Governor Roy Cooper announced today that the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services (NCDHHS) Office of Rural Health (ORH) has awarded 23 grants for disaster preparedness to health care providers affected by Hurricane Florence. The grants will support safety net health care providers, including rural health centers and non-profit rural health clinics, federally qualified health centers, health departments and small rural hospitals, with service sites impacted by the storm.
The grants, funded through a $1 million grant from the Kate B. Reynolds Charitable Trust, provide up to $50,000 for infrastructure-related capital needs, emergency supplies and equipment to sustain services during emergencies and natural disasters.
“Health providers at all levels are working to ensure they are ready for disasters, and this money strengthens the safety net in counties across the state as they prepare for the next storm,” said Governor Cooper.
The grant funding will be used for equipment and supplies, as well as other needs such as generators, shelter supplies, storage containers, building repairs, refrigerators, freezers, portable coolers and cots.
ORH has awarded disaster preparedness funding to the following providers:
- Agape Health Services, Washington
- Angier Medical Services
- Benson Area Medical Center
- Black River Family Practice
- Bladen County Hospital
- Carteret County Health Department
- Columbus County Health Department
- CommWell Health - Angelic House
- Duplin County Health Department
- Goshen Medical Center, Inc, Cape Fear
- Goshen Medical Center, Inc, Dunn
- Goshen Medical Center, Inc, New River
- Goshen Medical Center, Inc, Raeford
- Goshen Medical Center, Inc, Southport
- Goshen Medical Center, Inc, Whiteville
- Hoke Hospital
- Hyde County Health Department
- Jones County Health Department
- Lee County Health Department
- Pender County Health Department
- Robeson County Health Department
- Wayne County Health Department
- Wilson Community Health Center
Through a competitive application process, 23 grants were awarded to sites in 18 counties, including Beaufort, Bladen, Brunswick, Carteret, Columbus, Cumberland, Duplin, Harnett, Hoke, Hyde, Johnston, Jones, Lee, Onslow, Pender, Robeson, Wayne and Wilson. In addition, these sites reported service to Moore, New Hanover, Richmond, Sampson and Scotland counties, for funding reach in 23 of the 34 FEMA-identified counties.
ORH supports safety net health care providers in rural and underserved areas of North Carolina, who offer access to care regardless of a patient’s ability to pay. The populations they serve include a substantial share of uninsured, Medicaid and other vulnerable patients. Find out more about ORH at ncdhhs.gov/divisions/orh.