Northeastern Vermont Regional Corp

COMMUNITY PROJECT FUNDING/CONGRESSIONALLY DIRECTED SPENDING - CONSTRUCTION - SUMMARY: NORTHEASTERN VERMONT REGIONAL HOSPITAL (NVRH) PLANS TO CONSTRUCT A NEW 2,996 SQUARE FOOT MENTAL HEALTH SUPPORT AREA AS PART OF A LARGER EXPANSION PLANNED FOR ITS EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT (ED). THE MENTAL HEALTH AREA WILL INCLUDE FOUR (4) EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT MENTAL HEALTH EXAM ROOMS WITH BEDS, A COMMON ROOM, AND TWO EASILY ACCESSIBLE BATHROOMS (EACH WITH A SHOWER AND TOILET) WITHIN THE SUPPORT AREA. WHILE THIS MENTAL HEALTH SUPPORT AREA IS INTENDED TO BE PART OF A LARGER ED EXPANSION (CURRENTLY IN THE PLANNING STAGES), IT HAS BEEN DESIGNED TO BE A CONSTRUCTED FIRST AS A STANDALONE PROJECT TO INCREASE BED CAPACITY FOR PEOPLE IN MENTAL HEALTH CRISIS. THE NEW MENTAL HEALTH AREA WILL BE CONNECTED TO THE CURRENT ED AND STAFFED WITH ED EMPLOYEES, AS WELL AS FULLY INTEGRATED WITH THE EXPANDED ED ONCE THAT LARGER PROJECT COMMENCES AT A LATER DATE. NEED: THE GROWING MENTAL HEALTH CRISIS IN OUR COMMUNITIES, STATEWIDE AND THROUGHOUT THE NATION, HAS REACHED A CRITICAL POINT IN THE NORTHEAST KINGDOM (NEK) OF VERMONT WHERE NVRH IS LOCATED. THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC AND THE RESULTING ECONOMIC RECESSION HAVE NEGATIVELY AFFECTED MANY PEOPLE’S MENTAL HEALTH AND CREATED NEW BARRIERS FOR PEOPLE ALREADY SUFFERING FROM MENTAL ILLNESS AND SUBSTANCE USE DISORDERS. CURRENTLY, THE NEK LACKS SUFFICIENT FACILITIES AND RESOURCES TO ADDRESS THE INCREASED NUMBER OF COMMUNITY MEMBERS IN NEED OF EMERGENCY MENTAL HEALTH CARE. OFTEN, THE NVRH ED IS ON THE FRONT LINES OF CARING FOR THESE PEOPLE, BOTH ADOLESCENTS AND ADULTS. UNFORTUNATELY, WHEN BUILT 50 YEARS AGO, THE ED WAS NOT CONSTRUCTED TO PROVIDE ADEQUATE SPACE TO CARE FOR PEOPLE EXPERIENCING A MENTAL HEALTH CRISIS, NOR WAS THE SPACE CONSTRUCTED TO ENSURE THE SAFETY OF THE PROVIDERS AND FAMILIES MEMBERS ATTEMPTED TO HELP. MANY PATIENTS END UP IN A “HOLDING PATTERN” IN ONE OF THE NINE ED BEDS, AWAITING PLACEMENT IN AN APPROPRIATE TREATMENT FACILITY, AND OCCUPYING A BED FOR HOURS (OR DAYS) MAKING IT UNAVAILABLE FOR INCOMING ED CASES. MEETING THE NEED: HAVING THIS EXPANDED BED CAPACITY, DESIGNED SPECIFICALLY FOR PEOPLE EXPERIENCING A MENTAL HEALTH CRISIS, WILL SIGNIFICANTLY IMPROVE THE CARE NVRH IS ABLE TO PROVIDE TO THE COMMUNITY, AS WELL AS FREE EXISTING ED BEDS FOR OTHER EMERGENCY CARE NEEDS. ALTHOUGH IT WILL NOT BE A LOCKED AREA, THE MENTAL HEALTH AREA WILL HAVE A “SECURE VEST” THAT ALLOWS THE POSSIBILITY TO SECURE THE AREA IF, IN THE VERY RARE OCCURRENCES, PHYSICAL SAFETY OF ANY INDIVIDUAL (PATIENT OR STAFF) IS OF CONCERN.

