Community care paramedic programs such as the one in McDowell have shown strong results around the country and the state. When it began in 2013, the McDowell EMS Community Care Paramedic Program was one of the first of its kind in North Carolina.

The program estimates that over three years it will divert 150 patients with mental health issues from the emergency room and refer an additional 150 new patients to primary care. Through partnerships with regional hospitals, the program aims to increase referrals to the RCCP program by 30 percent, preventing an estimated 50 readmissions annually, according to the news release.

“We’re proud of the innovative work being done in McDowell County to connect rural residents with the care they need,” said Allen Smart, interim president and vice president of programs at the Trust. “Accessing health care services can be especially difficult in low-income, rural areas because of significant transportation barriers. The RCCP program will help community members with few to no health care options access medical services.”

McDowell County has been participating in Healthy Places NC since 2012. The Trust plans to invest $100 million in 10 to 12 rural, low-income counties over a 10-year period. Six other counties - Beaufort, Burke, Halifax, Rockingham, Edgecombe and Nash - currently participate in Healthy Places.