AK: Dena' Nena' Henash doing business as Tanana Chiefs Conference
Dena' Nena' Henash doing business as Tanana Chiefs Conference will serve Alaska Native children in the Fairbanks North Star borough and 18 rural communities in central Alaska. The organization is the sole health care provider for the targeted area and this is their first time participating in the Connecting Kids to Coverage Outreach and Enrollment Program. Strategies include both improving clinic in-reach to more easily identify uninsured patients and outreach. To improve outreach, they will make frequent trips to outlying areas in order to provide in-person application assistance. The organization will also leverage existing relationships with local school districts as another strategy to identify uninsured children. Funding will be used to hire additional outreach staff and equip them with iPads in order to assist families located in remote areas with the completion of online applications.
AZ: Native American Community Health Center, Inc.
Native American Community Health Center, Inc. will expand outreach and enrollment best practices from their current Connecting Kids to Coverage Outreach and Enrollment grant, which focuses on urban dwelling Native American/Alaska Native children, to also include Latino children and families in Maricopa County. In addition, this health care provider will build on existing relationships with community groups by out-stationing staff to provide direct application assistance.
CA: Los Angeles Unified School District
Los Angeles Unified School District will expand outreach efforts beyond the successful strategies implemented in previous grant cycles. The project will optimize health insurance outreach within the Los Angeles Unified School District, which includes more than 800 district sites, placing multilingual outreach information in school enrollment packets three times per year. The school district will leverage existing system resources to contact households and families for up to 750,000 students identified from a personalized outreach plan customized for local geographic areas. Two of the new approaches the district plans to implement are to mobilize Teen Leaders/Peer Counselors and conduct Parent-to-Parent outreach and in- person enrollment assistance.
CA: Alameda Health Consortium, Inc.
Alameda Health Consortium, Inc., a previous grantee with the Connecting Kids to Coverage Outreach and Enrollment program, will have an increased focus on supporting the enrollment and retention of children eligible for Medicaid and CHIP. Program strategies include providing one-on-one application assistance at health centers and other community- based settings for children and parents in a culturally and linguistically responsive manner, and educating families with children enrolled in Medicaid and CHIP about the importance of retaining health coverage.
CA: Community Clinics Health Network
Community Clinics Health Network is a new awardee in the Connecting Kids to Coverage Outreach and Enrollment Program. Their focus will be on reaching out to teens in San Diego and Riverside counties. The network includes a partnership of six community health centers within the two counties to strengthen both in-reach and outreach strategies. The awardee will specifically target middle and high schools, along with after-school programs, to reach adolescents. Another strategy will be to utilize the CareMessage software tool from the clinics to send customized text messaging to the targeted populations.
CA: Tides Center
Tides Center was a Connecting Kids to Coverage Outreach and Enrollment grantee and has extended their partnership with multiple organizations to work in 11 counties throughout the state, enrolling children and parents in Medicaid and CHIP. Target populations will include low-income Latinos and African-American children and families in rural areas of the state. The expansive partnership with community-based organizations will leverage and continue to strengthen relationships with schools, hospitals, community clinics, family resource centers, county social service agencies, and other public assistance programs to identify and provide one-on-one enrollment assistance.
CO: Catholic Health Initiatives Colorado Foundation
Catholic Health Initiatives Colorado Foundation is a new organization to the Connecting Kids to Coverage Outreach and Enrollment program and will provide services in eleven counties: Adams, Arapahoe, Boulder, Broomfield, Denver, Douglas, El Paso, Jefferson, Morgan, Pueblo and Weld. The project's strategies include using Community Health Advocates (CHAs) across multiple settings to provide outreach, application assistance linkage to a medical home, information and referral, and retention services as appropriate. The CHAs will have access to the Colorado Benefits Management System in order to easily identify and validate current insurance status and renewal dates. They will also be able to provide individualized application assistance. In addition to outreach and enrollment assistance, the organization will assist families with the selection of a primary care provider/medical home. This project will implement strategies to connect families to needed care and build relationships to help families retain health coverage. The organization will also partner with community organizations that have assisted them in previous outreach and enrollment efforts.
