Perinatal Access to Care and Health in North Carolina (PATCH-NC)
A Statewide Initiative to Expand Rural Maternity Care
The funding application process is now open! Click here to apply. Application submittal deadline: September 4, 2026.
Note: We are in the process of seeking additional funding to broaden the scope of this initiative, which currently is limited to organizations and programs located in maternity care desert counties or low-access counties, as designated by the March of Dimes. If we secure more funds, then we will be able to consider organizations and programs in other high-need counties that are not designated as care deserts or low-access.
Toward Every Mother, Every County
Perinatal Access to Care and Health in North Carolina (PATCH-NC) expands access to high-quality maternity care in rural North Carolina by strengthening community health centers, rural health centers, and local health departments to expand services to deliver coordinated prenatal and postpartum care close to home. When funding for this initiative is available, North Carolina Community Health Centers, Health Center Look-Alikes, Rural Health Centers, and Health Departments serving populations in North Carolina counties identified as maternal health deserts or low-access locations will be eligible to submit a competitive application for funding.
North Carolina Community Health Center Association leads this project in partnership with Nurture NC and with funding support from The Leon Levine Foundation.
If you are a journalist seeking additional information about this initiative, please e-mail communications@ncchca.org. To apply for our Implementation Manager position (applications due August 17, 2026), please click here: PATCH NC Implementation Manager.
At a Glance
Lead Organization: NC Community Health Center Association (NCCHCA)
Project PI: Dr. Shannon Dowler
Founding Investment: $2.8M – The Leon Levine Foundation (TLLF)
Total Initiative Goal: $6M
Additional Funding Needed: $3.2M
Timeline: 3 years (2026–2029)
Initial Reach: 10 Rural Safety Net Providers
Key Partners: TLLF, NC DHHS, AAFP, NCAFP, NC AHEC, Nurture NC, UNC Sheps Center
The Need
North Carolina faces significant maternal health access gaps. The 2026 March of Dimes Maternity Care Report identifies 20 maternity care desert counties and 17 additional low-access counties. These shortages contribute to delayed prenatal care, increased travel burdens, and persistent rural disparities in maternal and infant outcomes.
The Model
The initiative centers on family physicians as the primary maternity care providers within community health centers. Physicians provide prenatal and postpartum care locally, practicing at the full scope of their training, while partnering with OB/GYNs and maternal-fetal medicine specialists who support consultations, high-risk collaborative care, and deliveries.
This shared care model reduces access barriers while ensuring patients receive continuous, coordinated care close to home. Unique to this model of an established evidence-based model, is funding to offset “opportunity cost” for these health centers to undertake this added scope of work.
Implementation Approach
The initiative supports 10 rural health center sites through:
- Clinical training and CME (AAFP, NCAFP)
- Technical assistance and Clinical Support Project ECHO (NC AHEC)
- Telehealth and EHR enhancements
- Coordination with regional ‘hubs’
- Workforce pipeline development
- Practice transformation support
- Comprehensive program evaluation (UNC Sheps Center)
- Additional funding for patient directed real-time incentives for achieving milestones and pilots for innovative and non-traditional models to enhance postpartum care
The model is designed for replication across additional community health centers and aligns with North Carolina’s Rural Health Transformation Program priorities.
Expected Outcomes (3-Year)
- Reduced maternity care deserts and low-access counties in North Carolina
- Increased number of family physicians providing prenatal care in rural communities
- Improved timeliness of prenatal and postpartum care
- Strengthened rural maternity care workforce pipeline
- Improved maternal and infant health outcomes and reduced preventable complications
Investment & Sustainability
The initiative builds long-term capacity within community health centers rather than a stand-alone program. It integrates workforce development, infrastructure investment, and care model redesign to sustain services beyond the grant period.
The initiative was launched with a $2.8M investment from The Leon Levine Foundation. Full implementation requires an additional $3.2M in public and philanthropic investment to expand site implementation, strengthen regional specialty partnerships, and support evaluation and replication.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Click here to access answers to frequently asked questions regarding PATCH-NC and funding qualifications.