BRCHS receives grant to replace Saluda Medical in Polk
Published 10:29 pm Thursday, August 20, 2015
By Leah Justice
leah.justice@tryondailybulletin.com
After the closing of the Saluda Medical Center approximately a year ago, Polk County could soon see a replacement for a variety of services for low-income, uninsured and under-insured residents, including family medicine, dentistry, psychiatry, counseling, pharmacy, nutrition and educational outreach.
Blue Ridge Community Health Services (BRCHS) was recently awarded a grant of $1,083,333 to open a new health center in Polk County.
Polk County Manager Marche Pittman said the new facility will be a replacement for the Saluda Medical Center, but will likely be located in Columbus, although an exact location is not yet known as the grant was just recently awarded.
The new center is initially scheduled to open around November, according to Pittman, so the project will be moving quickly.
“I’m very excited about it,” Pittman said. “It is a huge opportunity for our citizens.”
Following is a press release sent by Blue Ridge Community Health Services:
BRCHS Responds to Critical Healthcare Need in Polk County
Blue Ridge Community Health Services (BRCHS) has been awarded a $1,083,333 New Access Point grant made available by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) to open a new community health center, the Polk Health Center, in Polk County. The addition of this clinic by BRCHS comes in response to the need for improved access to comprehensive, affordable health care for low-income and uninsured residents in the region.
Like other BRCHS sites, the new Polk Health Center will provide full spectrum primary care services for all residents of Polk County and neighboring communities. Services will include family medicine, dentistry, psychiatry, counseling, pharmacy, nutrition and educational outreach. The Center will accept most insurance plans, including Medicaid and Medicare, and no one will be turned away for an inability to pay. Patients without insurance will pay on a sliding scale based on family size and household income. The presence of BRCHS in the county will drastically improve access for low-income individuals experiencing barriers to health care.
“Polk County has been in dire need of increased access to primary care services for some time and, as the most access-oriented health care provider in the region, they’ve been calling on us to help.” said Richard Hudspeth, MD, BRCHS Chief Medical Officer. “Today, we’re proud to be able to answer their call by announcing a new door to health in the county. Our most fundamental value as an organization is that everybody, regardless of age, income, race, religion or insurance status, deserves the opportunity to be healthy.”
Having successfully opened three new local community health centers in western North Carolina since 2012, BRCHS has the organizational expertise and experience necessary to provide the high quality services associated with its practice, while addressing the unique needs of the Polk County community. BRCHS plans to create a strong community presence that builds on its expertise and history while partnering with and learning from the patients, providers and community leaders of Polk County.
BRCHS is a non-profit community health center that has been providing high quality and affordable medical, dental and mental health care as well as promoting health awareness/education for over 50 years. Services are conveniently provided in Hendersonville, NC at Blue Ridge Health Center and Hendersonville Family Health Center; in Brevard, NC at Brevard Health Center; in Arden, NC at Arden Health Center; in Spindale, NC at Rutherford Health Center and in four Henderson County Public Schools. If you would like more information about BRCHS services, call 692-4289; or visit www.brchs.com and www.facebook.com/BRCHS.