FL: University of South Florida (USF)
University of South Florida (USF) was a previous grantee with the Connecting Kids to Coverage Outreach and Enrollment Program. This project, which has a long history of helping children and families apply for coverage, will increase the number of application assistance centers available throughout the state so that more families can obtain help from trusted assistors in their communities. Partnerships will be developed in geographic areas of the state with diverse populations and high rates of uninsured children who may qualify for Medicaid and CHIP. USF will share best practices and train assistors in the most effective approaches to community-based enrollment.
FL: Putnam County School District
Putnam County School District is participating in the Connecting Kids to Coverage Outreach and Enrollment Program for the first time. The District will lead a collaborative with nine school districts from the North Eastern Florida Educational Consortium. The collaborative will target the enrollment and retention of uninsured teens and their families. Outreach strategies include hiring social workers to identify uninsured teens in each school district, providing direct application assistance, and holding area-wide teen summits in the spring of each year.
GA: Chatham County Safety Net Planning Council, Inc.
Chatham County Safety Net Planning Council, Inc., a new awardee to the Connecting Kids to Coverage Outreach and Enrollment Program, will target rural Latino teens in coastal Georgia. The strategies they intend to use include a child health insurance hotline, expanded website, media outreach, training key partners, use of mobile enrollers, recurring enrollment events and providing onsite enrollment assistance at Federally Qualified Health Centers, hospitals and community locations. They will also use word of mouth to promote their services, send flyers home to parents of school-aged children and work with school athletic staff and juvenile court officers to provide additional referrals.
IL: Board of Education City of Chicago 299
Board of Education City of Chicago 299 participated in the first cycle of the Connecting Kids to Coverage Outreach and Enrollment Program and will establish the Healthy Schools Healthy City Medicaid Enrollment Project in Cycle IV. The project will utilize a data-driven approach to increase enrollment and renewal in Medicaid and CHIP, focusing on the Latino community. Once uninsured students are identified through the enrollment database, school clerks, whose job it is to screen and enroll students for public benefits, will provide Medicaid and CHIP application assistance in coordination with community-based organizations. Additional strategies include: utilizing mass media during back to school time, updating the Chicago Public School's website with benefit coverage information, distributing outreach materials with report cards, targeting students with Individual Education Plans, as well as broader outreach initiatives such as direct mailings. The school district's Office of Language and Cultural Education department will work with local schools, targeting their immigrant populations through community meetings and events to disseminate Spanish language information.
IN: Affiliated Service Providers of Indiana, Inc. (ASPIN)
Affiliated Service Providers of Indiana, Inc. (ASPIN) will work to increase enrollment in Medicaid and CHIP of uninsured eligible children and families in eight underserved Indiana counties. This is the first time that ASPIN is working with the Connecting Kids to Coverage Outreach and Enrollment Program. Four partner Federally Qualified Health Centers will dispatch school-based enrollment specialists to conduct activities aimed at enrolling and retaining children in health coverage and connecting them to medical homes. Mobile and school-based health clinics will also be used to conduct outreach to smaller, isolated rural schools.
KS: Kansas State University
Kansas State University will target Latino and immigrant children in four rural counties of the state. This is the organization's first time participating in the Connecting Kids to Coverage Outreach and Enrollment Program. They will use bilingual ambassadors for outreach and in- person application assistance at schools, health and education centers.
KY: University of Kentucky Research Foundation
University of Kentucky Research Foundation, a first-time participant in the Connecting Kids to Coverage Outreach and Enrollment Program, will focus on enrolling uninsured children and parents from 40 counties in the rural mountainous Appalachian region of the state. The strategies include using an existing network of Community Health Workers to work with local community-based partners providing application and renewal assistance to enroll and retain eligible uninsured children and parents in Medicaid and CHIP. The targeted outreach approaches for these hard-to-reach individuals will be to go where they "work, pray and play," tapping into local gathering places such as: places of worship, community dinners, after hours school-based programs, local stores, sporting events, and volunteer fire departments. Home visits for in-person application assistance will also be provided.
