The federal government has awarded Liberty Resources funding that transitions the organization from a Health Center Program Look-Alike to a federally funded Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC).
The federal grant will help Liberty Resources develop a new mobile healthcare unit serving communities in both Onondaga and Oswego counties. The nonprofit Liberty Resources has locations in both Syracuse and Fulton.
An FQHC qualifies for funding under section 330 of the Public Health Service Act and qualifies for enhanced reimbursement from Medicare and Medicaid, as well as other benefits, per the federal Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA).
An FQHC also serves an underserved area or population and offers a sliding fee scale. It provides preventive health services, dental services, and mental health and substance-abuse services, HRSA said.
The $650,000 award now designates the organization as an FQHC and allows it to provide a new access point through a mobile medical unit, says Kelli Harris, CEO of Liberty Resources.
"We'll be able to provide more primary care, not only in the four walls of our existing clinics in Syracuse and Fulton but on this mobile medical unit as well, so it's really about meeting the needs of the community and creating more access," says Harris.
The regions has a shortage of primary-care providers, so this is just one step in trying to help fill some of that need, she added.
Liberty Resources says it was one of just four organizations in New York and 158 nationwide selected to receive New Access Point funding in the latest federal award cycle, per the organization's announcement.
As a result, the agency is developing a mobile healthcare center outfitted with two exam rooms, laboratory space, a restroom, and private meeting space.
"We have two fully functional exam rooms, laboratory services, and a spot for storing vaccinations," says Amy Sargent, associate vice president of primary care and FQHC project director at Liberty Resources.
It can help those who might need peer support, behavioral-health, or substance-use services. "We'd be able to sit with individuals right within the unit and do an assessment and a referral that we would then follow up on," Sargent added.
Both Sargent and Harris spoke with WRVO Public Media on Sept. 22.
The mobile unit will bring medical and behavioral-health services currently provided through Liberty Resources' integrated health centers in Syracuse and Fulton to people who "may face barriers to accessing care, such as transportation," per the organization's announcement.
Prior to receiving the federal award, Liberty Resources operated as a Health Center Program Look-Alike, a designation for organizations that meet the same Health Center Program requirements as federally funded health centers but do not receive federal grant funding. The new award and designation as a federally funded FQHC provide Liberty Resources with additional resources to strengthen the sustainability of its health-center services and further expand access to care.
Liberty Resources provides primary care, pediatric, and behavioral-health services, which are available regardless of a patient's ability to pay, with sliding fee discounts available to eligible patients, its announcement says.
