Two Health Care Workers Have Saved Countless Lives in Appalachia. Their New Business Goes the Extra Mile.

Birth in Color's doulas are filling the maternity care gap as rural labor and delivery rooms close, disproportionately impacting people of color. Doulas provide physical, emotional and informational support before, during and after childbirth, and advocate on the mother’s behalf. Doula care leads to improved birth outcomes and lower rates of C-sections, and in April 2022 doula services were added under the state’s Medicaid program.

Helpster Charity operates a tech-enabled emergency financing model that connects families facing urgent medical bills with donors through a website and app. The nonprofit uses volunteers stationed at partner health facilities to identify patients who can’t afford critical care for conditions like malaria, sickle cell anemia, and kidney problems. The organization has helped provide treatment for over 2,000 families across Nigeria, Kenya and Bangladesh.

Morehouse School of Medicine is training local women to become doulas through its Perinatal Patient Navigators program. A dozen participants — all Black women — recently graduated from the program after five months of training, ready to provide care and support to other women of color in rural communities. Studies show the presence of a doula improves labor and delivery outcomes, reduces stress and results in fewer expensive childbirth interventions, like C-sections.

Dental therapists provide basic preventative dental care, filling cavities, placing crowns and extracting teeth under a dentist’s supervision. The occupation is growing as it fills gaps in access to dental care, making it easier for people to care for their oral health. Dental therapists are most common in rural, Native areas where access to care is scarce. In rural Alaska alone, more than 40,000 people now have regular access to dental care thanks to dental therapists.

The Nguvu Collective advocates for patients’ rights and the establishment of committees that help educate and protect patients in healthcare settings to prevent misdiagnosis and malpractice. Since 2022, the campaign has reached over 8,000 people, advocated for protections from the local government, published materials to spread patients’ rights education to underserved communities and taught healthcare workers how to be more mindful when providing care.

VisionSpring provides more than two million pairs of glasses each year to those in need. Studies show that, when provided with free reading glasses, workers experience a 33% increase in income as they’re able to see and aren’t forced to leave the working world early as they age.

Healthy Moms, Healthy Babies pairs registered nurse case managers with women experiencing a high-risk pregnancy, specifically targeting those in rural communities where access to care is limited. The program provides health education, emotional support and targeted care from nutritionists and social workers at no direct cost. Since launching, the program has provided services to about 640 patients around the state.

Care Ring, in collaboration with other organizations like the University of North Carolina School of Nursing, launched The Bridge, a community-based healthcare initiative that aims to make preventive care easier to access. The Bridge features a mobile care unit that provides free health screenings, counseling support and connections to community resources. Since December 2022, The Bridge has provided care to more than 100 people, 39% of which didn’t have a regular doctor.

Basic Health Care Provision Funds allows states that qualify to provide their residents access to quality healthcare. The funds allow states to provide healthcare centers with access to free medicine and treatment. This access to free drugs and treatment along with the deployment of midwives and community healthcare workers has helped to reduce the rates of both maternal and child mortality.

Clinica Amistad is a free, volunteer-driven primary care clinic addressing the healthcare access gap for uninsured and underinsured residents, particularly among the Hispanic/Latine community. Operating on $600,000 or less per year, the clinic offers a wide range of services, including chronic disease management, behavioral health counseling, and a Spanish-language pre-diabetes education program. In 2024, the clinic served 956 patients across nearly 2,500 visits, with patient volume growing 10% since 2017.