Healthy Communities
A healthier community starts with fulfilling basic needs. That's why we're expanding access to world-class institutes and extending care and support programs beyond the walls of our facilities into communities where they are needed most.
With the support of philanthropy, Atrium Health is creating healthier communities through its community clinics, mobile health units, a Hospital at Home Program, Virtual Care and Telehealth programs, and by addressing major determinants of health in our most vulnerable populations such as food security, housing stability, and employment.
Continue reading below to learn more.
Social Impact and Health Equity
Atrium Health is committed to improving the health of our underserved communities, driving positive health outcomes and increased access. This priority is part of our organization's overall commitment to health equity, with a focus on developing cultural competency within our clinical practice, increasing diversity in leadership and governance, and improving and strengthening community partnership. Top areas of focus for our Social Impact and Health Equity include:
- Aligning our enterprise to drive health equity in areas with greatest disparity
- Increasing access in underserved and rural communities
- Addressing health disparities and social barriers to health
Learn more about Atrium Health's Community Health programs here. Contact us to discuss how you can contribute to advance our social impact and health equity goals.
Community and Social Impact Fund
The purpose of the Fund is to support Atrium Health's Community and Social Impact outreach efforts, education and research programs, personnel, and special needs as identified by the Foundation and Atrium Health. Donate now.
Patient Special Needs Funds
Atrium Health Foundation manages several funds designated to support the special needs of pediatric and adult patients across Atrium Health facilities in the Greater Charlotte region. Qualifying patients may receive support to cover expenses associated with their care, such financial assistance for medical equipment, transportation associated with medical care, and special patient support programs. Learn more here.
Economic Mobility
Workforce Development Fund
Atrium Health's Workforce Development Programs are an important component of our efforts to improve health equity in our community, proactively addressing how poverty and barriers to education for people of color and marginalized groups have created a lack of diversity within the healthcare profession. Workforce Development programming that creates sustainable pathways to meaningful employment and economic mobility for the diverse healthcare workforce of the future. Learn more.
Ally Workforce Development Center of Excellence
Ally Charitable Foundation Workforce Development Center of Excellence, giving individuals from historically marginalized or diverse populations access to a variety of career development pathways to seek their education. The program will benefit high school students, Title I high school graduates, and entry level Atrium Health teammates who need additional skills to enter a variety of high-paying careers in healthcare. Learn more
Todd and Janelle Collins Nurse Aide Scholarship
The Todd and Janelle Collins Nurse Aide Scholars Program will offer full scholarships to qualified Charlotte-area high school students and graduates to attend the Nurse Aide program at Carolinas College. A preference will be given to racial minority students and those living in Charlotte-area underserved neighborhoods. The goal of this effort is to increase the diversity of the student body and to remove barriers for students who want to break into the healthcare field. Learn more.
Townebank Medical Education Scholarship
The TowneBank Medical Education Scholarships supports students enrolled in a medical education program (certificate, associate, undergraduate, or graduate) offered through Carolinas College of Health Sciences. Learn more.
Mobile Medicine
Drive to Thrive: a Program of Atrium Health Women's Care
Atrium Health Women's Care strives to reach women in every corner of the community with affordable care and reproductive education. Established by local benefactors Barbara Kopczynski and her husband Dr. Todd Kopczynski in 2022, the Drive to Thrive mobile medicine program serves neighborhoods across Charlotte where residents have limited access to reproductive, maternal, and prenatal care. Learn more or donate now to support Drive to Thrive.
Mobile Cancer Screening Programs
Atrium Health Levine Cancer Institute offers numerous cancer screening programs across the Greater Charlotte region, including screening days offered through mobile medical units embedded within communities of greatest need. The support of philanthropy makes it possible for LCI to offer these services to qualifying individuals at little or no cost to program participants, including:
- Breast cancer screening: Through our Project PINK programs, we offer breast health education and free mammograms to uninsured individuals. Learn more or donate now to support Project PINK and Tickled PINK.
- Lung cancer screening: Lung B.A.S.E.S. 4 Life, the nation's first mobile lung cancer screening program, brings free screenings, education and support to underserved communities. Learn more or contact us to disCuss how you'd like to contribute.
Mobile Primary Care
In 2022, Truist stepped forward with a transformational gift to support Atrium Health's community health goals, including critical support for programs that will create a "Medical Neighborhood" model of care. A portion of the generous gift provided funds to operationalize two new roving Mobile Health Units that will soon provide medical care throughout underserved neighborhoods in the greater Charlotte region. Learn more.
Atrium Healt also dispatched the first of four mobile medicine units in 2022, to provide high-quality, equitable healthcare in underprivileged communities in the region. The mobile unit, which was deployed in Atrium Health's South Market, was made possible by The Tepper Foundation. Learn more.
Virtual Care
Behavioral Health Teletherapy
Enhanced School-Based Virtual Care provides evidence-based mental health services to school- aged children. Outpatient teletherapy is provided by a mental health clinician using a secure livestreaming video platform within the school setting, reducing disruption to student education and parental work schedules. Learn more.
Virtual Behavioral Health Integration (vBHI) is located in 66+ primary care practices, supporting nearly 340 ambulatory care providers and providing real time access to medication management, navigation and ongoing health coaching. Learn more.
Virtual Psychiatric Transition Care Service (VTC) provides patients support following discharge from psychiatric inpatient or emergency department (ED) care settings. Successfully transitioning patients to outpatient care reduces utilization of high-cost services such as avoidable ED visits and avoidable inpatient readmissions. Learn more.
Community-based Virtual Care
Community Based Virtual Care is an innovative tool to address healthcare access disparities, allowing patients the ability to connect with healthcare services at care locations embedded within "community conveners" - such as preschools, community centers, places of faith, camps, or other access points where significant groups gather - offering a way for individuals to reach care providers within their rhythm of life.
School-based Virtual Care
School Based Virtual Care targets school-aged children and school staff with healthcare access disparities, with telemedicine clinics onsite at schools offering care during the school day. Watch to learn more.
Atrium Health Hospital at Home Program
In the first days of the COVID-19 pandemic, Atrium Health's Hospital Medical Group rapidly stood up Atrium Health Hospital at Home (AH-HaH), which leveraged virtual technology and Atrium Health's Mobile Integrated Health team to care for patients in the comfort and safety of their homes. This immediately increased Atrium Health's capacity to reach patients in every corner of the community with timely, coordinated virtual care. Learn more.