Scenic Bluffs Community Health Center Help Team
- Need: To help inform western Wisconsin residents about their health insurance options and local programs to support their healthcare needs.
- Intervention: The Scenic Bluffs Community Health Centers' Help Team offers free services for community members facing barriers to accessing healthcare, such as transportation, language, cost, and insurance, among other social factors.
- Results: In 2022, nearly 1,300 people received support and guidance from the Help Team regarding programs, resources, and health insurance enrollment. In total, 201 individuals were enrolled in health insurance.
Description
Scenic Bluffs Community Health Centers is an
independent, non-profit healthcare provider serving
western Wisconsin. As a Community Health Center, Scenic
Bluffs not only provides healthcare within their doors,
but also focuses on reducing health barriers throughout
the communities they serve. They offer a wide range of
primary care and complementary therapies, as well as
support services to assist and guide people with their
day-to-day needs.
In order to reduce barriers to healthcare, Scenic Bluffs offers Patient Access Coordinators, known as the Help Team. The Help Team guides individuals through locating, understanding, and obtaining healthcare benefits, insurance, transportation needs and prescription drug programs. They also provide information on area food pantries, thrift stores, community care applications, and other local agencies. Additionally, the team has Certified Application Counselors (CACs) that can screen for eligibility in various assistance programs and help enroll individuals in health insurance through The Marketplace (Affordable Care Act) or BadgerCare Plus (Wisconsin Medicaid/Forward Health).
Services offered
Help Team services are available in Cashton and Norwalk, or by phone. Help Team Services are free and available to everyone, regardless of whether they are a patient of Scenic Bluffs.
Services include:
- Insurance enrollment assistance
- Program eligibility screenings
- Transportation assistance
- Prescription assistance
- Connections to local agencies and resources
Results
In 2022, nearly 1,300 people received support and guidance from the Help Team regarding programs, resources, and health insurance enrollment. In total, 201 individuals were enrolled in health insurance.
Challenges
Those interested in starting a similar outreach program may want to consider these lessons learned:
- Finding trusted locations to meet with those in the community that would benefit from services, during a variety of hours that work for varying schedules can be challenging. Continue to try different outreach locations and hours that work for those in your community.
- Procrastination to enroll in health insurance is common. Early promotion should be a priority to help people get signed up on time.
- Individuals may need support from a variety of agencies. Making connections seamless for them is important.
Replication
Rural providers who want to help people find out about health insurance options and community resources should:
- Gather information to become educated enough to identify people who should be accessing the Health Insurance Marketplace or Medicaid.
- Be prepared to provide the information to patients.
- Know where people can access a CAC and refer to that CAC.
- Reach out to a local health center to inquire if they employ a CAC. Consider partnering and request their help at your healthcare site.
- Connect with your local health department to learn about non-profit agencies in your county and additional resources available.
Topics
Benefit enrollment and application
Federally Qualified Health Centers
Health insurance
States served
Wisconsin
Date added
May 22, 2014
Date updated or reviewed
October 23, 2023
Suggested citation: Rural Health Information Hub, 2023. Scenic Bluffs Community Health Center Help Team [online]. Rural Health Information Hub. Available at: https://www.ruralhealthinfo.org/project-examples/752 [Accessed 18 April 2024]
Please contact the models and innovations contact directly for the most complete and current information about this program. Summaries of models and innovations are provided by RHIhub for your convenience. The programs described are not endorsed by RHIhub or by the Federal Office of Rural Health Policy. Each rural community should consider whether a particular project or approach is a good match for their community’s needs and capacity. While it is sometimes possible to adapt program components to match your resources, keep in mind that changes to the program design may impact results.