Cooperative Agreement to Support Navigators in Federally-facilitated and State Partnership Marketplaces - Through this proposal, Westside Family Healthcare (WFH) is requesting $7,500,000 for the five year grant period. WFH has extensive knowledge and a long history of experience and success in providing primary and preventive care to diverse patient populations, particularly those with low-income. In operation since 1988, WFH’s mission is to improve the health of our communities by providing equal access to quality healthcare, regardless of ability to pay. WFH is proud to have been awarded the HHS Navigator grant every cycle since inception in 2015. WFH is a non-profit 501(c)3 organization receiving federally qualified health center (FQHC) status in 1994. WFH receives Section 330(e) and Section 330(g) US Public Health Service funds to provide services in each of Delaware’s three counties and the special population of migrant and seasonal agricultural workers (MSAWs) in Kent and western Sussex Counties. WFH operates five clinical delivery sites and one mobile health unit caring for more than 24,000 patients annually with nearly 33% of patients who are uninsured. WFH proposes to expand outreach and enrollment efforts by deploying 17 FTE Navigators statewide with investment of $1,500,000 annually through the cooperative agreement. The program team will assist consumers in navigating the Health Insurance Marketplace, support Medicaid unwinding, provide education on consumer protections, and help consumers find the most affordable coverage to meet their needs. The team will consist of 17 FTE team members: 6 Community Navigators, 6 Enrollment Specialists, 1 Enrollment Services Lead/Trainer, 1 Enrollment Specialists Supervisor, 1 Community Navigator Supervisor, 1 Enrollment Services Manager, and 1 Associate Director of Enrollment Services. WFH will employ these 17 FTE Navigators throughout the grant period under this Cooperative Agreement who will provide assistance in New Castle, Kent, and Sussex Counties. Navigators will be recruited, hired, trained, certified, and in their roles by October 1, 2024. WFH will hire Navigator staff that are proficient in English and the language that best represents the community served (i.e. Spanish, Haitian Creole), and will utilize a language interpretation line, as needed to best serve consumers. Additionally, WFH will contract Sussex County Health Coalition (SCHC) to optimize outreach to priority populations in Sussex country, by reducing travel barriers. Funding through this application will support outreach and in-reach capacity in the targeted high-need communities of Wilmington, Newark, Bear/New Castle, Middletown in New Castle County, Smyrna, Dover, Milford and Harrington in Kent County; and Milton, Georgetown, Laurel, Frankford, and Seaford in Sussex County. WFH will expand outreach efforts to reach an estimated 56,000 uninsured Delawareans by leveraging partnerships with hospital systems, trade associations, local government agencies and nonprofit institutions to reach those who remain uninsured and underinsured. Grassroots tactics will be utilized to disseminate information across various cost-effective channels like electronic newsletters and social media. Consumers will also have access to enrollment assistance at WFH’s clinical delivery sites as well as at locations in the community.
