(QUEEN CITY NEWS) — The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services announced Monday that it will provide $10 million to 39 EMS agencies across the state.
The funds made possible through the NC Rural Health Transformation Program aim to strengthen the EMS workforce and expand rural communities’ access to mental health and substance-use treatment and services.
It includes nine counties in the Queen City News viewing area, including more populated areas of Catawba, Gaston, Union and Cabarrus.
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“Every North Carolinian deserves access to safe, affordable, quality health care, no matter where they live,” said Governor Josh Stein in a press release Monday. “Investing in our EMS workforce and expanding behavioral health services in the rural parts of the state will help North Carolinians get the care they need closer to home.”
The funding gives EMS providers across the state the tools, training and resources needed to support residents with substance-use disorders beyond the initial 911 call. In 2021, the DHHS says rural North Carolinians experienced higher rates of both fatal drug overdoses and overdose-related emergency department visits compared to those rates for urban residents.
“EMS professionals are uniquely positioned at the intersection of emergency response and health care delivery, serving as a critical link in the continuum of care for rural communities,” said Tom Mitchell, chief of the NCDHHS Office of Emergency Medical Services.
The NCRHTP investment recognizes EMS as an essential component of North Carolina’s health care workforce and a vital partner in expanding access to behavioral health care and substance use disorder treatment. This initiative represents an important step toward ensuring that rural residents have greater access to the services and support they need to achieve long-term health and recovery.
Here are all of the grant recipients in our area:
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