covering kids & families A university, public schools, and Extension collaboration to assist uninsured families with access to Medicaid/SCHIP Roberta Riportella, PhD Health Policy Specialist UW Extension Professor, Dept of Consumer Science, School of Human Ecology University of Wisconsin-Madison
1. A university, public schools, and Extension collaborationto
assist uninsured families with access to Medicaid/SCHIP Roberta
Riportella, PhD Health Policy Specialist UW Extension Professor,
Dept of Consumer Science, School of Human Ecology University of
Wisconsin-Madison covering kids & families
2. Purposes End goal: leave with tools so you can replicate
outreach project Who we are What we do How Extension has been
involved Why we know its importantevaluation base covering kids
& families
3. covering kids & families Began as RWJ statewide
coalition 1999, currently 65 organizations Dedicated to reducing
health disparities and improving overall health in Wisconsin
Emphasis on enhancing local capacity to maximize participation in
BadgerCare+ Grant funded covering kids & families
4. Covering Kids & Families Coalition of more than 65
statewide organizations Academic institutions UW-Madison and UW
Extension State agencies WI Department of Health Services and
Department of Public Instruction Community Based Organizations
Family Resource Connection and La Causa A statewide coalition with
a university home allows us: Easy access to data to target problems
and populations To be in the field and evaluate (research and
outreach) Credibility within Wisconsin and beyond covering kids
& families
5. BadgerCare Plus Wisconsins SCHIP: State Childrens Health
Insurance Program Precursor, BadgerCare, began in 1999 Eligible
persons must apply & renew for benefits Program expansions:
Children at all income levels (some exceptions) Caretaker relatives
up 200% of poverty Childless adults up to 200% of poverty Recent
approvals for increased premiums covering kids & families
6. Reaching the Uninsured Awareness among eligible families
remains incomplete There are newly eligible families all the time
Information campaigns alone may not be enough Many other barriers:
