The Healthy Opportunities Pilot (HOP) is a groundbreaking, Medicaid-funded program that addresses non-medical needs affecting health. Mountain Projects serves Haywood and Jackson counties by delivering services like food boxes, produce vouchers, transportation, housing support, and more to eligible Medicaid participants. Coordinated by Christy Mosteller and her team, HOP helps people improve their health by meeting basic needs like nutrition, safety, and stability.

Healthy Opportunities Pilot (HOP) services are for Medicaid enrollees who meet at least one state defined health criteria, and at least one of the state’s defined social risk factors.

Social risk factors are a variety of factors that can impact health and life expectancy, including:

• Socioeconomic status: Income, education, and occupation can all impact health.
• Race and ethnicity: Race and ethnicity are powerful independent factors that can impact mortality.
• Social support: Social support and networks can impact health.
• Health insurance: Absence of health insurance is a social risk factor.
• Other social risk factors include social isolation, limited community resources, occupational stress, unemployment, retirement and transportation barriers.

Social risk factors can contribute to health disparities and inequities. For example, people without access to healthy foods are more likely to have health conditions like heart disease, diabetes, and obesity.

Services Offered:

Healthy Food Boxes

HOP Healthy Food Boxes include fruits, vegetables, whole grains, proteins and other nutritious foods to help supplement 1-2 meals per day for 1 week. Food boxes are available in large and small boxes depending on family size and need. Food boxes can be provided through pick up or delivery.

Healthy Meals

The HOP Healthy Meal service provides frozen or shelf stable meals to promote improved nutrition. This service provides 1-2 meals per day for a week. Meals are available through pickup or delivery.

Housing Services

• Housing Navigation Support and Sustaining Services
• Essential Utility Set-up
• Housing Move-in Support
• One-time payment for Security Deposit and first month’s rent
• Home accessibility and Safety Modifications
• Essential utility reconnect

Transportation Services

Transportation needs are met using Haywood Public Transit Service.Services provided are for non-medical services that promote community engagement, health and wellbeing, such as Grocery store/farmers market, job interviews, place of work, group parenting classes, childcare, and health and wellness activities.