Wednesday, February 5, 2025
2/5/2025
Project Title: Connecting Kids to Coverage Expansion and Enhancement Applicant Name: Southcentral Foundation Address: 4501 Diplomacy Drive, Anchorage, AK 99508 Website: https://www.southcentralfoundation.com/ Project Director: Michelle Wenger, Administrator Grant Funds Requested: $1,500,000 over three project years Overview: Southcentral Foundation (SCF) is an Alaska Native 501(c) (3) nonprofit with a vision of a Native Community that enjoys physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual wellness. To reach this vision, SCF is committed to assisting Alaska Native and American Indian children and families obtain, maintain, and utilize health care insurance. Project Need: Alaska Native and American Indian people have the highest uninsured rates in the nation. Alaska has 733,391 people, 79,431 are children, and 22% are Alaska Native and American Indian people, representing the state with the highest share of Native people, according to the 2020 U.S. Census. The Center for Children & Families – Children’s Health Care Report Card states 9.4% or approximately 18,000 of Alaska’s children are uninsured. Alaska has the third-highest rate of uninsured children in the nation, and Native children are disproportionally uninsured at 14.4% in Alaska. Target Population: This project will aim to reach Alaska Native and American Indian children, parents, and pregnant individuals in Alaska. While the proposed project focuses on Native people, SCF will provide anyone screening, enrollment, and application assistance. The project incorporates targeting a mix of urban and rural communities and a statewide reach with the Partnership Referral Network. Proposed Project: This project aims to expand and enhance SCF’s Connecting Kids to Coverage Program (CKC) to increase enrollment of Alaska Native and American Indian children, parents, and pregnant individuals in Alaska in Medicaid and Denali KidCare (DKC – Alaska’s Children’s Health Insurance Program). Because of barriers in the Native community, this proposed project emphasizes education, outreach, enrollment, one-on-one direct application assistance, and community partner engagement. SCF has secured written agreements with the State of Alaska, allowing access to the state’s data systems to verify and support enrollments. Additionally, the IQualify Software is a comprehensive tool for the project staff to manage the Medicare, Medicaid, DKC enrollment process, including distinctly tracking and reporting for multiple projects. The outreach and enrollment plan incorporates five primary strategies: 1) Outreach Events and Initiatives covers the work in the community at events, with partners, and through social media to share information about health insurance coverage options. 2) Application and Renewal Assistance is the direct and one-on-one support provided by SCF’s Health Benefits Specialists (HBSs). The HBSs are strategically embedded in the community and clinic locations to reach the target population. 3) The Parent Mentor Program is a new initiative to intentionally hire and train parents who have a child with Medicaid/DKC to use their experiences to build relationships further and provide context for the families they are supporting. 4) A Partnership Referral Network, with nine committed partners, has been established to support SCF’s CKC program and collaboratively work on targeted outreach efforts. 5) School-Based Outreach is established in Alaska’s largest school district. The comprehensive plan includes realistic yet ambitious target measures, with the ultimate goal of increasing the number of Alaska Native and American Indian children and families with health insurance.
HHS’ Tracking Accountability in Government Grants System (TAGGS) website provides access to detailed descriptions of grants, loans, aggregated direct payments and other types of financial assistance awarded by the HHS Operating Divisions (OPDIVs) and the Office of the Secretary Staff Divisions (STAFFDIVs).