TOWN OF HIGHLAND, NY — Sullivan Health Access (SHA), a community-led medical facility opening in the Town of Highland, has secured a general manager, another step on the path to the facility opening its doors. 

Nick Roes will serve as the facility's first general manager. Roes previously served two stints leading New Hope Manor, a woman-only residential substance abuse treatment center, retiring at the end of each stint. 

"Nick's job is going to be to open the facility," explained Chris Dickey, Highland Town Board member and SHA founder, at a Tuesday, November 10 board meeting. "He's working on securing the partnerships and the relationships with the clinical providers, but also with the non-profit providers, to be able to provide services as soon as possible."

Additionally, Dickey said he's hopeful that SHA can receive monies from the second round of Rural Health Transformation Fund (RHTF) grants. RHTF is a $50 billion federal program designed to put money into rural healthcare. 

New York State got $207 million in that second round of funding, monies that the state will disperse to worthy medical programs. "I got a call from the Department of Health which told me that they think the project that we have in our little town is one of two or three most innovative projects that they see in the whole state," said Dickey. 

He added, "They're very keen to be able to support us, because we're doing something very special. So we're going to definitely apply for it. I don't want to make any guarantees or anything, but it's a good sign when the funder calls you."