Vaya Health

Vaya Health is a regional governmental entity and public managed care organization located in Asheville, North Carolina, registered in the System for Award Management (SAM.gov) since September 13, 2011. As a local government entity, Vaya Health specializes in providing behavioral health and social services primarily focused on mental health, substance abuse treatment, and community support programs. The organization serves multiple counties in western North Carolina, with a particular emphasis on addressing the mental health and social service needs of vulnerable populations, including youth, individuals with serious mental illness, and communities experiencing systemic challenges.

Through its federal grant awards, Vaya Health has consistently secured funding from agencies like the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) and the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to implement comprehensive community-based programs. These grants predominantly support initiatives such as the Continuum of Care (COC) Program to address homelessness, youth and family mental health services, crisis intervention, and substance use disorder prevention and treatment. Specific grant-funded projects include the "Changing Systems through Youth and Family Leadership" project, which aims to strengthen mental health services for youth in six rural North Carolina counties, and multiple housing stabilization programs designed to reduce rural and unsheltered homelessness. Vaya Health works closely with state agencies like the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services and the Department of Public Safety as a prime and sub-recipient, delivering services that range from mental health assessments and first episode psychosis programs to COVID-19 mitigation strategies and re-entry coordination for individuals with serious mental illness leaving correctional facilities.