Western Sky Community Care Partners with National Council on Independent Living to Improve Accessibility for People with Disabilities

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M., Aug. 22, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Western Sky Community Care ("Western Sky") a managed care organization and wholly owned subsidiary of Centene Corporation, announced its partnership with the National Council on Independent Living to improve accessibility for people with disabilities by supporting the Barrier Removal Fund program. The Barrier Removal Fund is part of the Provider Accessibility Initiative, which offers financial assistance to medical providers in New Mexico for improvements that increase access for patients with disabilities at their healthcare facilities. The program seeks to increase the number of New Mexico providers that meet or exceed federal disability access standards and ultimately allow ease of access to healthcare for more individuals.

The partnership has awarded five New Mexico healthcare providers in various fields with grants to make their facilities more accessible. This list of grantees include:

• Mansour Family Dentistry and Invisalign Inc.
• Family Practice Associates (Taos)
• Schreiber Family Medicine
• Ben Archer Health Center, Inc.
• South Central Colfax County Special Hospital District

"This partnership furthers Western Sky's commitment to expanding the access of quality healthcare to all New Mexicans," said Jean Wilms, Western Sky Community Care president and CEO. "We are pleased to support our provider partners to address areas where structural improvements and specialty equipment can make a difference for our members with disabilities statewide."

Providers will receive funding for an array of projects, such as purchasing equipment designed specifically for patients with disabilities to building Americans with Disabilities Act -compliant structural improvements like handrails, wheelchair ramps, and sliding doors. These projects will all help provide vital upgrades for patient access.

"Physical barriers and accessibility at doctors' offices can be serious obstacles that often prevent patients from receiving appropriate care for their health conditions," said Jenny Sichel, operations director with the National Council for Independent Living. "We have seen the Barrier Removal Fund successfully address these issues in other states and are excited to see its impact in New Mexico."

Barrier Removal Fund projects are already underway, with $100,000 in funding supporting healthcare facilities across the state. Healthcare providers submitted applications for support in early 2022. For more information about the grants and the provider accessibility initiative, visit: www.ncil.org/provider-accessibility-initiative/

About Western Sky Community Care
Established to deliver quality healthcare in the state of New Mexico through local, regional, and community-based resources, Western Sky Community Care is a Managed Care Organization and subsidiary of Centene Corporation. Western Sky Community Care exists to improve the health of its beneficiaries through focused, compassionate, and coordinated care. Our approach is based on the core belief that quality healthcare is best delivered locally. For more information, visit www.westernskycommunitycare.com.

About NCIL
The National Council on Independent Living (NCIL) is the longest-running national, cross disability, grassroots organization run by and for people with disabilities. Founded in 1982, NCIL represents thousands of organizations and individuals including Centers for Independent Living (CIL), Statewide Independent Living Councils (SILC), and others that advocate for the human and civil rights of people with disabilities.

SOURCE Western Sky Community Care