A Message From Our
Executive Director
This edition of the CareReach newsletter will be dedicated to collaboration and partnership: two words that are at the core of our mission as an organization.

You’ll learn about CareReach’s exciting collaboration with Western Carolina Medical Society’s Project Access® program—an initiative to create a “Hub and Spoke Network” that will help link participants in the McDowell Access to Care and Health and Toe River Project Access programs to specialty care providers that are largely unavailable in those areas.
We’ll also share news about a newly formed collaboration between CareReach and the McDowell County Substance Use Coalition, and we’ll introduce you to our newest Peer Support Specialist who recently joined the Impact Team.
The positive results CareReach brings about in our mountain communities are only possible because of the cooperative relationships we have with other community partners. Read on to learn more about these important developments that further enhance the good work CareReach performs throughout Western North Carolina. And be sure to take note of the coming events we’ll be announcing. There are more good things to come!
Peggy Williams, MBA
Executive Director, CareReach
CareReach Collaborates with Western Carolina Medical Society’s Project Access
CareReach has joined with Western Carolina Medical Society's Project Access® for a new collaboration that will greatly benefit the health of uninsured individuals living in McDowell, Mitchell and Yancey Counties.
The Project Access® Hub and Spoke Network will bring together CareReach, McDowell Access to Care and Health (MATCH), Toe River Project Access (TRPA), and Mountain Community Health Partnership to address access to specialty care and other critical resources for uninsured individuals living in these areas. 
What makes this collaboration special? Increased access to specialty care.
Through the MATCH and TRPA programs, CareReach has shown support for uninsured individuals by linking them to primary care providers for clinical services, but this new collaboration will bring access to an expanded referral base of specialty care providers.
“In collaboration with area primary care providers, MATCH and TRPA have historically supported uninsured residents by connecting them with local partners for clinical and community services,” says Joseph Jones, Regional Program Manager for CareReach, “yet there has often been a gap when it comes to accessing specialty care, due to the compounded issues of distance and lack of insurance. While our network of medical partners has consisted mainly of primary care providers who donate their time and expertise, we’re confident this new collaboration will enhance our service and expand our referral base to include a number of specialty care providers.”

The addition of access to specialty care means MATCH can more effectively meet the needs of McDowell County’s uninsured population.
 As MATCH Program Supervisor Amy Stevens explains, “Accessing specialty care for folks in McDowell County has become challenging in the last couple of years, so we’re excited to partner with Project Access® to be an intake and referral source for uninsured individuals in this area.” She believes the partnership will expand the reach MATCH already enjoys in the community. “MATCH will be an access point for those who are already enrolled with us, but we’re also looking forward to the opportunity to connect with other individuals who aren’t currently using our services.”

Next steps for the project include hiring a referral coordinator and integrating electronic health records to enable referrals to be sent directly between programs and limiting the amount of paperwork and forms required of patients.
Upcoming Events...
April 28 - MATCH/WMCF Community Resource Fair

On Thursday, April 28, MATCH will partner with West Marion Community Forum, Inc., for their first Community Health and Resource Fair of 2022.

The goal of this event is to infuse the community with information about physical, social and behavioral health; education; childcare; housing and more. Held in conjunction with WMCF’s monthly Manna Mobile Market, the Health and Resource Fair will be offered from 3:30 to 5:00 p.m. at Addie’s Chapel, 201 Ridley Street in Marion. Call 828-659-5289 for more information.
July 8 - Mobile Free Pharmacy Event

On Friday, July 8th, MATCH will host North Carolina MedAssist for a Mobile Free Pharmacy Event in Marion. This event provides free over-the-counter medications to community members who need them.

The event will also function as a MATCH Mobile Health Clinic with a wide variety of community partners on site to help participants access health and wellness services.

