NARA NW OHP Connecting Kids to Coverage (CKC) - The Native American Rehabilitation Association of the Northwest (NARA NW) is an Urban Indian Organization and Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC) working with the mission “to provide education, physical and mental health services, and substance abuse treatment to American Indian and Alaska Natives (AI/AN) and other vulnerable populations.” NARA NW is committed to honoring the traditions and worldviews of AI/AN individuals and delivering services with clinical practices that are sensitive to their needs. Through this Connecting Kids to Coverage (CKC) Outreach and Enrollment Cooperative Agreements program provided by CMS, NARA NW seeks to reduce the rate of uninsured children and families in Oregon who are eligible for Medicaid and CHIP. While we will serve all eligible families, NARA NW will leverage our longstanding partnerships with the Nine Tribes of Oregon, Tribal-focused programming, and numerous AI/AN staff to address the disproportionately high rates of uninsured AI/AN children compared to other populations. Our program will provide year-round outreach and enrollment assistance for Medicaid and CHIP, focusing on AI/AN families, justice-involved individuals, and the homeless. We’ll offer support at events, collaborate with schools and local organizations, and utilize mobile outreach and social media to ensure access to coverage. Our goal for this project will be to increase enrollment and renewal activity by 5% each year, leading to greater healthcare access, improved overall health, and increased confidence in navigating the healthcare system among the families we serve. The total budget amount we are requesting is $170,000 annually ($850,000 total for five years). Our program will use these funds to hire a dedicated OHP CKC Specialist, support outreach events, and purchase outreach materials and administrative supplies. Our existing OHP team has years of experience educating and enrolling members in Medicaid and CHIP and is committed to staying up to date with current policies and procedures. This team will also provide mentorship and training for new hires as needed. Under our previous CKC project awarded in 2017, NARA NW successfully recorded 741 enrollment and renewal activities over a two-year period, achieving over 70% of our goal. This success demonstrates our proven approach and organizational capacity, highlighting how well-equipped NARA NW is to build upon this progress with this new funding opportunity.