RENOVATE SPACE IN HARDWICK AND ST. JOHNSBURY, VERMONT, TO ESTABLISH FULLY OPERATIONAL COMMUNITY RETAIL PHARMACIES TO ADDRESS PHARMACY DESERTS IN THOSE RURAL AREAS. - PHARMACY DESERTS IN RURAL VERMONT NORTHEASTERN VERMONT REGIONAL HOSPITAL (NVRH), IN PARTNERSHIP WITH NORTHERN COUNTIES HEALTH CARE (NCHC), PROPOSES TO RESTORE ACCESSIBLE COMMUNITY PHARMACY SERVICES IN THE RURAL VERMONT COMMUNITIES OF ST. JOHNSBURY AND HARDWICK. RECENT PHARMACY CLOSURES HAVE CREATED SIGNIFICANT GAPS IN ACCESS TO PRESCRIPTION MEDICATIONS, PHARMACY CONSULTATION, PREVENTIVE SERVICES, AND OTHER ESSENTIAL HEALTHCARE SUPPORTS FOR RESIDENTS OF CALEDONIA COUNTY AND SURROUNDING COMMUNITIES. ST. JOHNSBURY’S ONLY DOWNTOWN PHARMACY CLOSED IN 2023, AND HARDWICK’S ONLY PHARMACY CLOSED IN 2024. AS A RESULT, MANY RESIDENTS IN THESE AREAS MUST TRAVEL SUBSTANTIAL DISTANCES TO OBTAIN MEDICATIONS, OFTEN WITH LIMITED PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION AND FEW LOCAL ALTERNATIVES. PROJECT SUMMARY THE PROJECT WILL ESTABLISH TWO COMMUNITY RETAIL PHARMACIES: KINGDOM COMMUNITY PHARMACY IN DOWNTOWN ST. JOHNSBURY AND HARDWICK COMMUNITY PHARMACY IN DOWNTOWN HARDWICK. GRANT FUNDS WILL SUPPORT RENOVATION AND ACCESSIBILITY IMPROVEMENTS AT BOTH SITES, INCLUDING PHARMACY DISPENSING AND WORK AREAS, SECURE MEDICATION AND CONTROLLED-SUBSTANCE STORAGE, PATIENT CONSULTATION SPACES, MEDICATION REFRIGERATION, INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY INFRASTRUCTURE, PHARMACY FIXTURES AND EQUIPMENT, SECURITY SYSTEMS, AND OTHER BUILDING IMPROVEMENTS NECESSARY FOR SAFE AND COMPLIANT PHARMACY OPERATIONS. THE HARDWICK LOCATION WILL ALSO INCLUDE A DRIVE-THROUGH PRESCRIPTION PICKUP WINDOW. IMPACT OF PROJECT THE PROPOSED PHARMACIES WILL PROVIDE CONVENIENT ACCESS TO PRESCRIPTION MEDICATIONS, PHARMACIST CONSULTATION, MEDICATION COUNSELING, OVER-THE-COUNTER PRODUCTS, AND PREVENTIVE HEALTH SERVICES, INCLUDING IMMUNIZATIONS AND HEALTH SCREENINGS AS PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE REGULATIONS. BY RESTORING LOCAL PHARMACY ACCESS, THE PROJECT WILL SUPPORT MEDICATION ADHERENCE, CHRONIC DISEASE MANAGEMENT, PREVENTIVE CARE, AND COORDINATION WITH LOCAL HEALTHCARE PROVIDERS. POPULATION SERVED THE PROJECT WILL PRIMARILY SERVE RESIDENTS OF CALEDONIA COUNTY AND NEIGHBORING RURAL COMMUNITIES, INCLUDING OLDER ADULTS, LOW-INCOME INDIVIDUALS AND FAMILIES, PEOPLE WITH CHRONIC HEALTH CONDITIONS, INDIVIDUALS WITH DISABILITIES OR LIMITED MOBILITY, PATIENTS WITHOUT RELIABLE TRANSPORTATION, AND RESIDENTS WHO CURRENTLY FACE LONG TRAVEL DISTANCES TO OBTAIN MEDICATIONS. THE PHARMACIES WILL ALSO SUPPORT LOCAL CLINICS, HEALTHCARE PROVIDERS, AND REGIONAL CARE NETWORKS BY STRENGTHENING ACCESS TO ESSENTIAL MEDICATION SERVICES AND HELPING REDUCE AVOIDABLE EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT VISITS, HOSPITALIZATIONS, AND COMPLICATIONS RELATED TO DELAYED OR INTERRUPTED TREATMENT.

ARP ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT GRANT FOR RURAL HEALTH CARE FACILITIES

NORTHEAST PREVENTION COALITION SERVING CALEDONIA AND SOUTHERN ESSEX COUNTIES - THE NORTHEAST PREVENTION COALITION (NPC) SERVES CALEDONIA AND SOUTHERN ESSEX COUNTIES, VERMONT, A COMMUNITY OF APPROXIMATELY 33,867. THE GOALS OF THE COALITION ARE TO ESTABLISH AND STRENGTHEN COMMUNITY COLLABORATION IN SUPPORT OF LOCALEFFORTS TO PREVENT YOUTH SUBSTANCE USE. NPC WILL ACHIEVE ITS GOALS BY DEVELOPING A MORE FORMAL COALITION STRUCTURE AND SUBCOMMITTEES. NPC WILL CONTINUE TO ADDRESS SUBSTANCE USE AMONG YOUTH BY IMPLEMENTING EVIDENCED BASED STRATEGIES. THECOALITION WILL USE THE STRATEGIC PREVENTION FRAMEWORK, DEVELOPED BY THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES SUBSTANCE ABUSE AND MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES ADMINISTRATION (SAMHSA), WHICH WILL GUIDE THE COALITION IN DEVELOPING THEINFRASTRUCTURE NEEDED FOR COMMUNITY-BASED PUBLIC HEALTH APPROACHES LEADING TO EFFECTIVE AND SUSTAINABLE REDUCTIONS IN SUBSTANCE USE.

