Experts share strategies for increasing health access
On Thursday, May 15, the Network hosted its monthly meeting for Network members, focused on expanding health access in the 24:1 and beyond. The meeting featured four panelists:
- Erin Murphy, Assistant Director of Clinical and Community Integration, Care Transition Initiatives, St. Louis Integrated Health Network
- Aja La’Starr Owens, Advocacy and Mobilization Manager, Community Health Commission
- Michael Quinn, PhD, President & CEO, Autism Support Now
- Roy Whitely, President and CEO, Rx Outreach
The speakers ran through a variety of programs their organizations have that can help St. Louis area residents access health care and medications. Some of these programs include:
St. Louis Integrated Health Network Community Referral Coordinator (CRC) Program
CRCs (IHN employees who work on-site at a hospital) connect patients from inpatient units and hospital emergency departments with a primary care home for follow-up and preventative care. This program focuses on serving underinsured and uninsured patients, but works with all patients in need of a medical home. Learn more about IHN’s work here.
Community Health Commission advocacy programs
The Community Health Commission engages in advocacy in a variety of ways, from community listening sessions to engaging with legislators to assisting with Advocacy Days at the state capitol. Other programs include:
- Youth Ambassador Program – Educating students in middle school and up about trauma and the importance of civil engagement. Students in Kansas City and St. Louis are trained to speak with legislators, and even have a chance to speak with legislators.
- Show Me Advocacy – Workshops about the basics of advocacy, educating people on who their legislators are, how to contact those legislators and how to be involved in their communities.
Learn more about their work here.
How to enroll in Autism Support Now services
Autism Support Now serves children and families from underserved communities through advocacy and high-quality early behavioral intervention services underpinned by the science of applied behavior analytics (ABA). This collaborative program is the gold standard of autism care, and ASN’s services are fully covered under most medical insurance plans.
View ASN’s locations and reach out about enrolling in services here. Learn more about the organization here.
Rx Outreach medication programs
Rx Outreach, a national organization that provides affordable medications, has three primary programs:
- Patient-Centered Affordable Medication Program – Providing affordable medications to clients. New clients can reach out to Rx Outreach here.
- Community Partner Network – Partnering with agencies and other organizations on grants and other avenues to make medications even more affordable.
- Fill the Gap Medication Assistance and Support Program – Rx Outreach’s newest program, which is aimed at St. Louis-area clients aged 55-65 who suffer from cardiovascular issues, diabetes, asthma or allergies who are living under 300% of the Federal Property Level. Learn more about Fill the Gap here (Spanish language page here).
Learn more about Rx Outreach here.
Learn more about these programs and hear what the panelists had to say in the recording of the video below. The slideshow from the meeting, with details about each organization, is embedded at the bottom of the page.
