Session: Improving Access for Underserved Populations: Success Stories from the W.K. Kellogg Community Voices Initiative
3023.0: Monday, November 17, 2003: 8:30 AM-10:00 AM
Oral
Improving Access for Underserved Populations: Success Stories from the W.K. Kellogg Community Voices Initiative
In 1998, the W.K. Kellogg Foundation launched the Community Voices: Health Care for the Underserved Initiative to improve health care access and quality. The five-year initiative was designed to strengthen the safety-net and address barriers to care faced by the underserved and uninsured. This session highlights three of the thirteen learning laboratories who have developed innovative community-based health plans for the uninsured and/or developed effective outreach and enrollment strategies for reaching underserved populations (e.g. immigrants, rural residents, Native Americans, and the homeless). The three learning laboratories featured are: Denver Health*s enrollment strategy involves the deployment of enrollment specialists out into communities. Using an innovative management information system, *AppTrack*, over 130,000 individuals have been enrolled and over $100 million in revenue has been generated. FirstHealth working with small businesses in their neighboring counties designed a small business insurance product, FirstPlan, to address the lack of coverage for small business employees. Nearly 40% of small business employees in their region are uninsured. Alameda Health Consortium with its community partners has developed Alliance Family Care, an insurance product that is available to low income families regardless of citizenship status. In three years, they have enrolled over 7200 individuals - mostly Latino and Asian immigrants who otherwise would be uninsured. The success and sustainability of these programs is reflective of the strong community partnerships formed around improving access and eliminating disparities. In all three programs, stakeholder and community input have played a critical role in the design and implementation of these efforts.
Learning Objectives: Participants will become informed about the development of community-based health plans for the uninsured and will be able to articulate effective outreach and enrollment strategies for reaching diverse underserved communities. Participants will also be able identify key strategies for building successful community partnerships.
See individual abstracts for presenting author's disclosure statement and author's information.
Organizer(s):Marguerite Ro, DrPH
Moderator(s):Marguerite Ro, DrPH
8:30 AMAlliance Family Care: Health care coverage for low-income immigrant families
Deborah Zahn, MPH, Luella Penserga, MPH
8:50 AMFacilitated enrollment contributes to safety-net sustainability
Elizabeth M. Whitley, PhD
9:10 AMFirstPlan: Providing coverage and access to health care for the working uninsured
Lisa Gaarde Hartsock, MPH
9:30 AMImproving access for underserved populations: Success stories of the W.K. Kellogg 'Community Voices' Initiative
Marguerite Ro, DrPH, Elizabeth M. Whitley, PhD, Lisa Gaarde Hartsock, MPH, Deborah Zahn, MPH
Organized by:Community Health Planning and Policy Development
Endorsed by:American Indian, Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Caucus; Chiropractic Health Care; Health Administration; Maternal and Child Health; Public Health Education and Health Promotion; Socialist Caucus
CE Credits:CME, Health Education (CHES), Nursing, Pharmacy

The 131st Annual Meeting (November 15-19, 2003) of APHA