Overcoming obstacles to regular health care
| |

Overcoming obstacles to establishing a medical home

People who have not established a medical home often have neglected to do so because they face obstacles that can seem insurmountable.  A medical home is the central provider (or group of providers) patients use for health care. A general practitioner serves as the fundamental health advisor, but other specialists—such as a dentist, optometrist, OB-GYN,…

CHWs in the community: a medical home for everybody
|

CHWs in the community: a medical home for everybody

The Community Health Workers (CHWs) of Health Care Access Now (HCAN) recently got together to talk about the challenges they face connecting clients with medical homes—and the great things that can happen once clients receive regular preventive medical care. The challenges HCAN’s CHWs provide one-on-one care to vulnerable and/or marginalized community members by helping them…

Why some HCAN clients resist medical homes
| |

Why some HCAN clients resist medical homes

TRIGGER WARNING: References to health data and science experiments done on Black people. A recent scene in the HBO series Insecure shows Molly rushing to the hospital to meet her family. Her mother has just had a stroke. The doctor approaches them and says it’s time to say their good-byes. The family is shocked. The…

Community Health Workers find primary care doctor
| | |

How Community Health Workers help clients establish medical homes

Health Care Access Now (HCAN)’s clients often face obstacles—like lack of childcare or transportation—that keep them from seeing doctors regularly. In other words, they don’t have a medical home.  Lynniece Scurry, Community Health Worker (CHW) for HCAN, says it’s important to help her clients find a primary care physician that can act as a medical home because…

Preventative vs. emergency care, Cincinnati Ohio
| | |

Medical home good for everyone: preventative care is better than emergency care

When a person has a “medical home,” it means they have relationships with providers for all their health needs. They can see those providers for regular tests and preventative care, as well as when they’re experiencing health issues.  Having a medical home isn’t just about establishing primary care, but also dental and vision care, OB-GYN…

What is a medical home?
| | |

What is a medical home and why does it matter?

A medical home is “when a patient sees a regular doctor, and the physician’s office has full knowledge of the client’s medical history,” says LaVerne Wiley.  As a Registered Nurse, Wiley was instrumental in the development of the Community Health Worker (CHW) education and certification program at Health Care Access Now (HCAN). Although she retired…

CHWs Work with Clients to Improve Housing Situations
| |

CHWs work with clients to improve housing situations

“Housing should be fair for everyone. Even if you need low-income housing or are coming through a housing program, you should still expect a standard,” says Giacoma Telich, Community Health Worker (CHW) for Health Care Access Now (HCAN). Many factors contribute to whether housing is suitable, she states. The bare minimum is “housing that does…

Low income housing and landlord loopholes
|

Low-income housing and landlord loopholes

The Housing Choice Voucher Program (formerly called Section 8) is a part of the Housing Act of 1937. The program was initiated in the early 1970s to assist low-income households with housing costs. People who receive vouchers—usually after a lengthy stay on a waiting list—have a limited period to find a place to live. It’s…

Affordable housing in Cincinnati
| | |

Community Health Workers’ Housing Educations

Health Care Access Now (HCAN) trains and dispatches Community Health Workers (CHWs) to assist vulnerable people in the Cincinnati community so they can achieve good health outcomes. Using the Pathways Community HUB model (HUB), CHWs identify and help remove clients’ obstacles to a healthy life. CHWs provide Educations on each of these barriers.  One such…

Link between mental health and housing.
| |

The link between housing and mental health

“She went from homeless to a stable situation.” Denise Harris, Director, Care Coordination Services at Health Care Access Now (HCAN) and Licensed Professional Counselor, tells the story of a client whose whole life improved because of a housing change. With the assistance of her HCAN Community Health Worker (CHW), this woman moved into a community…