PRESQUE ISLE, Maine – The Aroostook County Health Improvement Partnership has been awarded a 2-year, $100,000 Rural Health Network Development Planning Program grant from the Health Resources and Services Administration. This funding will significantly enhance the partnership’s ongoing efforts to improve county-wide systems planning and coordination among its member organizations.
In 2023, with support from the Aroostook Agency on Aging and funding from the Maine Center for Disease Control & Prevention, ACHIP initiated efforts to build a partnership across the healthcare, public health and social services sectors in Aroostook County. With over twenty partners involved, ACHIP embarked on a comprehensive year-long planning process and conducted extensive community research to understand the unique health-related social needs of Aroostook County residents.
This research, compiled in a 45-page readiness assessment report published in January 2024, revealed the complex and interconnected challenges residents face, including issues related to transportation, access to care, and social isolation. This new grant will enable ACHIP to turn these research insights into actionable plans, further advancing the organization’s capabilities.
“Thanks to HRSA funding, our collaborative work with our community partners can continue,” said Mark Wright, assistant project director of ACHIP and special projects coordinator at the Aroostook Agency on Aging. “This funding will allow ACHIP to enhance efficiencies, increase access to care coordination, and strengthen the rural healthcare system in Aroostook County.”
ACHIP has already secured funding through the Maine Health Access Foundation to support more streamlined coordination of medical appointments with public transit routes throughout The County. In addition, a working group has been established to address needs related to social connection and belonging, a critical need identified by people of all ages in ACHIP’s research.
Wright continued, “The HRSA grant allows us to expand our partnership, as Aroostook EMS and the Aroostook Partnership will join hospitals, health care clinics, AMHC, the public health district, the Houlton Band of Maliseet Indians, educational institutions, and numerous community-based organizations like the Agency on Aging. We are excited to continue our work with this diverse group of stakeholders, all of whom are committed to building a comprehensive implementation plan that addresses the community’s identified needs while transforming the way organizations collaborate and innovate.”
To read the ACHIP Readiness Assessment, please visit https://www.aroostookaging.org/_files/ugd/17172b_07c458bba04d4607a3c8649a34aac162.pdf.