ME: Consumers for Affordable Health Care Foundation (CAHCF)
Consumers for Affordable Health Care Foundation (CAHCF), a first-time participant in the Connecting Kids to Coverage Outreach and Enrollment Program, will target eligible uninsured children and parents statewide for enrollment into Medicaid and CHIP. The lead organization represents a collaboration of multiple partners, including Maine Equal Justice Partners, Maine Children's Alliance, Community Action Programs, four community health centers, and the 211 Maine helpline. The project will expand upon their work assisting families during Marketplace open enrollment periods to provide year-round enrollment assistance for children eligible for Medicaid and CHIP. The funding will allow for hiring additional certified application counselors to extend the reach of existing enrollment staff and directly help eligible families apply or renew coverage. There will be a special focus on renewing teens and assisting families in rural areas. CAHCF will take the lead on marketing, use of social media and building stakeholder relationships, as well as increasing the use and accessibility of the existing helpline. Outreach materials and the website will provide important information in Somali, French, Arabic and local tribal languages.
MD: Structured Employment Economic Development Corporation
Structured Employment Economic Development Corporation, a past Connecting Kids to Coverage Outreach and Enrollment grantee, will target populations with lower health coverage rates, with a special emphasis on Latino children, children living in rural areas from the Maryland eastern shore and the Baltimore City metropolitan region. The organization will hire four Enrollment Assistors to work with in-kind enrollment assistors from partner organizations to provide the needed support. Enrollment Assistors will use the awardee's benefit screening and enrollment tool that screens clients for 27 public benefits. The organization will also develop low-literacy bilingual and culturally appropriate materials for the outreach process.
MN: Open Door Health Center
Open Door Health Center is a Federally Qualified Health Center safety-net provider serving rural southern Minnesota communities. The award will allow the clinic to employ five full- time Outreach and Enrollment Specialists who will provide culturally appropriate outreach throughout a 30-county region, spending much of their time in rural communities, in partnership with other service organizations and schools. The enrollment and renewal assistance will be provided both at the main clinic and through mobile units where they will be equipped with mobile-enabled devices that facilitate online enrollment for the entire service area. This is the first time this provider is participating in the Connecting Kids to Coverage Outreach and Enrollment Program.
MN: Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe
Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe has participated in the Connecting Kids to Coverage Outreach and Enrollment Program previously and will focus on outreach, education, and retention of health coverage for children and families living on the Leech Lake Reservation in Minnesota. Strategies include providing outreach and enrollment assistance at community centers, hosting patient benefit events, incentivizing participation by offering raffles with door prizes, games and school supplies. The initiative will include updating the existing patient benefits database to include insurance status. The tribal patient benefits office will also extend home visiting to include application assistance to residents located in remote areas on the reservation.
MS: The University of Southern Mississippi (USM)
The University of Southern Mississippi (USM) School of Social Work will train staff and students to conduct direct outreach and enrollment. Four outreach workers and 15 social work student intern teams will be placed in district public health departments and other partner locations to train existing staff and conduct community-based outreach. Additional strategies include co-locating teams with WIC Nutrition Program Centers and other social service programs frequented by the project's target population. USM will provide ongoing training to staff at local agencies, businesses, municipalities, the MS Health Access Collaborative, and school districts to extend support for application assistors in 150 locations across a nine county area in Southern Mississippi. The team will conduct home visits as needed to reach disabled populations, as well as those without access to transportation services. The teams will also translate outreach materials and messaging. This is the first time USM is participating in the Connecting Kids to Coverage Outreach and Enrollment Program.
MO: Legal Services of Eastern Missouri
Legal Services of Eastern Missouri will target immigrant populations in St. Louis and children living in the rural northeastern part of the state. This organization was a previous Connecting Kids to Coverage Outreach and Enrollment grantee and is building upon successful strategies by continuing school-based outreach, training of school nurses, and offering a navigator helpline. This award funding allows for the hiring of a call center translator.
NV: State of Nevada
State of Nevada will place six community health workers (CHWs) at three different sites in Washoe, Clark, and Elko counties. The state will train these workers to conduct school-based outreach, work with other community partners, and participate in health fairs, community fairs, back-to-school fairs, and registration for reduced-priced and free-school lunch programs. CHWs will also make home visits to enroll eligible individuals and coordinate with the State's Department of Education Pre-K Grant, which targets at-risk youth and families for enrollment in Pre-K programs. This is the first time the state is participating in the Connecting Kids to Coverage Outreach and Enrollment Program.
