Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina Foundation Awards $309,000 Grant for Bolton Health and Wellness Center
4/11/2005 2:34:39 PM
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Embargoed for Release at 3 p.m.
April 11, 2005
Wilmington, N.C. – Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina Foundation today announced it has awarded a grant of $309,000 to be used over three years to provide operating expenses for the Bolton Health and Wellness Center. Making the announcement was Rhone Sasser of Whiteville, member of the board of directors of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina Foundation.
Among the notables participating in the announcement ceremonies were Congressman Mike McIntyre, UNCW Chancellor Rosemary DePaolo and School of Nursing Dean Virginia Adams, Bolton Mayor Frank Wilson, Wellness Center Board Chair LaShonn Freeman. Mr. Harold Rains, a patient of the clinic since it opened, spoke as well.
Bolton is located in Southeastern North Carolina, which has among the highest rate in the nation of prostate cancer and the highest rate of high blood pressure, heart disease and diabetes in the state among ethnic minorities. Until November 2003, Bolton’s population had minimal access to health care. A multifaceted collaborative health project, spearheaded by UNCW’s School of Nursing and funded in part through the assistance of Rep. McIntyre and now the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Foundation, is changing that.
Today, health care services offered at the center include primary care, blood pressure and glucose screening; depression screening; counseling; community problem solving; prescription assistance; health and empowerment education. This is a nurse-managed, service-learning site for multidisciplinary students that also serves as a scholarship site for UNCW faculty and students. Some of the disciplines served are nursing, social work, sociology, education and gerontology.
"The Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina Foundation is pleased to present this grant to the Bolton Health and Wellness Center in recognition of the center's outstanding work to provide much needed access to primary health care and prevention services in Southeastern North Carolina," said Sasser. "The center's partnership with UNCW provides both quality care for the people of Columbus County and valuable experience to the health care leaders of tomorrow."
“Under the leadership of the UNC Wilmington School of Nursing and with the help of Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina Foundation and Congressman McIntyre, a wonderful health partnership has been formed to bring access to primary health care to a previously underserved community,” Chancellor DePaolo said. “This is a perfect outreach project for UNCW in an area that is in need.
“The people of Eastern Columbus County will benefit directly from this project; UNC Wilmington students and faculty will benefit directly from this project. But beyond that, children in this area will benefit in a way we may not have even thought possible,” she said.
With the support of 7th Congressional District Congressman Mike McIntyre, UNCW received federal funding for the health and wellness center from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and the U.S. Office of Rural Health Policy. Specifically, he was instrumental in funding two grants -- $167,000 in construction money from the Health Resources and Services Administration and a $385,000 grant from the U.S. Office of Rural Health Policy, which helped with construction as well as if providing operational funds.
Along with a community board of 18, Bolton Health and Wellness Center is managed by Marie Campbell, FNPc, MSN, an experienced clinician and nurse practitioner in rural communities.
The School of Nursing at UNCW, established in 1984, is accredited by the National League for Nursing Accrediting Commission, the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education and is approved by the North Carolina Board of Nursing. The school is a community of health care professionals dedicated to excellence in teaching, scholarly endeavors, practice and professional rural and urban service. It awards the Bachelor of Science with a concentration in professional nursing and clinical research, and the Master of Science in Nursing with a Family Nurse Practitioner and Nurse Educator Track. There are 161 undergraduates and 21 graduate students.
Dean Virginia Adams stated that she is “very proud of the strengthened infrastructure of a campus community partnership with North Carolina communities. Under the leadership of Dr. Perri Bomar, students and faculty will have the opportunity to provide primary health care education and clinical services in rural counties, who have limited access to care.”
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For more information, contact the Bolton Health and Wellness Center at 910/655-8300 and Perri Bomar at 910/962-3200 or e-mail bomarp@uncw.edu.
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