RURAL NORTHERN BORDER REGION NETWORK PLANNING PROGRAM - NORTHEASTERN VERMONT REGIONAL HOSPITAL (NVRH), IN PARTNERSHIP WITH NORTH COUNTRY HOSPITAL AND A NETWORK OF HEALTHCARE, BEHAVIORAL HEALTH, PUBLIC HEALTH, AND COMMUNITY-BASED ORGANIZATIONS, PROPOSES THE NORTHEAST KINGDOM ACCOUNTABLE COMMUNITY FOR HEALTH (ACH) REGIONALIZATION INITIATIVE. THIS PLANNING PROJECT WILL EXPAND THE LONG-STANDING ST. JOHNSBURY HEALTH SERVICE AREA ACH, NEK PROSPER!, TO INCLUDE THE NEWPORT HEALTH SERVICE AREA, CREATING THE FIRST UNIFIED, NORTHEAST KINGDOM-WIDE ACCOUNTABLE COMMUNITY FOR HEALTH SERVING THE RURAL COUNTIES OF CALEDONIA, ESSEX, AND ORLEANS, VERMONT. THE NORTHEAST KINGDOM IS ONE OF VERMONT'S MOST RURAL AND GEOGRAPHICALLY ISOLATED REGIONS. RESIDENTS EXPERIENCE SIGNIFICANT BARRIERS TO HEALTH, INCLUDING HEALTHCARE WORKFORCE SHORTAGES, TRANSPORTATION LIMITATIONS, BEHAVIORAL HEALTH NEEDS, CHRONIC DISEASE, HOUSING INSTABILITY, AND OTHER SOCIAL DRIVERS OF HEALTH. WHILE ORGANIZATIONS ACROSS THE REGION HAVE A LONG HISTORY OF COLLABORATION, NO FORMAL REGIONAL STRUCTURE CURRENTLY EXISTS TO ALIGN HEALTHCARE PROVIDERS, BEHAVIORAL HEALTH ORGANIZATIONS, PUBLIC HEALTH PARTNERS, SOCIAL SERVICE AGENCIES, MUNICIPALITIES, EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS, AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS AROUND SHARED PRIORITIES AND COORDINATED ACTION. BUILDING UPON MORE THAN A DECADE OF COLLABORATIVE POPULATION HEALTH WORK THROUGH NEK PROSPER!, THIS PROJECT WILL DEVELOP THE GOVERNANCE, PARTNERSHIPS, INFRASTRUCTURE, AND SUSTAINABILITY FRAMEWORK NECESSARY TO SUPPORT A REGIONAL ACH. OVER THE 12-MONTH PLANNING PERIOD, NETWORK PARTNERS WILL: (1) CONDUCT ORGANIZATIONAL AND COMMUNITY READINESS ASSESSMENTS AND IMPLEMENT A COMPREHENSIVE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT PROCESS TO IDENTIFY SHARED HEALTH PRIORITIES THROUGH A COORDINATED COMMUNITY HEALTH NEEDS ASSESSMENT (CHNA); (2) ENGAGE EXECUTIVE LEADERS AND STAKEHOLDERS TO DEVELOP A SHARED GOVERNANCE STRUCTURE, PARTICIPATION MODEL, COMMUNICATION STRATEGY, AND DECISION-MAKING FRAMEWORK; AND (3) ASSESS REGIONAL RESOURCES, IDENTIFY SHARED INVESTMENT OPPORTUNITIES, AND DEVELOP A LONG-TERM SUSTAINABILITY STRATEGY AND IMPLEMENTATION ROADMAP. THE PROJECT DIRECTLY ADVANCES THE GOALS OF THE RURAL NORTHERN BORDER REGION NETWORK PLANNING PROGRAM BY STRENGTHENING REGIONAL COLLABORATION, IMPROVING COORDINATION ACROSS HEALTHCARE AND COMMUNITY SERVICES, INCREASING ORGANIZATIONAL EFFICIENCIES THROUGH SHARED PLANNING AND INFRASTRUCTURE, AND ESTABLISHING A SUSTAINABLE FRAMEWORK TO IMPROVE HEALTH OUTCOMES FOR RURAL RESIDENTS. UPON COMPLETION, THE NORTHEAST KINGDOM WILL HAVE A COMMUNITY-INFORMED GOVERNANCE MODEL, REGIONAL HEALTH PRIORITIES, IMPLEMENTATION ROADMAP, SUSTAINABILITY STRATEGY, AND STRENGTHENED CROSS-SECTOR PARTNERSHIPS THAT POSITION THE REGION TO PURSUE FUTURE IMPLEMENTATION FUNDING AND ADVANCE COORDINATED APPROACHES TO IMPROVING HEALTH AND WELL-BEING ACROSS NORTHERN VERMONT.

RBDG RURAL BUSINESS COOP BUSINESS ENTERPRISE REAP ZONES GRANT

COMMUNITY FACILITY 09/10 STIMULUS GRANTS

COMMUNITY FACILITY 09/10 STIMULUS GRANTS

COMMUNITY FACILITY 09/10 STIMULUS GRANTS