Newsletter - Fall 2021 - Carereach News and Updates

A Message From Our

Executive Director

Labor Day serves a much more important purpose than just providing us with a day off for picnics and barbecues; it marks a time to stop and recognize the achievements and contributions of American workers.

This year more than ever, CareReach is grateful for the hard work and commitment of our program staff and community partners, as well as for our grantors who generously support this work.

This edition of the CareReach newsletter features news about the way our programs and services are impacting individuals and communities throughout Western North Carolina.

Today our partners and program staff continue to serve our mountain communities by making clinical and community services easier to access and by helping individuals reach their health goals. Through their work, we’re seeing our objective fulfilled: Communities working together for the health of all.

We are excited to share news of the latest additions to CareReach programs and services: from welcoming the Toe River Project Access (TRPA) program in Yancey and Mitchell Counties to introducing the new Community Health Worker for the Hot Springs Health Program in Madison County.

We'll also update you on the good work that’s being done in McDowell County by the MATCH (McDowell Access to Care and Health) program as well as by McDowell Impact, our team of Peer Support Specialists.

Thank you to all those who work tirelessly to bridge the gaps in care for individuals in our mountain communities. CareReach programs are impacting the social determinants of health for these diverse populations, and we’re grateful not only for those who do the work but also for the local partners with whom we collaborate and those who provide much-needed funding.

Wishing you a safe and happy Labor Day,

Peggy Williams, MBA

Executive Director, CareReach

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CareReach Welcomes

Toe River Project Access

We’re pleased to announce that Toe River Project Access (TRPA) now has a new home at CareReach.

For more than 20 years TRPA has served low-income uninsured and underinsured residents of Mitchell and Yancey counties by helping to link them to health care and health-related resources.

A vital resource for mountain communities in the Toe River Valley, TRPA connects eligible participants to a comprehensive donated care network of volunteer providers and area healthcare partners. Patients enrolled with TRPA are offered access to primary and specialty care and medication assistance, as well as linkage to behavioral health services and resources that help meet the social determinants of health.

While the backdrop of the Blue Ridge Mountains remains the same, the patient landscape in the Toe River Valley is changing, as many patients lack the insurance coverage they need—whether from unemployment, underemployment or the higher cost of traditional healthcare fees and insurance premiums.

By connecting with these individuals, TRPA provides a crucial link to the services and care that will help them to get well, be well, and stay well.

TRPA Team Lead Miki Pontorno was raised in Burnsville and Yancey County and has a clear understanding of the challenges faced by area residents:

“As the new Toe River Project Access team lead, I’m excited to work in the community that I grew up in. I’ve personally experienced the struggles of finding adequate health insurance while living on a limited budget.”

CareReach is pleased to welcome Miki, and we are proud to support TRPA as they fulfill their mission to reduce health disparities for the uninsured and underinsured in Yancey and Mitchell counties.

To request TRPA services or to make a referral,

call 828-766-1850.

CareReach Receives Generous Donation from the Crane Fund for Widows and Children

On August 4, 2021, CareReach received a $2,500 donation from The Crane Fund for Widows and Children.

The Crane Fund awards contributions to charitable organizations that provide direct assistance to underserved populations in the communities where Crane Co. operates, and this marks the second year that CareReach has been nominated by an employee of the Crane Resistoflex Company in Marion.

This sizeable gift was given to CareReach with the condition that the funds be used to benefit individuals who we determine to be in need of assistance, consistent with our mission.

We are grateful for this generous donation and will utilize these funds through our McDowell Impact peer support program to help meet the needs of local individuals struggling with substance use disorder and working toward their recovery. Read further in this newsletter to hear a personal story of how peer support changed the life trajectory of a young McDowell County mother who was living without shelter and dealing with substance use issues of her own.

Thank you to the Crane Fund for supporting CareReach and helping us further our objective of Communities Working Together for the Health of All.

CareReach Welcomes

Community Health Worker for

Hot Springs Health Program

As part of a regional network of Community Health Worker (CHW) providers, CareReach is now home to the Community Health Worker (CHW) for the Hot Springs Health Program (HSHP) in Madison County. Funded through a grant awarded to MAHEC from the Dogwood Health Trust, this new program provides support for COVID-related issues as well as issues related to the social determinants of health.

As the dedicated Community Health Worker for Hot Springs Health Program, CHW Jacque Ballard will work with the local health department and other community partners to identify and assist those in the Madison County area who need help accessing medical or social services. She is excited about the opportunity of connecting individuals to resources that meet the social determinants of health.

"This job is a dream come true for me," says Jacque. "I get to help people all day, every day. It brings me so much joy to find assistance for someone in need. A lot of times there are resources that people are unaware of. It's like a treasure hunt as I find resources to help people."

CareReach is pleased to provide support for this essential program as the Madison County community navigates the continuing challenges of COVID-19 as well as ongoing issues involving the social determinants of health. We welcome Jacque as she assumes her new role.

To connect with the Hot Springs Health Program Community Health Worker:

Call 828-273-0168 or email jballard@carereachnc.org.

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McDowell Impact Peer Support Specialist

Aids McDowell County Woman

in Journey to Recovery

The work done by the dedicated team of McDowell Impact Peer Support Specialists is often accomplished in stages, and the path to recovery is unique to each individual. A recent example involves a young woman who was referred to Peer Support by McDowell County EMS due to substance use challenges.

The young woman, who had no insurance and was homeless at the time, was seeking help and treatment. A Peer Support Specialist followed up with her and provided her (as well as a supportive family member) with education on available resources.

After being transported to an inpatient detox facility, the woman eventually left without completing treatment, and her substance use progressed. But fortunately for her, the story doesn’t end there.

McDowell Impact Peer Support was later contacted by a family member who explained that this same young woman was again without shelter but was ready to receive help. The Peer Support Specialist was able to walk alongside this individual and help her with navigating inpatient treatment (which she successfully completed) and later, out-patient services. With some follow-up and support, this young woman is now living independently, has her three children back in her life, has had one year of recovery, and recently completed her own Peer Support training.

With this lived experience and recovery, and with training and Peer Support certification, this young woman is now prepared to walk alongside others in her community, providing positive, non-judgmental support as they begin their own recovery journey.

To request peer support services or to make a referral, call 828-237-3502.

Click here for more information on McDowell Impact.

Communities working together for the health of all.

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