Click  to expand category
|
HRET Health Research & Educational Trust of New Jersey
ResearchOngoing Projects
Covering Kids & Families
Covering Kids & Families: New Jersey Health Access Initiative for Low-Income Uninsured Populations
Table of Contents:
Project Overview
This four-year project is part of the second phase of a national program and works to maximize enrollment and retention of New Jersey's eligible uninsured children in public health insurance programs, namely Medicaid and NJ FamilyCare (New Jersey's State Child Health Insurance Program, or "SCHIP"). This project routinely identifies enrollment and retention needs and helps redesign existing policy and practices to promote enrollment in these programs.
The project implements strategies to:
- Conduct outreach programs to identify and enroll uninsured children who are eligible for Medicaid and SCHIP;
- Simplify enrollment processes for Medicaid and SCHIP; and,
- Coordinate healthcare coverage programs for children in low-income families.
While the project continues to focus on the poor and disadvantaged populations, it specifically targets those with a proportionately greater number of eligible but uninsured individuals in New Jersey (working families in higher income categories, immigrants and minorities, and adolescents). Healthcare delivery sites, schools, immigrant communities and work sites are emphasized for outreach due to proven enrollment success.
The Covering Kids and Families project in New Jersey operates through a statewide coalition of government agencies and over 60 state-based and community organizations that provide care to children and families or advocate for them, with HRET serving as the lead agency. The coalition includes representatives from hospitals and clinics, healthcare providers and professional organizations, schools and educational associations, social service agencies, child/family and immigrant advocacy groups, the faith community, other grassroots organizations, private health plans, academia and the business community.
Implementation of this project is supported by a grant from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. Other funding sources provide some matching funds.
Top of Page
Statewide Activities
The statewide activities of the Covering Kids and Families project are administered by HRET as the lead agency, with oversight and contributions from the appropriate subcommittees of the statewide coalition. Certain activities are conducted by agencies serving as statewide grantees with expertise in their fields, namely the New Jersey Immigration Policy Network and the Association for Children of New Jersey.
Statewide activities include:
- Conferences and educational programs on the issues of the uninsured and on the NJ FamilyCare program;
- Statewide and local training sessions for hospital staff and community-based outreach workers on the NJ FamilyCare program, application process, regulations and policies as well as culturally sensitive outreach; partnering with the New Jersey Immigration Policy Network to address the unique outreach needs and enrollment barriers faced by immigrant communities;
- Outreach to professional groups and community organizations to encourage the inclusion of NJ FamilyCare information and application assistance as part of their routine services;
- Active outreach and networking to identify and enroll eligible children in NJ FamilyCare, targeting eligible working families at higher incomes, immigrant and minority populations, and adolescents;
- Development of educational resources to complement outreach strategies;
- Routine identification and assessment of policy and procedural barriers to enrollment and retention collected first-hand or through literature review;
- Research and evaluation to study the issues of the uninsured and the impact of efforts to address health coverage needs;
- Assessment of barriers and development of action plans to simplify the processes and remove barriers through active advocacy, partnering with the Association for Children of New Jersey; currently addressing issues related to coverage levels, too much documentation, eligibility determination vendor issues, automation of the information systems and the need for more simplified application/renewal forms;
- Ensuring optimal coordination of existing coverage programs to close gaps and maximize families' access to healthcare coverage;
- Establishing a foundation of collaborative community resources that can extend the goal of enrolling eligible children beyond the CKF grant period; and,
- Using evaluation techniques to regularly assess and adjust the statewide and local project plans.
Top of Page
Educational Resources
To receive a copy of any of the following resources, please download, complete and return the attached Covering Kids & Families resource order form (.pdf file size 121 KB 1 pg.).
To order NJ FamilyCare applications or other materials, please contact the state's vendor at 609-421-4093.
- Covering Kids & Families brochure - an informational resource about the goals and activities of our project.
- NJ FamilyCare Training Manual for Outreach Workers (second edition) - covers background on the program, application guidelines and procedures, tips for outreach and links to other resources in the community and incorporates the most recent changes to the program. We encourage you to attend a Covering Kids and Families training session. Download Manual (.pdf file size 1,180 KB 60 pgs.)
- Directory of Outreach and Application Assistance Sites - a compilation of comprehensive information on all outreach sites and enrollment agencies, available for the entire state and separately for each county.
- "A Guide to Using HMOs and ‘Managed Care' for NJ FamilyCare Enrollees" brochure - an informational resource to help NJ FamilyCare enrollees navigate their way through the system of healthcare services provided by the HMOs participating in the program.
- "Families Love NJ FamilyCare" Awareness video (updated) - available in English and Spanish, runs for approximately 4:30 minutes in a 90-minute loop and features stories from real New Jersey families.
- Outreach Toolkit for Hospitals (.pdf file size 1,477 KB 4 pgs.) - includes samples of NJ FamilyCare resources and ideas for more active hospital involvement.
- Outreach Toolkit for Faith-based Organizations - includes samples of NJ FamilyCare resources, tips on how to get involved with identifying and assisting families and samples for a sermon on promoting child health insurance.
Top of Page
Publications
Top of Page
Contact Information
For more information about this project, including NJ FamilyCare training dates and help with reaching out to and assisting families who need healthcare coverage for their children, please contact any of the agencies below:
New Jersey's Lead Agency
Firoozeh M. Vali, Ph.D., Project Director
Jennifer Barrett, Project Coordinator
Health Research & Educational Trust of New Jersey
760 Alexander Road, Box 1
Princeton, NJ 08543-0001
phone: 609-275-4145
fax: 609-275-4228
e-mail: research@njha.com
Top of Page
Related Links
The NJ FamilyCare Program - New Jersey's State Children's Health Insurance Program, providing healthcare coverage to children under 19 who qualify based on family size and income.
The Covering Kids and Families National Program Office – providing information on Covering Kids and Families projects throughout the country, communications kits and materials for successful outreach.
Top of Page
|
|