Massachusetts has a generous Medicaid program, a hospital free-care program, and a network of community health centers. Yet despite many health resources, the number of uninsured is rising, and racial and ethnic minorities continue to have large disparities in health status indicators. We will report on a community outreach project initiated to focus on an "invisible" and hard to reach group that continues to have little access to health care. The project was launched in a neighborhood of 24,000 residents, directed to the Cape Verdean community, estimated to be one-third of the households in the area. The area ranked well below the city median in income, was last or next to last in the city in adult educational attainment, and home ownership, and the highest in poverty rate and child poverty rate. Health statistics revealed that the neighborhood ranked as one of the highest risk areas of the city, with among the worst cancer, heart disease, and AIDS mortality rates, the highest infant mortality and low birth weight rates, and high asthma and injury hospitalization rates for children. Health insurance access was not found to be a high priority for residents given the host of other problems they confronted. We will describe the key issues and barriers to accessing insurance and health services identified through the outreach process and describe alternative approaches to, and policy implications of, addressing the health care and other needs of a community that is disconnected in many ways from the social and health safety nets.
Learning Objectives: At conclusion of presentation participants will be able to: 1) assess strategies for conducting needs assessment and health outreach to culturally and linguistically isolated communities; 2) identify key issues preventing health care acces for such communities; and 3) develop appropriate strategies to conduct needs assessments and to address health care and other needs of such communities
Keywords: Access to Health Care, Community Outreach
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
Organization/institution whose products or services will be discussed: Annie E. Casey Foundation health outreach project with Health Care for All and Dudley Street Neighborhood Initiative
I have a significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.
Relationship: Co-PI on Annie E. Casey Foundation grant