Perceptions (income too high, insurance unnecessary) Complicated
family lives with competing priorities Programmatic complexities
(paperwork requirements, difficult to navigate alone) Language
difficulties and cultural beliefs covering kids & families
7. The CHILD Project Connecting Health Insurance with Lunch
DataThe Goal: Sustainable, effective, efficientprocesses that
schools can use to reachfamilies in need of BadgerCare Plus
(BC+)The Method: Working closely with schoolsacross Wisconsin to
improve and expandoutreach about BC+ while building local
capacityto assist with enrollment. covering kids &
families
8. CHILD to REACH BC+ Began in 16 Wisconsin districts Pilot
project field test different methods Originally: Connect
free/reduced price lunch participants to BC+ CHILD (Connecting
Health Insurance to Lunch Data) Currently in 3 CESAs (cooperative
educational service agencies) covering multiple districts Less
direct assistance to individual schools, working through community
partnerships REACH BC+ (Retention and Enrollment to Achieve
Childrens Health and Build Capacity) covering kids &
families
9. covering kids & families
10. Heres What Weve Learned Build capacity among school staff
Provide simple, accessible training tools on BadgerCare Plus
Provide county-specific outreach tools Tailor outreach strategies
to district capacity Strengthen community partnerships Integrate
systems to collect and share insurance information covering kids
& families
11. Before we were involved in theprojectwe were
fragmentedabout how we were going to help{uninsured} families. Now
wefeel we have some strategies. Health coordinator CHILD district
covering kids & families
12. REACH BC+: School-based outreach in CESA 8CESA 8 PAC
Meeting presentationCaroline B. GomezFebruary 10,2012 covering kids
& families
13. Overview Explain who we are: covering kids & families.
REACH BC+. Discuss what we know about families and health
insurance: CESA 8 Parent Survey results (2011) What families in the
Northwoods are thinking. Statewide School Pupil Services Staff
Survey (2009) Introduce ways CKF can help your school district
assist families through REACH BC+. covering kids &
families
14. Why This Project, Why Now In Wisconsin, 86,000 children (7
%) were uninsured for all or part of 2009 (WI DHS) More families
may be losing health insurance, due to economy and rising health
care costs Information campaigns alone may not be enough; families
may need follow-up contact, direct assistance or other resources
covering kids & families
15. Parent Survey Results (contd) Percentage of uninsured
children hovered right at the state average of 7%. This gives us an
estimate of how many uninsured children may be in each district:
Beecher: 17 Niagra:30 Bonduel: 57 Oconto: 77 Bowler: 26 Oconto
Falls: 128 Clintonville: 101 Peshtigo: 85 Coleman: 52 Shawano-
Crandon: 63 Gresham: 178 Crivitz: 52 Suring: 33 Florence: 33
Tigerton: 19 Goodman- Wabeno: 35 Armstong: 10 Wausaukee: 35 Laona:
16 White Lake: 13 Lena: 27 Wittenberg- Marinette: 151 Birnamwood:
86 covering kids & families
16. Cesa 8 Parent HealthInsurance Survey Results What families
in the Northwoods are thinking. covering kids & families
17. Parent Survey Results CESA 8: Worried About Family Having
Health Insurance N = 292 43% 34% 22% 1%Not at all worried Somewhat
worried Extremely worried missing covering kids & families
18. covering kids & families
19. covering kids & families
20. Parent Survey Results (contd) CESA 8: Specific Source of
BadgerCare+ Information Through Schools N = 72 32% 17% 14% 14% 8%
7% 4% 3% 1% covering kids & families
21. Statewide School Pupil Services Staff Survey (2009) School
District Staff Perspectives covering kids & families
22. covering kids & families
23. Statewide School Pupil Services Staff Survey (contd) How
would you rate your knowledge of BadgerCare+? Excellent 2% Good Not
very good 45% 53% covering kids & families
24. covering kids & families
25. So, What isBadgerCare+? Eligibility and Covered Services
covering kids & families
26. Video
cliphttp://dpimedia.wi.gov/main/Viewer/?peid=00653105c2764590abe97f3e6779cf98
covering kids & families
27. Schools Are a Natural Fit!School staff are often a first
resource forfamilies in need: Well respected, trusted Accessible
for families Very likely already providing some BadgerCare+ help
covering kids & families
28. What Can Schools Do? Increase awareness and understanding
of BadgerCare+ among key district staff Promote BadgerCare+ to
students and families Help students (and families) in need of
health insurance find the resources they need to enroll in
BadgerCare+ covering kids & families
29. REACH BC+ This is where WE come in! covering kids &
families
31. Whats in the Toolbox? BadgerCare Plus Basics Outreach
Materials County Tools Research and DataFree, easy to download
resources! covering kids & families
32. BadgerCare Plus Toolbox Helping families apply Express
enrollment How To covering kids & families
34. Outreach Materials BadgerCare Plus bookmarks, flyers
Newsletter articles Presentations and Trainings Outreach Plans
Insurance Data Collection Tools covering kids & families
35. REACH BC+ Goals Increase knowledge among school and
community staff about eligibility and enrollment options such that
they are positioned to assist uninsured children Spur action among
school and community staff to proactively promote coverage options,
identify uninsured children and provide assistance Affect systems
in schools and community organizations so that this level of
engagement is a sustainable part of schools missions covering kids
& families
36. What Your Schools Get Out of REACH BC+ District access to
CKF staff who can answer your questions about access to health care
Access to the CKF BadgerCare+ Toolbox BadgerCare+ trainings,
