Fiscal year 2025 expanded hours. - north country family health center, referred to hereafter as ncfhc, has provided services to low-income individuals of JEFFERSON and LEWIS counties in northern new…

Fiscal year 2025 expanded hours. - north country family health center, referred to hereafter as ncfhc, has provided services to low-income individuals of JEFFERSON and LEWIS counties in northern new york for over 50 years and received fqhc status in june 2012. Ncfhc's clinic sites are located in rural northern new york, an area referred to as the "north country". Ncfhc's service area covers a population of 119,844 individuals, including approximately 38,906 individuals (32.5%) with incomes at or below 200% of the federal poverty level (FPL). Due to continued high unemployment rates and the rapidly growing homeless count, the target population increasingly includes families and adults experiencing homelessness or who are at risk for homelessness due to ongoing unstable housing arrangements. Approximately, 88% of the population resides in JEFFERSON county and 12% of the population in LEWIS county. There are also three census tracts in the service area which are classified as opportunity zones (613, 614, and 621 in JEFFERSON county), which are all within the same ZIP code as our main campus located at 238 arsenal street and our JCC health & wellness center, both proposed sites for expanded hours. Consistent with 2023 UDS data, 82% of our current patients live within our defined service area. The service area population is mostly white, non-hispanic (81%), with an additional 8% identifying as hispanic or latino; 5% identifying as black, non-hispanic; and 6% one or more other non-hispanic race(S). The ncfhc clinic sites are located in rural northern new york which comprises 2,547 square miles with an average population density of 54.5 people per square mile. The rural nature of our service area and low socio-economic status of many of its residents present significant barriers to primary care for most of our target population, which has significant healthcare implications. Measured against national and state benchmarks, the target population faces unique and significant medic AL and mental healthcare challenges. These include relatively high rates of chronic conditions, such as obesity, diabetes, depressive episodes as well as excess mortality from cerebrovascular disease and suicide and low rates of attainment of recommended preventive services, such cancer screenings. Health disparities are further compounded in the service area by the lack of access to primary care physicians (ratio of primary care physicians to individuals of 14,568:1 (JEFFERSON) and 9,335:1 (LEWIS) compared to the statewide average of 1,190:1) and homelessness. In addition, the entirety of both JEFFERSON and LEWIS counties are designated as primary care, dental, and mental health professional shortage areas (HPSAS). In order to meet the needs of the community and target population ncfhc has developed a robust expanded hours delivery plan to ease patients' ability to access needed healthcare services at times that are more convenient for patients. Ncfhc is requesting expanded hours grant funding to allow ncfhc to increase access to care for patients and help to break down gaps in care. Specifically, ncfhc will expand hours via early weekday mornings, weekday evenings, and on weekends at the following in-scope service sites: north country family health center - main campus (medical & dental services); JCC health & wellness center (medical services); north country family health center - leray (dental only services); and north country family health center - lowville (dental only services).