NJ: Hopes Community Action Partnership, Inc.
Hopes Community Action Partnership, Inc. will target uninsured children and parents eligible for Medicaid or CHIP, with particular emphasis on uninsured teens and Hispanic children living in Hudson County and the City of Plainfield. The organization will hire three full-time bilingual application assistors to help families enroll and renew coverage, as well as promote awareness of Medicaid and CHIP. Some of the strategies they will use include mass media, distribution of bilingual promotional materials, text and email messaging, and extensive community partnerships with health care providers, housing authorities, food banks, grocers, shelters, pharmacies, local businesses, school uniform stores and immigration assistance programs. The awardee will also work with the juvenile justice system by engaging intake and probation officers to communicate with juveniles and parents during pre-release periods to assist with enrolling and renewing coverage as part of re-entry. This is the first time the organization is participating in the Connecting Kids to Coverage Outreach and Enrollment Program.
NM: Capacity Builders, Inc.
Capacity Builders, Inc. is the Indian Health Service contractor working with the Navajo population in rural San Juan County. This is the first time the organization is participating in the Connecting Kids to Coverage Outreach and Enrollment Program. They will target Navajo youth and use outreach strategies to create "buzz" through large events and the local media. They will also provide information directly to youth, families and other partners to enroll and retain youth in Medicaid or CHIP. Enrollment efforts will take place throughout the community at Chapterhouses, schools, and family events with an intentional effort to reach many families at once. Additional efforts will include visiting families in rural locations.
NY: Refuah Health Center, Inc.
Refuah Health Center, Inc. is a Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC) and a first time participant in the Connecting Kids to Coverage Outreach and Enrollment Program. The awardee will target uninsured Hispanics and other immigrant families from Haiti and the West Indies. The FQHC has two locations in Rockland County and five mobile medical vans. The outreach and enrollment staff will partner with local schools, faith-based organizations, hospitals, and other community agencies to conduct outreach.
OK: Cherokee Nation
Cherokee Nation is a tribal entity and was a previous Connecting Kids to Coverage Outreach and Enrollment Program for Native American and Alaska Native Children grantee. This awardee plans to build on previous successful strategies engaging youth in the design of outreach materials, with the purchase of local media spots to extend outreach, and a strengthened community collaboration in outreach and enrollment efforts. The awardee will also increase the number of locations where direct application assistance is available and extend hours at these locations to facilitate access for working family members.
PA: Maternal and Child Health Consortium of Chester County
Maternal and Child Health Consortium of Chester County is a consortium of community- based organizations that has participated in the previous two Connecting Kids to Coverage Outreach and Enrollment grant cycles. For Cycle IV they will target children from immigrant families residing in Chester, Delaware, Montgomery and Philadelphia counties. Outreach specialists will provide bilingual enrollment assistance to program participants at various community locations. Staff will enable eligible families to enroll in and retain Medicaid and CHIP coverage, out-station bilingual enrollment specialists in three school districts and seven community organizations, and build the capacity of 18 partner agencies across the area by providing training and technical assistance.
PA: Pennsylvania Health Law Project (PHLP)
Pennsylvania Health Law Project (PHLP) is part of the Pennsylvania Legal Aid Network, Inc. which participated in Cycle III of the Connecting Kids to Coverage Outreach and Enrollment Program. This time they will partner with the Pennsylvania Health Access Network (PHAN), the state's largest health navigator, to enroll and retain children and their parents in Medicaid and CHIP. This project will focus on families disconnected from mainstream services due to involvement in child welfare, juvenile justice, or school discipline problems, challenged by immigration or language barriers. PHLP and PHAN will work with county- based family courts and supportive agencies including legal aid organizations, alternative education sites and school districts, immigrant-serving organizations and community colleges to provide direct application assistance and educate residents in 12 Pennsylvania counties.
SC: Family Health Centers, Inc.
