BLUE RIDGE COMMUNITY HEALTH SERVICES INC

Oral health services are a critical component in keeping our patients healthy. Poor oral health and untreated oral diseases and conditions can have a significant impact on quality of life. In many cases, the condition of the mouth mirrors the condition of the body as a whole. More than 90 percent of all systemic diseases have oral manifestations, meaning dental providers may be the first health care provider to diagnose a health problem.
Through providing comprehensive dental services, BRCHS was able to increase awareness of the importance of oral health, help patients adopt preventive dental plans and offer access to those most in need in the community.

Access to behavioral health care remains a challenge throughout the state of North Carolina and the counties we serve. Many private behavioral health providers do not accept the uninsured. As a result, BRCHS is one of the only safety net providers for patients with behavioral health issues.
BRCHS offers a complete range of support groups and individual counseling services. Our board-certified psychiatrists and skilled counselors work together with medical providers to diagnose and treat a variety of conditions from anxiety and depression to addiction. Both of our psychiatrists specialize in addiction treatment, with one specializing in child and adolescent psychiatry as well.

In the past, many BRCHS patients faced very real barriers to accessing medications. Those barriers included affordability, distance to a pharmacy, transportation and language. Today, all BRCHS patients have access to pharmacy services at all eight locations. And, patients at Blue Ridge Health Center are able to obtain their prescription at the same time and place as their medical visit, which helps improve adherence to medication treatment plans. Having an in-house pharmacy also improves the overall quality of our health services with pharmacists and medical, dental and behavioral health providers available to consult immediately with one another if there is a question or issue with a treatment plan. Additionally, patients have access to medications through the 340B discounted drug program. This program allows BRCHS purchase outpatient drugs at discounted prices.

School Based Health Centers (SBHCs) have become an important method of health care delivery for over 2,000 children in Henderson County. They create an environment of service coordination and collaboration that addresses the health needs and well-being of students with health disparities or poor access to health care services, effectively establishing a medical and behavioral health practice within school walls.
Many children in Henderson County schools have barriers to receiving basic health care which include poverty, lack of insurance, lack of transportation and language barriers. These children also come from families where the parents are also not insured and little emphasis can be placed on preventive health care due to this lack of coverage. Medical attention is often only sought in a crisis situation, which many times could have been avoided with access to primary care.
SBHCs are the result of a collaboration between BRCHS and Henderson County Public Schools. The school system provides the physical space for the centers and BRCHS provides comprehensive nursing, medical, behavioral health and nutrition services.

As a Community Health Center, we are committed to making affordable health care accessible for all of our neighbors. Our outreach services are designed to meet you where you need us – at home, at work or in the community. BRCHS offers: Health education, Health screenings, Interpreting and translation, Case management, Referrals, Assistance accessing community resources.
A great example of our commitment to reaching out to those most in need in our region is Clínica en el Campo (Clinic in the Field) a mobile clinic specifically for Migrant Seasonal Farm Workers. This collaboration brings health screenings, BRCHS medical and dental providers along with medical residents and pharmacy services to farm worker housing locations.