catastrophic flood and seeks to continue services to address the ongoing disaster of inaccessible
healthcare. While many healthcare providers understand the limitations of their institutions, the energy and common ground of west Asheville’s emergency response to Hurricane Helene next to the failure of regionwide healthcare response catalyzed efforts to sustain the collective. With a background on healthcare in the United States, examples of community-based healthcare models in the U.S., and reflections with core members, volunteer providers, and partner organizations, the Mutual Aid Wellness Collective illustrates a healthcare strategy that improves access, especially during disasters. By considering how healthcare providers mobilized during a crisis, adapted service delivery to meet local needs, and the struggle to sustain momentum, mutual aid presents a framework for equitable healthcare access for the dual disasters of climatic events and growing poverty in the United States.

A Master’s Paper submitted to the faculty of the University of North Carolina Asheville-University of North Carolina Gillings Master of Public Health Program in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Public Health in the Place Based Health Concentration.]]> Andrew Rainey]]> University of North Carolina Asheville]]> University of North Carolina Gillings]]> July 18, 2025]]> Digital Document]]> The Western North Carolina Health Policy Initiative (HPI) has launched a new podcast series that takes a deep dive into a new WNC HPI research project exploring what we can learn about our region’s healthcare response in the days and weeks following Hurricane Helene’s devastating landfall across Western North Carolina on the evening of Sept 27, 2024.

In each installment, we speak about different public health strategies for improving health and well-being in Western North Carolina (WNC). The WNC HPl is a collaboration between the NC Center for Health & Wellness at UNCA and MAHEC, with generous support from the Dogwood Health Trust.

Individual opinions, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this podcast are those of the author(s)/interviewee(s) and do not necessarily reflect the view of the WNC Health Policy Initiative or its host institutions of the University of North Carolina Asheville (UNCA), Mountain Area Health Education Center (MAHEC) or our funders.

Listen online:

Listen to the WNC Health Policy Podcast here.

]]> WNC Health Policy Initiative Media Team]]> WNC Health Policy Initiative (HPI)]]> 2025]]> Image Credit: NCDOTcommunications, licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic license.]]> Digital Audio Recording]]>
Cleveland shares that after being trapped in her Weaverville neighborhood initially [00:06:18] she left and worked at a medical shelter at A-B Tech [00:09:06]. She describes conditions at the shelter [00:10:09], her daily routine [00:14:49], and the resources and support offered through formal and informal sources [00:19:05]. Molly emphasizes that comprehensive emergency planning and public health are often overlooked until there is a critical need, and advocates for increased preparedness on individual and system-wide levels [00:24:17]. She also reflects on long-term emotional impact and collective healing [00:30:42].

Narrator portrait depicts Molly in downtown Weaverville at the main street park, September 25, 2025. Photo by Bill Green.]]> Friends of Buncombe County Special Collections]]> August 25, 2025]]> Digital Audio Recording]]> Listen to the WNC Health Policy Podcast here.]]> WNC Health Policy Initiative Media Team]]> WNC Health Policy Initiative]]> December 2024]]> Digital Audio Recording]]>
From the start of the Community Care Stations the mobile team was ready to jump in and serve the community in any way possible. In this photo the mobile team was set up to offer vaccines and county resources/information when Governor Roy Cooper and the director of FEMA stopped by the Swannanoa Ingles.]]> Anonymous]]> October 15, 2024]]> Digital Photograph]]> Terpsicorps Theatre of Dance as part of the project Appalachian Phoenix. Read more on the Terpsicorps website.]]> Terpsicorps Theatre of Dance]]> 2025]]> Digital Document]]> Terpsicorps Theatre of Dance as part of the project Appalachian Phoenix. Read more on the Terpsicorps website.]]> Terpsicorps Theatre of Dance]]> 2025]]> Digital Document]]>