Family Health Centers, Inc. is participating in the Connecting Kids to Coverage Outreach and Enrollment Program for the first time. They will train 20 additional full time certified application counselors (CACs) and equip them to provide both clinic in-reach and outreach year-round enrollment and renewal assistance, with some CACs located onsite and others in the community enrolling at schools, pre-schools and assistance programs, including community action agencies with food bank services. CACs will receive both walk-in and scheduled visits (including home visits) where they will use mobile hotspot computer access to complete the web-based single streamlined application. Assistors will also be equipped with portable scanners and printers to allow them to copy and upload any additional documentation that may be required.
TN and VA: Wellmont Foundation, Inc.
Wellmont Foundation, Inc. is participating in the Connecting Kids to Coverage Outreach and Enrollment Program for the first time. This project will focus on enrolling and retaining eligible children from the Appalachian regions of Tennessee and Virginia in Medicaid and CHIP. The organization is an integrated care health system that will hire three full-time Outreach and Enrollment Specialists to cover a rural, significantly economically depressed region of central Appalachia, including nine northeastern counties of Tennessee and ten southwestern counties of Virginia. Wellmont will continue to leverage its hospital and outpatient sites to promote Medicaid and CHIP enrollment at the point of registration, clinical care and check-out, specifically focusing this effort on care delivered through pediatrics, obstetrics, family medicine and acute care facilities. The outreach specialists will also target schools, outpatient settings, libraries, unemployment agencies, vocational training, and vocational training, and temporary staffing agencies in addition to other community-based settings. They will leverage the network of parish nurses and chaplains currently serving their facilities and use additional strategies, including dedicating air time for radio public service announcements, and developing targeted outreach materials to be included in back-to-school packets. The team will also offer direct, on-site enrollment assistance using iPads in venues that offer a private area to meet with applicants.
TX: Gateway to Care
Gateway to Care is a previous participant in the Connecting Kids to Coverage Outreach and Enrollment Program. For Cycle IV they will use school-based strategies in outreach, enrollment and retention activities. The partnership with the Houston Independent School District will be extended to include additional partners, such as the Hispanic Health Coalition and the Houston Office of the Mexican Consulate, to offer direct enrollment assistance. The project will also include a pilot with one of the state's largest Managed Care Organizations that provides services to children in Medicaid and CHIP, using community health workers to target families requiring assistance with the re-enrollment process. The target populations are Hispanic, Asian and African-American children, their parents, and families located in Harris County, Texas.
TX: The Community Council of Greater Dallas (CCGD)
The Community Council of Greater Dallas (CCGD) will continue the successful strategies from their previous Connecting Kids to Coverage Outreach and Enrollment grants. Strategies include providing in-person application and renewal assistance to families in a five-county area and deploying bilingual application specialists to work in neighborhoods in coordination with referring organizations to provide application assistance.
TX: Lone Star Legal Aid (LSLA)
Lone Star Legal Aid (LSLA) is a consortium of legal aid and community-based organizations that will target limited-English proficient populations, particularly those that speak Spanish and Vietnamese, the homeless, and vulnerable youth. The project area will include both rural and urban counties along the Texas East Gulf Coast, including Harris (including Houston), Fort Bend, Galveston, Brazoria, Matagorda, Wharton, Chambers, and Jefferson. Community- based partners include health providers, faith-based, and social programs. The outreach and enrollment strategies will occur in partnership with other organizations and at community events. The awardee will provide outreach and direct enrollment assistance and training to schools, WIC clinics, food banks, community health clinics, health departments, county extension offices and pediatrician offices. They plan to use targeted mailings to existing case management clients, as well as add information to their website with links to social media tools, such as Twitter and Facebook. Traditional media outlets, such as newspaper and radio, will be used in rural communities. This is the first time they are participating in the Connecting Kids to Coverage Outreach and Enrollment Program.
TX: CDF-Texas
CDF-Texas will sub-contract with community partners in the Rio Grande Valley of Texas and three rural communities in East Texas to provide the necessary tools, information and community-based outreach assistance strategies needed to connect constituents to health care coverage. This effort will focus on helping school districts, child care providers, grocery stores, summer programs and day camps with identifying parents/caretakers of eligible children and providing them with Medicaid and CHIP enrollment assistance. Strategies will include participating in community events, and launching bilingual public and education awareness campaigns using radio, TV and social media. They have participated in previous National Connecting Kids to Coverage Campaign activities.
