Facilitating access to healthcare for the most underserved, vulnerable people in greater Newark is a cornerstone of HFNJ’s mission, and moving people from the rolls of the uninsured to that of the insured is a crucial first step to helping them access that care. When the Affordable Care Act was passed and the ramp-up to enrollment began, the Foundation therefore decided that convening key community leaders and partnering with community organizations with support for public education, outreach, and enrollment activities were the most effective ways in which we could help.
In the fall of 2013, HFNJ issued a Request for Proposals to agencies in the greater Newark region to support education, outreach, and enrollment activities under the Affordable Care Act and NJ’s expansion of Medicaid. Twelve mini-grants and several larger grants were awarded. A learning session for the Foundation’s ACA grantees and key CMS personnel was held in January 2014, and the Foundation continued our worked and made additional grants to support enrollment and education throughout the year.
Grantees include:
- Planned Parenthood of Central & Greater Northern NJ: to provide bi-lingual counselors to conduct on-site Medicaid education, eligibility screening, and enrollment at its high-volume Elizabeth and Morristown Centers.
- New Jersey Citizen Action Education Fund: to hire two certified application counselors and three bi-lingual enrollment assisters able to counsel and assist consumers in completing applications for Medicaid and Marketplace insurance at its Newark offices, on the phone, and at off-site enrollment clinics, and additional staff to focus on outreach at neighborhood stores and other local venues where target groups gather or work.
- NY Public Radio: for an in-depth NJ Public Radio news reporting and community engagement project examining the implementation of the ACA and its impact on the delivery of healthcare in Essex County NJ over the course of 2014 and 2015.
- Planned Parenthood of Metropolitan NJ: to conduct a major campaign of education, outreach, and enrollment assistance in all four of its Newark locations.
- Caucus Education Corporation: to conduct three public forums in greater Newark neighborhoods, bringing enrollment experts to educate the general public about insurance exchanges and Medicaid expansion, respond to questions, and facilitate enrollment.
- Cornerstone Family Programs: to work with Morristown-area immigrants, seniors, and families.
- Greater Newark Healthcare Coalition: for greater Newark’s community-wide ACA information and enrollment coordination.
- Jewish Renaissance Medical Center: for outreach and enrollment activities among Newark’s East and North Ward Spanish and Portuguese-speaking residents.
- La Casa de Don Pedro: for enrollment activities in Newark’s North Ward.
- NCJRI: to work with Newark-area HIV/AIDS+ clients and those at high risk.
- Newark Beth Israel MC Foundation: to enroll uninsured hospital patients.
- Newark NOW: for street outreach and work at Newark Family Success Centers and on area college campuses.
- Overlook Hospital Foundation: to expand coverage amount underserved Hispanic and Latino patients/area residents.
- PICO: to reach Newark-area immigrants through faith-based institutions.
- Rutgers Jordan & Harris Health Center: for outreach, education, and enrollment activities among residents of Newark’s East Ward Housing Authority buildings.
- St. James Social Service Corp: for outreach, education, and enrollment in Newark’s Central Ward.
- Trinitas Health Foundation: to work with the hospital’s uninsured inpatient and outpatient populations in Elizabeth.