More information to come! Check the MATCH and CareReach Facebook pages in the coming weeks for details, or call 828-659-5289.
Supporting the Work of McDowell Substance Use Coalition: CareReach Welcomes New Peer Support Specialist
In partnership with the McDowell Substance Use Coalition, CareReach is pleased to welcome Julie McAllister, certified Peer Support Specialist.
Partnership and Planning
Julie joins the coalition in response to a need for planning, preparation and research in advance of McDowell County’s receipt of funds from the multi-billion- dollar national opioid settlement. Funded by a grant from Dogwood Health Trust, Julie’s initial role within the Coalition is to research needs and establish focus groups comprised of individuals struggling with substance abuse or in recovery. These groups will be an essential means of determining what individuals in McDowell want and need to reach recovery.
A Peer Support Specialist for three years, Julie is passionate about helping others struggling with substance use by walking alongside and helping them navigate recovery—connecting them to appropriate services and community resources. Julie’s lived experience means she is able to empathize and support others out of her own recovery journey. 
“It’s important to learn how McDowell County can best use the funds from the opioid settlement,” Julie says. “Should they be used for a treatment center, detox center, mental health services?”  
While four other community liaisons have been hired to work with the West Marion Community Forum, the Marion East Community Forum, the Old Fort Community Forum and Centro-Unido Latino Americano, Julie’s focus will be on connecting with residents of Dysartsville, Nebo, Glenwood, and Pleasant Gardens—areas the four other community liaisons aren’t covering. In addition to helping individuals navigate treatment and recovery options, she will work to build multiple focus groups of 5 to 8 individuals each, all of whom can speak to the needs of McDowell residents struggling with substance use disorder. 
When Julie began her journey to recovery, there was no peer support available in the county where she was living. She is excited about the opportunity to help and support others experiencing similar challenges. “I couldn’t do it on my own,” she explains, “and I’m thankful for the people in my life right now. I want to be a person who says ‘It’s ok not to be ok, but now let’s start to move forward.’”
Giving Others a Voice
“We want the voice of those with lived experience with addiction and recovery to be at the table and involved in the planning process,” says Joseph Jones, CareReach Regional Program Manager and co-chair of the McDowell Substance Use Coalition. “The research and input obtained by the focus groups Julie establishes will yield essential information that will help to ensure the funds the county receives are used in the most effective, targeted manner. Collaboration is key.”
Julie has a positive view about the promising change that will come about through the Coalition’s careful planning and research. “It’s not just about me. It’s about everyone who wants to see change here. It’s going to take a lot of commitment.”

Commitment and collaboration are the twin keys to making sure opioid settlement funds will be used to the best advantage for McDowell County residents working toward recovery, and CareReach is pleased to be a partner in laying the groundwork for change.
MATCH Team Provides Free VITA Tax Assistance to McDowell County Residents
McDowell Access to Care and Health (MATCH) team members recently completed advanced training through the IRS and are now certified with the VITA (Volunteer Income Tax Assistance) program. 

The training gave the MATCH team the knowledge and tools needed to assist low-income individuals in tax preparation; in addition to learning how to prepare tax returns, they were given understanding of basic tax laws.
VITA-certified MATCH team members work with those whose annual household income is below $60,000 by giving them access to free tax preparation services. In 2020 the average cost of using a paid tax preparation service to prepare a simple return was $220 — a significant financial outlay for a low-income individual or family. 
One of the MATCH team’s primary goals is to connect with individuals who qualify for the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) and Child Tax Credit. While paid tax preparers often charge clients fees to access these credits that they automatically qualify for, VITA provides free assistance and access to the EITC and other common credits, allowing individuals to maximize their refunds.
“The EITC is one of the number one anti-poverty tools,” says Amy Stevens, MATCH program supervisor. “Each year it helps steer 6 million Americans away from poverty and towards a more financially secure foundation.”
As Amy explains, a $7-8K tax refund can be life-changing for a family living on the edge of poverty. “A MATCH team member recently assisted a family with VITA tax preparation and found they were eligible for a sizeable refund. We were so thrilled, and it was an emotional moment. The family was so surprised and thankful—prior to learning about VITA, they had planned not to file. With five children and a low income, this tax refund will make a huge difference for this family,” says Amy. “This is why we do what we do.”
The team initially planned to offer the free tax preparation services solely to those already enrolled in the MATCH program, but their efforts have expanded as word spread throughout the county. Now in addition to receiving tax preparation assistance, individuals not previously acquainted with MATCH are learning about the resources and services they provide. 
CareReach is proud to support the McDowell Access to Care and Health (MATCH) program, a collaborative network that ensures access to whole-person, coordinated care for low-income, uninsured residents by connecting them to resources for medical health, behavioral health, and social safety net resources.
MATCH Team members will continue offering VITA help to McDowell County residents through the end of the tax preparation season (April 18, 2022). For more information on the MATCH VITA program, call 828-659-5289.
Donate to CareReach
As a non-profit partner in the health and safety-net system of Western North Carolina, CareReach relies on the generous gifting of donors and supporters to sustain our vital work. While many in our community are faced with barriers and gaps in whole-person, coordinated health care, we work with these individuals to help them reach their health goals; through our collaboration with local partners, we help make clinical and community services more accessible to those who need them. 

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 Integrity | Collaboration | Agility