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Public commenter urges state to reconsider rural health fund allocations for Burke County
Summary
A resident asked the board to seek clarification and reconsideration of the state's rural health transformation fund eligibility, arguing Burke County meets rural criteria and faces shortages in primary care, behavioral-health access and opioid recovery resources, especially after Hurricane Helen.
A Burke County resident urged the Board of Commissioners to seek transparency and reconsideration of how the state defines "rural" for distribution of rural health transformation funds.
Miss Christy Gupt told the board she joined North Carolina House Rep. Hugh Blackwell in seeking further review of the criteria used by the state Department of Health and Human Services to allocate the funds. "Burke County clearly meets the intent and purpose of these funds," she said, and argued that maps used for distribution excluded counties with clear rural healthcare access gaps while including some metro areas.
Gupt described local challenges including limited access to independent primary‑care practices and pharmacies, behavioral‑health and substance‑use treatment shortages, and ongoing recovery needs following Hurricane Helen. She also cited the local impact of the opioid crisis and urged the governor to provide transparency on inclusion criteria and to reconsider allocations so rural counties can access support.
The comment was delivered during the public‑comment portion of the meeting; commissioners did not take immediate formal action, but the comment was recorded for board consideration.
