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APHA Scientific Session and Event Listing

Barbara Neely, RN BSN MPH and Deborah Kelley, RN BSN. Department of School Health Services, Multnomah Education Service DIstrict, 11611 NE Ainsworth Circle, Portland, OR 97220, 503-257-1732, bneely@mesd.k12.or.us

In 1994 the Oregon Health Plan (OHP), an innovative Medicaid based state health plan had become available to reach low income Oregonians. In addition, other Federal health care programs were also accessible to our citizens. Yet, in 2000, one in ten Multnomah County Oregon residents did not have health insurance, of these more than 25% were under the age of 19. Indeed, the issue of outreach to people in poverty, increased efforts to identify the uninsured and reduction of barriers to receiving services became paramount. An Outreach Initiative was needed to build on the strengths of existing agencies in a program to educate people concerning the health plan services. Health Departments, School Health Districts, Schools and both private and public agencies met to pilot a program and begin the initiative. This Initiative recognized that sometimes the only link low-income families have with the health care system is the school and community nurses. By training these nurses and forming relationships with eligibility specialists a new avenue for outreach opened up leading to a pivotal role for the nurse in identifying, referring and enrolling children.

In an effort to keep the program viable and continue to outreach to more of the business community, this Initiative reached further into the community to include large health care organizations, such as Kaiser Permanente. The Initiative now became a broad-based community-driven program providing consistent healthcare unique to the community, impacting school attendance, strengthening community bonds and reaching a diverse population (including people of poverty, and people with differing health values and ethnic beliefs).

Learning Objectives:

• 1.Identify actions to increase awareness of the efforts to insure kids among families, schools and the community at large.
• 2.Identify measures to increase the number of families applying for health insurance through those plans available in your communities.

Keywords: Access to Health Care, Health Insurance

Related Web page: w3.mesd.k12.or.us/shs/childhealth/index.html

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Any relevant financial relationships? No