tailored to individual staff, groups, or districts Facilitation of
partnerships among existing agencies, schools and community
resources covering kids & families
37. GiveUs theGreenLight! This is where YOU come in! covering
kids & families
38. Next Steps1. Would you like Covering Kids & Families to
work with your school district so that your staff are more prepared
to assist families with BadgerCare+.2. Would you like us to follow
up with you or other school contact with more information about the
specifics of REACH BC+. covering kids & families
39. Health & EducationWere firm believers that if we can
keep the kids healthy, they are going to have a better chance at
learning and being successful here in school. District
Administrator, a Wisconsin School District covering kids &
families
40. What we want from Extension and others Help taking a
well-tested, promising model statewide CKF developed and tested the
model in 15 diverse districts over the past three years We now
stand poised to put it to work, but need local supports for schools
to be most effective Statewide replication light More intensive
replication in Southwestern, Western and Central Wisconsin covering
kids & families
41. What we specifically want from Cooperative Extension Level
1: What we call the Basic ask. Field a phone call from CKF staff to
provide a run down of whats going on in the community:
organizations suited to potentially help, work in the schools
already in place, key contacts, etc. Provide space for gatherings
of people to be introduced to the toolbox Promoting the project to
key, established contacts and via existing communication modalities
(list serves, websites, newsletters) covering kids &
families
42. What we specifically want from Cooperative Extension:
contd. Level 2: A more involved ask funding for up to 5% FTE
Promoting the project to less established contacts Attending
gatherings of people getting introduced to REACH BC+ Level 3:
Community collaborator funding for up to 10% FTE Help to develop
the train the trainer package (a refinement of our Toolbox) Get
trained to deliver and delivering the BC+ 101 training Get trained
to field and fielding initial technical assistance requests in the
wake of BC+ 101 covering kids & families
43. Why This Project, Why Now Virtually all kids, regardless of
income, are eligible Yet, 83,000 children (8%) were uninsured for
all or part of 2008 Three-quarters of these children were eligible
for BadgerCare Plus Tough economy means there are newly eligible
families all the time, some brand new to seeking public assistance
Information campaigns alone may not be enough Federal health reform
causing additional confusion covering kids & families
44. Why This Project, Why You: Contd. Schools offer a
semi-captive audience in a trusted environment, are interested,
doing some work already, have systems, need help. At a time when
county boards are asking Extension to be more involved with helping
vulnerable families through these difficult economic times, your
engagement is not only an asset for our work, but highly relevant
to your community needs. covering kids & families
45. What Weve Learned Provide localized outreach tools Tailor
outreach strategies to district capacity Build capacity among
school staff Provide simple, accessible training tools on
BadgerCare Plus Strengthen community partnerships Integrate systems
to collect and share insurance information covering kids &
families
46. Helping Schools Help Families Get Health Insurance1. Assess
local capacities and level of interest a. What are you already
doing that could be adapted to include health insurance outreach
and/or enrollment assistance? b. Who is there to help? Challenges:
Identifying and connecting with the right people Navigating
existing (and highly variable!) school systems covering kids &
families
47. Helping Schools Help Families Get Health Insurance2. Enlist
& Cultivate local partners a. Make/re-affirm local connections
b. Provide training for MA/SCHIP enrollment Challenges: Fostering
buy-in Keeping expectations realistic Need for on-going technical
assistance covering kids & families
48. Helping Schools Help Families Get Health Insurance3.
Determine outreach strategies a. Select and adapt materials for
student population b. Strategies differ through targeting specific
populations, and by level of intensity of personal contact
Challenges: Choosing strategies that complement existing activities
Data sharing agreements and data sharing itself can be time
intensive and complex processes covering kids & families
49. Helping Schools Help Families Get Health Insurance4.
Implement outreach strategiesChallenges: Time & Energy
Following through beyond providing information5. Assess, evaluate,
modify, assess, evaluateChallenges: Isolating the effects of
outreach efforts on changes in knowledge, attitudes, or coverage
covering kids & families
51. CHILD Project outcomes and methods used for measurement
covering kids & families
52. covering kids & families
53. Funding2003-2007 Robert Wood Johnson, Covering Kids &
Families2007-2010 UW School of Medicine and Public Healths
Wisconsin Partnership Program (March 2007- November 2010) The
Healthier Wisconsin Partnership Program, a component of the
Advancing a Healthier Wisconsin endowment at the Medical College of
Wisconsin (July 2007-June 2010) Federal funding has also been made
available through the Wisconsin Department of Health Services.
Beckner Funds; Evjue Foundation; Centene Foundation; UW Extension
Cross-Divisional AwardCurrent Helen Bader Foundation (July
2010-June 2012) Ira and Ineva Reilly Baldwin Wisconsin Idea
Endowment (July 2010-June 2013) Wisconsin Department of Health
(CHIPRA) UW School of Medicine and Public Healths Wisconsin
Partnership Program (March 2010- February 2013) covering kids &
families
