FLAGSTAFF, A POPULATION CENTER WITH A MEDICALLY UNDERSERVED POPULATION DESIGNATION. NORTH COUNTRY HEALTHCARE ALSO OPERATES TWELVE SATELLITE CLINICS ACROSS NORTHERN ARIZONA TO PROVIDE ACCESSIBLE, COMPREHENSIVE AND AFFORDABLE PRIMARY HEALTHCARE TO THE UNDERSERVED AND VULNERABLE POPULATIONS IN AN ATMOSPHERE OF RESPECT, DIGNITY AND CULTURAL SENSITIVITY IN THE COMMUNITIES OF BULLHEAD CITY, FLAGSTAFF, GRAND CANYON, HOLBROOK, KINGMA N, LAKE HAVASU CITY, PAYSON, ROUND VALLEY, SELIGMAN, SHOW LOW, WILLIAMS, AND WINSLOW, WHICH ARE ALL MEDICALLY UNDERSERVED AREA'S AND HEALTH PROFESSIONAL SHORTAGE AREA'S. NORTH COUNTRY HEALTHCARE'S SERVICE AREA IS LARGELY RURAL AND SPARSELY POPULATED. THE CENTER'S SERVICE AREA IS LOCATED ACROSS FIVE RURAL COUNTIES: APACHE, COCONINO, GILA, MOHAVE, AND NAVAJO COUNTIES. NORTH COUNTRY HEALTHCARE HAS SIXTEEN ACCESS POINTS. THE SERVICE AREA BOUNDARIES ARE THE STATE LINES OF CALIFORNIA AND NEVADA TO THE WEST, THE NEW MEXICO STATE LINE TO THE EAST, THE GRAND CANYON NATIONAL PARK TO THE NORTH AND THE METROPOLITAN PHOENIX AREA TO THE SOUTH. NORTH COUNTRY HEALTHCARE IS COMMITTED TO A PATIENT CENTERED MEDICAL HOME DELIVERY OF SERVICE AND THIS MODEL OF CARE WILL INFORM NORTH COUNTRY'S PROPOSED AXCS PROJECT WITH AN EMPHASIS ON IN-REACH AND OUTREACH EFFORTS TO IMPROVE THE CERVICAL, BREAST AND COLORECTAL CANCER SCREENING AND FOLLOW-UP SERVICES. NORTH COUNTRY HEALTHCARE'S SCOPE OF SERVICES INCLUDES: DIAGNOSIS, TREATMENT AND REFERRAL FOR ALL ILLNESS, MANAGEMENT OF CHRONIC DISEASES, PRENATAL CARE/DELIVERY, PERINATAL OUTREACH, WELL WOMAN CHECKS, WELL CHILD SERVICES/IMMUNIZATIONS, PHARMACY, LABORATORY AND RADIOLOGY SERVICES, PREVENTIVE CARE/HEALTH EDUCATION, ORAL HEALTH SERVICES AND INTEGRATED BEHAVIORAL HEALTH. ADDITIONAL HEALTH SERVICES INCLUDE SIGNIFICANT HEALTH PROMOTION/DISEASE PREVENTION AND ENABLING PROGRAMS. OF THESE, THE WELL WOMAN HEALTHCHECK PROGRAM WILL SERVE AS THE FOUNDATION FOR THE PROPOSED AXCS PROJECT. THE WELL WOMAN HEALTHCHECK PROGRAM HAS BEEN AN OUTREACH PROGRAM OF NORTH COUNTRY HEALTHCARE FOR OVER 20 YEARS. THE PROGRAM IS WELL ESTABLISHED WITH DEDICATED STAFF COVERING THE ENTIRE SERVICE AREA AND FULFILLING THE EVIDENCE-BASED SCOPE OF PRACTICE ESTABLISHED BY THE NATIONAL BREAST AND CERVICAL CANCER PROGRAM THROUGH THE CENTER FOR DISEASE CONTROL AND PREVENTION. NORTH COUNTRY HOLDS A CONTRACT FOR FIVE COUNTIES IN NORTHERN ARIZONA FROM THE ARIZONA DEPARTMENT