Health Infrastructure Investment Program

The UK North Fork Valley Community Health Center (UK NFVCHC) is a co-applicant with the University of Kentucky, operating an FQHC from two facilities in Perry and Knott Counties and offers a full complement of primary, preventive, dental, mental health, and pharmacy services. The total population of the UK NFVCHC service area is 38,025, of which 19,387 (or 51%) are below 200 percent of poverty. The designated service area includes five census tracts each in Perry and Knott counties, as well as an adjoining census tract in Leslie County. The eleven census tracts encompass three Medically Underserved Areas/Populations (MUA/P) and three Federal Health Professional Shortage Areas (HPSA). Perry and Leslie Counties also comprise the federally designated southeastern Kentucky Promise Zone. Our target population is rural, low income residents of Knott County. The June Buchanan Clinic in Knott County was built in 1973. It became a new access point for North Fork Valley Community Health Center in 2007. In response to a growing need for mental health services, a part-time psychologist was added to the clinic in 2009. In August, 2014, a second family medicine physician was added two days a week. Visits to the clinic have increased by over 30% during the past 12 months. The provider schedules are nearly full at this point and another family medicine physician is being hired to work two days a week. The June Buchanan Clinic is in need of renovations and updates. Given its age of 42 years, it has areas that are in dire need of repair and updates. We have begun small renovation projects as time and funds permit, the additional funding from this opportunity would afford us the ability to reconfigure the facility to accommodate an increased capacity for patients while also offering a safer more accessible environment. The volume of patients we now have, which is expected to continue to grow significantly, necessitates that we increase the number of exam rooms. The growth of our pharmacy volume has also been tremendous with a 27% increase in prescriptions during this fiscal year necessitating more space and increased efficiency. There is a substance abuse epidemic in Eastern Kentucky, as a result our clinic and pharmacy was recently broken into. Unfortunately the clinic does not have security cameras or structural safeguards that could possible protect both patients and employees. The remoteness of the clinic creates concerns of future break-ins especially as drug abuse problems increase. Currently there is very limited handicap accessibility with no power doors at the entrance, bathrooms that cannot accommodate wheelchairs or walkers, and a tall registration window all of which makes it very difficult for handicap patients to utilize the clinic. As the clinic continues to see an increasing geriatric population, this is a significant concern. The proposal of this project is renovation of the clinic to bring it up to date, provide repairs, increase safety, security, accessibility, efficiency, and visibility of the clinic. We feel that these changes to the building are necessary in order to increase our capacity for patients and provide a safe environment, with accessibility, efficiency, and improvement in quality. We look forward to continuing to provide services to underserved patients in Knott County.