In rural America, many struggle to find quality healthcare. But thanks to a $150,000 grant over 18 months from the Peter and Carmen Lucia Buck Foundation, that’s changing.
With this funding, we’re pioneering shared workforce programs that bridge the gap between emergency medical services (EMS) and rural clinics. Imagine EMS providers
seamlessly transitioning from medical assistants in clinics during regular office hours to heroes responding to 911 calls. This uninterrupted care for those in need will help solve rural
clinic and EMS workforce shortages.
Over the next year, we’ll partner with Eastern Maine Community College and other clinical organizations to hire and train medical assistants; identify communities in need of
support; and develop, implement and evaluate the program’s impact. The program will involve a mix of Community Care Partnership of Maine (CCPM) and non-CCPM federally
qualified health centers (FQHCs) and rural clinics.
Everyone deserves access to local, timely primary care and emergency services, regardless of race, class or location. With help from our strategic partners and donors like the Peter and Carmen Lucia Buck Foundation, we’re not just changing lives — we’re transforming communities and improving rural healthcare for years to come.