Buncombe County accepts $500,000 UnitedHealthcare grant to expand community paramedic mobile integrated health pilot
Summary
The Board approved a budget amendment to accept a one-year UnitedHealthcare grant to expand mobile integrated health services, adding two paramedic positions, a part-time role and a vehicle to provide follow-up care, wound care and chronic-disease management in the community.
Claire Hubbard, community paramedic program manager, briefed the board on the county's Community Paramedic Program and a new UnitedHealthcare grant intended to expand mobile integrated health (MIH) services.
Hubbard described current program components'a post-overdose response team, a mobile community outreach team, contracted peer supports and mental-health clinicians'and said staffing is a mix of general-fund and grant-funded positions. She explained gaps identified by the program: the existing team can often provide bridge care for a week or two but lacks capacity for ongoing follow-up care for chronic conditions, wound care continuity, hepatitis C and TB management and other non-emergent medical needs.
Hubbard said the UnitedHealthcare award is roughly $500,000 for 12 months and would fund two full-time paramedic positions, a part-time position and a vehicle to provide MIH services, expand follow-up capacity and reduce non-emergent emergency-department transports and inpatient hospitalizations for uncontrolled chronic diseases. Hubbard said the grant is presented as an opportunity to scale proof-of-concept MIH services that build on the program's existing strengths.
Commissioners asked for clarifications about how MIH services reduce inpatient visits and whether the grant-funded positions will continue after grant expiration. Hubbard said the county plans to discuss ARPA- and general-fund options during the next budget process for positions currently supported by expiring grants; she said the UnitedHealthcare grant would expand services for 12 months and staff will evaluate results and pursue other funding if needed.
A motion to accept the UnitedHealthcare grant and related budget amendment passed by voice vote; the record shows a motion, a second, and an affirmative voice vote in favor. Hubbard said the award will support follow-up care capacity and help the program transition from an acute response model toward broader MIH services.
