About

What Separates Blue Ridge Health from Other Providers?

With each patient, we strive to provide comprehensive and compassionate healthcare, fueled by our mission, vision, and values. We believe that everyone has the right to quality healthcare, no matter what their insurance or income status is. Part of establishing a healthier community is providing access to excellent healthcare to those in need. We won’t stop until everyone has an equal opportunity to lead a healthy and sustainable life.

Mission

To improve Health, inspire Hope, and advance Healing through access to Compassionate, Affordable, and Quality Care.

Vision

To be a community-focused leader for health, education, and innovation by providing integrated whole-person care, advancing healthy lifestyles, and training an exceptional workforce while promoting workplace excellence.

Values

Everything we do is guided by the following values:

Compassion – we provide person-centered, trauma-informed care
Quality – we continuously focus on care improvement and the impact of our services
Integrity – we act honestly, ethically and make thoughtful decisions about the use of our resources
Education – we promote the education and development of healthcare professionals and serve as a health information resource for our communities

Recovery – we believe that hope and recovery are essential and unique to each individual
Diversity – we believe that dignity, inclusion, and respect strengthen our team and our communities
Workplace Excellence – we understand that skilled, committed, and passionate staff are indispensable assets
Collaboration – we expand our community support through linkages with schools, churches, and community organizations

How it Started

Blue Ridge Health is not just a health center. It’s a community health center with roots in compassionate care for ALL of our region’s most vulnerable populations.

1963

Blue Ridge Health was founded by Claire Hayden Burson, a public health nurse with a vision of eliminating health disparities for the migrant farmworkers of Western North Carolina. Blue Ridge Health is among the first of the migrant health centers opened in the US during this time.

1987

Did you know that Blue Ridge Health was originally named The Migrant Health Center? Over time, we expanded to respond to the needs of a more diverse group of patients and rebranded ourselves as Blue Ridge Community Health Services, a year-round health center with an aim to serve the entire community.

1992

We opened our first pediatric practice. Today, we operate Rainbow Pediatrics in Hendersonville, and are the home site of Dr. Lisa Abraham, our region’s only pediatric neurologist. We also offer pediatrics as part of our comprehensive services in clinics throughout the western part of the state.

1993

Blue Ridge Health opened our first school-based health center in Henderson County. School-based health centers offer comprehensive healthcare under one roof, including medical, behavioral health, nutritional services, and more. Today, we operate school-based health locations all across Western North Carolina, helping to break down barriers to equitable child healthcare, including the need for parents to take time off of work to attend appointments and the need for families to find transportation to and from clinics.

2013

We partnered with MAHEC to become a Teaching Health Center. Learn more about our Residency Program and the ways our residents serve the people of Western North Carolina.

2021

Meridian Behavioral Health Services was integrated into Blue Ridge Health, allowing us to reach more patients than ever before with judgment-free support for issues relating to mental illness, substance use, and more. Our belief that recovery is possible for EVERYONE helps us break past the fear and shame that keep people from seeking help.

2023 & Beyond

With a vision to the future, our leadership team is always striving to respond to what is happening in our region as it happens. That’s the benefit of a community health center. With boots on the ground, living right where we serve, we can easily pivot to meet the ever-changing needs of our patients. In 2023, we will have served our patients for 60 years, and we look forward to continuing to improve the health of our region for many, many more.

FQHC Status Information

This means that we are a non-profit, community-based health organization. FQHCs like Blue Ridge Health provide comprehensive primary care, as well as dental and mental health services to patients right in the community.

FQHC guidelines require over half of Blue Ridge Health’s Board of Directors to be actual Blue Ridge Health patients. This means that our organization and the care it provides to WNC is directly impacted by real patients and members of our communities.

As an FQHC, Blue Ridge Health offers the same high-quality healthcare services to the uninsured and underinsured populations of Western North Carolinas it offers to those with insurance. Blue Ridge Health prides itself in providing accessible, affordable healthcare for all.

FQHCs are not free clinics, but they do provide services to all people regardless of their ability to pay. Sliding-fee scales are available for all service types, including medical, dental, and more. Patients will be qualified for discount services based on family size and documented income.

Sliding Fee Scale

Annual Reports

Among our Blue Ridge Health values is integrity. We strive to be transparent in our administration of services and our stewardship of funds. We are grateful for the trust placed in our organization in neighborhoods and communities across Western North Carolina. Our Annual Reports highlight our values, our roots, the services we provide, and the people we serve, in addition to information provided about revenue and operating expenses. In short, they are not just financials. They are the story of Blue Ridge Health across the years.

2023 Annual Report

2022 Annual Report

2021 Annual Report

2020 Annual Report

Governing Board

Lorna Barnett

Secretary

Robert Cochran

Jean Marie Dillon

Chair

Karen Penny Gash-Pearson

Cheryl Harbin

Joshua Kennedy

Vice Chair

Renee Kumor

Carrie McBane

Juan Ramirez

James Spiro

Treasurer

Linda Weldon

This could be you!

Are you interested in having a direct impact on healthcare in Western North Carolina? Volunteer to become a board member! Our organization is led by people who live and work in the areas they serve, offering unique insight into the concerns of our rural populations and allowing us to pivot at any time to meet the ever-changing needs of our patients. Contact info@brchs.com to find out more.

Leadership

Richard Hudspeth, MD

Chief Executive Officer

Don Buckner, MD

Chief Behavioral Health Officer

Traci Spence

Chief Operating Officer

Michelle Hogsed

Director of Quality Management

Brian Morton

Chief Financial Officer

Aaron Ratliff

Director of Human Resources

MaryShell Zaffino, MD

Chief Medical Officer

Blue Ridge Health: Not just a health center.
A community health center.

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