Donate to Directly Support PAs, PA students, and PA Programs
NCAPA is providing an opportunity for our members to help PA students and PA program faculty impacted by Hurricane Helene in Western NC, specifically those attending Gardner Webb, South College, Wake Forest, and Wingate. We want to provide extra support to these individuals and encourage you to contribute to a fund that will support their recovery.
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Resources for Providers and Practices
Emergency Licensure for Disaster Relief
In response to the Governor’s State of Emergency orders, the North Carolina Medical Board has activated the Limited Emergency License to help facilitate medical professionals volunteering their time and skills to help communities in need.
Physicians and physician assistants with a full North Carolina license are able to volunteer without obtaining a volunteer license. Note that PAs who provide volunteer medical services DO need a supervising physician per NC law. Licensees should check in with the NC Department of Public Safety’s Hurricane Helene relief page for volunteer needs before arriving in the region. Under no circumstances should volunteers self-report to any location to participate in relief efforts.
For out-of-state physicians and PAs that do not currently have a license in North Carolina, there are two easy pathways to temporary licensure under the emergency policy. Visit www.ncmedboard.org/disaster for more information.
North Carolina Medical Board: Practice Status Form
You should have received this survey from the NCMB requesting information about your practice and whether it is open and what you are able to provide. Please enter your practice information to let patients in areas impacted by Hurricane Helene know that you are open and providing medical services.
North Carolina Medical Society: Needs Assessment
Click below for a needs assessment designed to understand the operational impacts on medical practices in Western NC. This will inform recovery requests from state and private entities, while mapping out medical practice and infrastructure needs in Western NC.
NC HealthConnex Clinical Portal
The NC HealthConnex team is committed to supporting those most in need in western North Carolina impacted by Hurricane Helene. The NC HealthConnex Clinical Portal is a web-based application that allows providers to access critical clinical information such as medical history, medications and treatment plans for displaced patients.
The NC HIEA can expedite enrollment for new providers in the western part of the state and can provide training on the use of systems, etc. Please contact the NC HIEA Provider Relations team via email at hiea@nc.gov or via phone at 919-754-6912.
Crisis Counseling for First Responders
In a disaster, it’s essential that first responders and volunteers have the resources they need—when and where they need them.
If you are a first responder or volunteer experiencing stress, emotional fatigue, a mental health crisis or just need someone to talk to, you can call the Hope4NC Helpline, 1-855-587-3463. Hope4NC is free, confidential, and available 24/7. Hope4NC is a Crisis Counseling Program which will provide immediate support and crisis counseling services for responders and volunteers providing Hurricane Helene disaster response.
Resources for Individuals
List of Open Medical Practices in Western NC
This licensee-reported directory shows OPEN or PARTIALLY OPEN medical practices in areas impacted by Hurricane Helene. Use the search bar to look for practices by name or county.
Please note that this directory is being updated in real time and is NOT a complete listing of all medical practices in the region. NCMB will update the directory continuously and will continue to add practice information as long licensees submit it.
List of Open Pharmacies in Western NC
NC Board of Pharmacy staff have received notice that these pharmacies in the following Western North Carolina counties most impacted by Hurricane Helene are operating and serving patients. We will continue posting updates as we receive them.
Counties: Alexander, Alleghany, Ashe, Avery, Buncombe, Burke, Caldwell, Catawba, Cherokee, Clay, Cleveland, Gaston, Haywood, Henderson, Jackson, Lincoln, Macon, Madison, McDowell, Mitchell, Polk, Rutherford, Swain, Transylvania, Watauga, Wilkes, and Yancey Counties
WNC Recovery Resource Database
The WNC Recovery Resource Database is a centralized and collaborative database for addressing urgent and long-term housing needs in Western NC following Hurricane Helene.
This database includes several types of resources, such as direct assistance guides, mutual aid organizations, information about housing rights, rule changes for disaster-impacted communities, and more. The resources provided have been carefully vetted and fact-checked by Coalition staff, and the database will be regularly updated with new and updated resources.
AirBnB Offers Temporary Housing
Airbnb.org is providing free, temporary housing for people who have been displaced by Hurricane Helene in several US states. The organization has partnered with local nonprofits and 211 contact centers in Florida, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Georgia to connect people with a free place to stay.
To support residents who have been displaced from their homes by Hurricane Helene, Airbnb.org is working with the Florida United Methodist Conference (FLUMC), United Way, Global Empowerment Mission (GEM), and 211 contact centers in Florida, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Georgia to offer free, temporary housing. Stays are completely free for guests and are funded by Airbnb.org and the generosity of Airbnb hosts — many of whom offer their home for free or at a discount through Airbnb.org.
Resources for Volunteers
Things to Consider Before Volunteering
- Please do not show up on your own. Travel in the affected areas is limited, and the roads need to be kept clear for emergency response and recovery efforts.
- You should connect with an organization, hospital, or the state Office of EMS (OEMS) to coordinate deployment. If you work in a health system with facilities in the affected region and would like to volunteer, you should check in with your health system administrators.
- The state is asking other medical volunteers to go through the Office of Emergency Management Services to sign up. The North Carolina Medical Society is also working to facilitate getting medical providers where they are most needed. You can get more information about those efforts here.
- Please remember that housing options are likely to be basic and very limited.
Other Ways to Support
There are numerous ways to support this area and contribute your resources. Below are some other options for contributions:
- Red Cross– They are accpeting volunteers, blood donations, and financial contributions.
- North Carolina Disaster Relief Fund – This is the homepage for a state fund that is managed by the United Way of North Carolina.
- Local and regional nonprofits and support agencies – This list comes from Blue Ridge Public Radio.
- NCMS Medical Practice Disaster Relief Fund – The North Carolina Medical Society has a disaster relief fund that provides grants to rebuild or repair practices.
Please note: Be mindful about responding to social media posts and other individual fundraising campaigns. While many of these requests are genuine and come from individuals in need, there are also cases of misinformation and scams.
Thank You.
The road to recovery and rebuilding will be long, but the NCAPA believes in the spirit and heart of North Carolina communities to see it through. Please consider contributing to the relief and rebuilding of our beautiful state and communities.