Caroline Family Practice | Grant

CENTRAL VIRGINIA HEALTH SERVICES, INC.

Grant: $1,300,000 - Health Resources and Services Administration - Feb. 26, 2009

67% voted satisfied - 33% voted not satisfied - 3 vote(s) cast

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Award Description: This award is part of the Recovery Act Health Center Cluster Program for the establishment of a New Access Point community health center (CHC). This grant is funded through the Health Resources and Services Administration of the Department of Health and Human Services and provides operational funding to open a new CHC in Caroline County, Virginia that will provide medical, dental and behavioral health primary care services, as well as pharmacy services to an underserved community. The grant provides funding for two years of operation including startup costs and ongoing support that allows the new organization to offer sliding fee discounts to qualified patients who meet federal poverty guidelines based upon income and family size. While all persons are welcome to receive the services provided by the health care providers and support staff of the newly established site, particular emphasis is placed upon serving those persons who have traditionally had difficulties accessing primary care health services due to being uninsured, underinsured, and/or facing other barriers to care such as culture, language, financial difficulties, or geographic distance. The Caroline Community Health Center will provide comprehensive primary care, including medical, dental, behavioral health and pharmacy services to 4,333 new patients annually by year 3.

Project Description: Following the receipt of the grant award on March 1, 2009, construction drawings were completed for the build-out of a former grocery store in the Caroline County seat of Bowling Green. A bidders' meeting was held for contractors, and a contract was signed with Evans Construction after all competitive bids were submitted. The build-out was completed in approximately 100 days and the facility opened for patients on July 22. A ribbon cutting ceremony was held with First Lady Michelle Obama officially opening the center on July 28. All staff that were needed to open the site were hired, oriented and trained prior to opening day. Through September 30, the first two months of operation, 379 new medical patients were seen, 235 (62%) of whom were uninsured. Medical enounters (patient visits) numbered 498 for those 379 patients during this period. These medical visits were provided by the full time nurse practitioner (the Site Director)and a part time family practitioner. A psychologist was hired in September and began work near the end of the month. Thirteen behavioral health encounters were provided by her in this reporting period.

Infrastructure Description: The renovation of a building from a supermarket to a community health center will allow for up to 20 employees to be hired by the end of two years of ARRA funding. These jobs will continue to employ local people from the Caroline County area, and these jobs are expected to continue to exist for many years in this community.

Jobs Summary: A nurse practitioner, 2 nurses, 1 office manager, and 1 patient support staff member (front desk) were hired to open the center. A part time family practitioner (physician) and a part time psychologist were also hired during this reporting period. All full time employees receive a full package of benefits under the organization's personnel policies. Both employees working part time at Caroline Family Practice also work at another Central Virginia Health Services site and are full time employees of the organization and thus receive full benefit packages also. More jobs will be created as the patient population grows over the coming months. (Total jobs reported: 6)

Project Status: Less Than 50% Completed

This award's data was last updated on Feb. 26, 2009. Help expand these official descriptions using the wiki below.