TX: Bexar County Hospital District (doing business as University Health System)
Bexar County Hospital District (doing business as University Health System) will capitalize on previous successful experiences implementing Marketplace outreach and education strategies as part of the Partnerships to Increase Coverage in Communities Initiative from the Office of Minority Health. They will continue to target Latino children and parents. Strategies will include year-round education and enrollment sessions at schools, churches, housing sites, primary care clinics, school-based clinics and other public locations serving families. The hospital already employs bilingual staff that they will be able to use to support this project, and all pediatric medical staff will be asked to speak with parents about the importance of child health coverage and referrals for follow-up screening and eligibility services. The awardee will use media resources, such as printed ads in community newspapers and radio sound bites, to enhance the outreach and enrollment activities. This is their first time participating in the Connecting Kids to Coverage Outreach and Enrollment Program.
UT: The Association for Utah Community Health
The Association for Utah Community Health is a previous Connecting Kids to Coverage Outreach and Enrollment Program participant and represents the state's primary care providers including Indian Health Service Urban Clinics, Family Planning Clinics, Federally Qualified Health Centers and other safety net providers. The association, in collaboration with Take Care Utah (Navigator Grantee) and several community-based organizations including the state-funded AmeriCorp program, will form a statewide network of teams serving high- need areas with enrollment assistors. The awardee will train and organize assistors into three distinct teams and the assistors selected will mirror the populations in the communities to be served. Marketing and training materials will be developed, and the awardee will keep current with eligibility requirements as well as verify program enrollment through their provider networks. Strategies include direct enrollment activities providing one-on-one enrollment assistance at various locations such as schools and Latino Centers, as well as continually building new community referrals and partnerships.
VA: Virginia Health Care Foundation (VHCF)
Virginia Health Care Foundation (VHCF) is a previous Connecting Kids to Coverage Outreach and Enrollment Program grantee and will be able to hit the ground running, continuing their year-round, multi-pronged approach to enroll and retain eligible children and their parents in Medicaid and CHIP. The organization will hire three additional application assistors (AAs), in addition to existing staff, for a total of six outreach staff across the 6 participating organizations. The strategies include direct parent education and application assistance via AAs and several special initiatives to engage teens via school athletics, health and drivers' education classes. VHCF partners with five community-based organizations who employ the AAs and the sixth AA will be employed directly by VHCF and serve Richmond and surrounding Henrico county. This year, additional strategies will focus on enrolling teens and Hispanics.
WI: Northwest Wisconsin Concentrated Employment Program, Inc. (CEP, Inc.)
Northwest Wisconsin Concentrated Employment Program, Inc. (CEP, Inc.) will serve uninsured children and their parents in 27 rural counties in western and northwestern Wisconsin. CEP, Inc. will lead the project collaborating with navigators, advocates, and educators. CEP, Inc. will partner with seven other agencies that include four cooperative educational service agencies, two workforce partners, and Advocacy and Benefits Counseling for Health, Inc. Strategies include school-based outreach, developing culturally appropriate materials for Hispanics and other populations, access to bilingual services, conducting outreach events at libraries, schools, hospitals clinics, community centers, churches, and conferences. They plan to conduct large scale workshops at community events and the Health Watch Wisconsin conference, training 200 clinician participants about Medicaid and CHIP eligibility. This is the first time they are participating in the Connecting Kids to Coverage Outreach and Enrollment Program.
Multi-State: Boat People SOS
Boat People SOS will partner with four Asian-serving, community-based organizations in Orange County, CA; Atlanta, GA; Houston, TX; and Northern Virginia. This is Boat People SOS first Connecting Kids to Coverage Outreach and Enrollment award. They plan to leverage their established Health Awareness and Promotion Program and train 20 volunteers to serve as community health workers to enroll uninsured children and families eligible for Medicaid and CHIP. The strategies include assisting families with the application and renewal process, maintaining expertise in eligibility, enrollment, retention, and program specifications, conducting public education to raise awareness about Medicaid and CHIP, engaging schools in outreach and enrollment and establishing application assistance resources in these selected communities.