Outreach and Enrollment
Best Practices for Florida’s
Children’s Health Insurance
Programs
Jodi A. Ray, MA
Project Director
USF Florida Covering Kids & Families
Navigate PBC Conference
4/12/13
Outreach Objectives
Identify target population and strategies for developing an approach and setting goals
Develop tips for working with members of the media
Utilize techniques for partnership recruitment and activation
Share ways to retain current enrollees
Use methods for tracking and
evaluating your activities
Priorities for Successful
Outreach in Florida
Outreach is results driven and
connected to actual enrollment
Use relevant messages for specific
target populations
Partners use sound data
demonstrating connection
Partners share best practices and
lessons learned for potential
replication
Framework for Best Practices
for Geographic Areas1
Adapted for specific locations by taking into account community resources and social
context
Takes into account key needs to be addressed
Uses the following criteria: Innovative
Positive Impact
Sustainable Reproducible
1. Dotson, A. a& Sharif, F. Best Practices and Models of Care in Rural Health: A Compendium for the Virginia Rural Health Access Council. Virginia’s State Rural Health Plan. 2000
CHALLENGE SOLUTIONS
COMMUNITY CHALLENGE
Rural, low poverty families with low literacy,
and difficulty navigating systems without
assistance.
EFFECTIVE STRATEGY
Case management services are offered in a
climate that allows direct communication
between the case manager, the family and
appropriate service personnel, in order to
optimize the outcome for all concerned. Ex:
on-site application assistance at a charter
school housed within a low-income area.
COMMUNITY CHALLENGE
Median income for families in demographic areas are reported as below the state poverty level.
Lack of access to technology and transportation.
One of the highest rates of unemployment in state.
CHALLENGE SOLUTIONS
COMMUNITY CHALLENGE More families are qualifying for Medicaid
due to the loss of employment. It is hard for families who normally wouldn't qualify for any assistance to go through a process for support.
EFFECTIVE STRATGIES It is beneficial for health care coverage
for children information to be sent out several times a year through the schools (private and public). This information must contain local contact information for application/renewal assistance.
School nurses make the best advocates & delivery system. Ask the nurses to send home the health care coverage information with students.
CHALLENGE SOLUTIONS
Florida’s Outreach and
Enrollment Program Places application assistors in communities across
Florida to enroll uninsured children
Provides “on-site” and “in-person” enrollment
assistance in Florida KidCare for families in a variety of
environments
Follows up with contacts to support families in using
and maintaining their coverage
Is always culturally and literacy sensitive and
competent
Focuses on partnering with local organizations to reach
the uninsured population
Incorporates use of technology through online
applications, online case management and follow-up
Finding the Uninsured
Where are the uninsured? Key data indicators give
us the best perspective
Use all data sources to build a profile of the area(s)
you work in by examining, comparing and
contrasting different data points to identify gaps
Data doesn’t give the complete picture but
conversations with key stakeholders can help to
guide your work
Partnerships
•Increases access
Individuals/families
•Diminishes negative community effects
Communities
•Where the kids are
Schools
•Reduces financial risks
Health Care Providers
•Increase employee satisfaction & productivity
Local Businesses
Building the Relationship
Identification of stakeholders
Increased public understanding
Avoid redundancy
Access to technical expertise and resources
Leverage funding
Invest in Partnerships
Successful Partnerships:
Address complex issues
Leverage scarce resources
Reduce conflict and litigation
Promote innovation and integration
&
Create significant, measurable improvements!!
Key Benefits
Key Partners
Florida KidCare Partner agencies
Other state agencies: DOE, DOR,
Children’s Hospitals
Schools and school districts
Faith-based organizations
Health Plans
Health departments
CBO’s
Businesses
Military & veteran organizations
Government entities or municipalities
What are you doing?
Application Assistance Program Recruiting assisters in identified areas of
need
Identifying application sites
Coalition Building/Grassroots Outreach Focusing on housing, health care and
other organizations
Also reaching out to the business
community and other state agencies
Training Holding informational sessions and
trainings around the state
Training assisters, providers and volunteer
community partners
Cultural Competency
Competency vs. Awareness
Language
Using Interpreters
Written Materials - English, Spanish,
other
Advocacy
The Multi-Prong Approach
Community Navigator/Certified Application Assistance
Sites Referral programs
Community coalitions
Military/Veteran outreach
Business outreach School-based outreach
Children’s hospital-based outreach
Faith-based outreach Press Enrollment Events
Link with Text4Baby
Teen Campaign
ELL & Refugee Outreach
Community Coalitions
19 Local Coalitions representing
30 counties
Targeting Hispanic and Haitian
populations
Both Urban and Rural
Identifying application assistance
sites
Targeting the newly unemployed
and newly eligible
Referral Program Basics
Establishing a referral arrangement
between your program and community
organizations is a powerful tool to increase
local capacity and get kids enrolled
When done correctly, referral programs
can be very effective for both the
referring organization and your program
Variety of referral methods
Follow-Up and Redetermination
Why Follow-Up Matters
Key Points in the
Coverage Year
Program Evaluation Goal
Assess the process, impact and outcome measures of proposed activities intended to increase enrollment
and retention in all Florida KidCare Program components
“Coming together is the beginning.
Keeping together is progress. Working together is success.”
- Henry Ford
Jodi A. Ray, Project Director
813-974-3143
www.floridacoveringkidsandfamilies.health.usf.edu