Project Grant P1053115

RURAL HEALTH NETWORK DEVELOPMENT PLANNING GRANT PROGRAM - APPLICANT ORGANIZATION INFORMATION: TRANSYLVANIA COUNTY (101 S. BROAD STREET, BREVARD, NC 28712) PUBLIC HEALTH DEPARTMENT HTTPS://TRANSYLVANIAHEALTH DESIGNATED PROJECT DIRECTOR: ELAINE RUSSELL, PUBLIC HEALTH DIRECTOR 828-884-1747, ELAINE.RUSSELL@TRANSYLVANIACOUNTY.ORG NETWORK PLANNING PROJECT: WESTERN NORTH CAROLINA PUBLIC HEALTH NETWORK LEGISLATIVE AIMS: AIM #1: ACHIEVE EFFICIENCIES AIM #2: EXPAND ACCESS TO, COORDINATE, AND IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF BASIC HEALTH CARE SERVICES FOCUS AREA: TRANSYLVANIA COUNTY'S FOCUS AREA IS CARE COORDINATION PROPOSED SERVICE REGION: NORTH CAROLINA COUNTIES (CHEROKEE, CLAY, GRAHAM, JACKSON, HAYWOOD, SWAIN, MACON, TRANSYLVANIA) TOWNS: MURPHY, ANDREWS, MARBLE, HAYESVILLE, ROBBINSVILLE, LAKE SANTEETLAH, FONTANA DAM, FRANKLIN, HIGHLANDS, BRYSON CITY, DILLSBORO, WEBSTER, SYLVA, WAYNESVILLE, CANTON, CLYDE, MAGGIE VALLEY, BREVARD, ROSMAN POPULATION TO BE SERVED: COUNTIES IN THE SERVICE AREA FACE ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL CHALLENGES UNIQUE TO RURAL SOUTHERN APPALACHIA AND DISPARITIES EXIST WHEN COMPARED WITH OTHER COUNTIES IN NC. THE REGION'S SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT LAGGED BEHIND THE REST OF THE UNITED STATES, WITH ITS ISOLATED TERRAIN EXACERBATING THESE ISSUES. COMPARED TO THE REST OF THE NATION, THE SERVICE AREA HAS HAS SIGNIFICANT INCOME DISPARITIES, HIGHER RATES OF UNEMPLOYMENT, SLOWER GROWTH AND OLDER POPULATIONS, LOWER EDUCATIONAL ATTAINMENT, POOR QUALITY OF AVAILABLE HOUSING, POORER HEALTH OUTCOMES, ISOLATION DUE TO TERRAIN AND LACK OF TRANSPORTATION ACCESS, LIMITED BROADBAND ACCESS AND A LACK OF DIVERSITY. NETWORK MEMBERS: CHEROKEE COUNTY HEALTH DEPARTMENT, CLAY COUNTY HEALTH DEPARTMENT, GRAHAM COUNTY HEALTH DEPARTMENT, JACKSON COUNTY HEALTH DEPARTMENT, SWAIN COUNTY HEALTH DEPARTMENT, MACON COUNTY HEALTH DEPARTMENT, HAYWOOD COUNTY HEALTH DEPARTMENT, TRANSYLVANIA COUNTY HEALTH DEPARTMENT; 88% OF THE NETWORK MEMBERS ARE PHYSICALLY LOCATED IN A HRSA-DESIGNATED RURAL AREA; THE NETWORK MEMBERS ARE READY TO INT EGRATE THEIR FUNCTIONS AND SHARE CLINICAL AND/OR ADMINISTRATIVE RESOURCES. EXPERIENCE IN SERVING RURAL UNDERSERVED POPULATIONS: NETWORK MEMBERS WERE SELECTED BECAUSE OF THEIR UNIQUE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT FROM THE LEVEL OF INDIVIDUAL COUNTY RESIDENTS THAT LIVE DAILY WITH POOR HEALTH OUTCOMES AND LACK OF SERVICES TO STATE LEVEL POLICY MAKERS AND DECISION MAKERS WHO HAVE THE POLITICAL AND FISCAL RESOURCES TO ENACT CHANGE. EACH AGENCY HAS DEEP ROOTS IN EACH TARGET COMMUNITY, AND ACCESS TO MANY OF THE MOST VULNERABLE AND HIGH-RISK PATIENTS THROUGH THEIR FAMILY PLANNING AND RELATIONSHIPS WITH OTHER COUNTY AGENCIES SUCH AS SHERIFF DEPARTMENTS. PROVIDERS AND STAFF PROVIDE CULTURALLY COMPETENT CARE THROUGH TAKING THE TIME TO BUILD TRUST AND DEVELOPING LONG-LASTING RELATIONSHIPS WITH INDIVIDUALS AND ORGANIZATIONS IN THE COMMUNITIES THEY SERVE. IN OUR SMALL, RURAL COMMUNITIES THESE RELATIONSHIPS ARE IMPERATIVE TO UNDERSTANDING THE NEEDS AND GAINING TRUST IN INSTITUTIONALLY UNDERSERVED AND MARGINALIZED COMMUNITIES. THIS LEVEL OF LISTENING AND UNDERSTANDING HELPS OUR ORGANIZATIONS DEVELOP ONGOING QUALITY IMPROVEMENT MECHANISMS TO DETERMINE WHETHER WE'RE EFFECTIVELY MEETING THE NEEDS OF INDIVIDUALS AND COMMUNITIES. COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT IS ALSO A PRIORITY IN THE NETWORK PLANNING PROCESS AND THE SAME APPROACH OF DEVELOPING RELATIONSHIPS, TRUST BUILDING, AND LISTENING WILL BE WEAVED THROUGHOUT WORKPLAN ACTIVITIES. ENGAGEMENT ACTIVITIES INCLUDE LISTENING SESSIONS WITH COMMUNITY MEMBERS, KEY INFORMANT INTERVIEWS WITH KEY STAKEHOLDERS, RECRUITMENT OF REGIONAL STORYTELLERS, CULTURALLY APPROPRIATE MESSAGING AROUND IDENTIFIED HEALTH PRIORITIES, AND IDENTIFYING AND ENGAGING LOCAL RESOURCE PARTNERS. FUNDING OPPORTUNITY NOTIFICATION: HRSA WEBSITE FUNDING PREFERENCE: TRANSYLVANIA COUNTY IS REQUESTING A FUNDING PREFERENCE AND IS ELIGIBLE THROUGH THE HEALTH PROFESSIONAL SHORTAGE AREA (HPSA) QUALIFICATION. EACH COUNTY IN THE SERVICE AREA IS CONSIDERED A HPSA AND IS DOCUMENTED IN ATTACHMENT 8.