LSNA Health Team reaches out across neighborhood

By Wendy Lehman

The goal of LSNA's Health Team is to reach out to low-income women, children, and families, many of them Latino immigrants, and link them to government-funded health insurance and other services.

28.2% of Logan Square residents are uninsured. Logan Square has a high infant mortality rate at 9.1% per 1000 live births. Linked to this phenomenon is the high rate (26.1%) of Logan Square moms who enter late (after first trimester) into prenatal care as well as a high percentage (18.5%) of teenage mothers. Additionally, Logan Square is ranked 10th in the city for mortality due to liver disease and 11th for mortality due to lower respiratory disease. [1]

In the past decade, through its extensive work in the public schools, LSNA has developed a distinctive education and health initiative that provides services and leadership development primarily to low-income immigrant Latina mothers. The Health Outreach Team (Team) is based in LSNA's office at 2840 N. Milwaukee Avenue, but reaches out to schools, churches, health fairs, and community events to offer its services. The Team distributes and posts flyers throughout the Logan Square community area. This includes posting flyers in local businesses and going door-to-door. Team members are always invited to distribute information twice a year for report card pick-up at 8 local schools.

The goal of LSNA's Health Team is to reach out to low-income women, children, and families, many of them Latino immigrants, and link them to government-funded health insurance such as Kid Care, Family Care, Moms and Babies, or Medicaid. Those who do not qualify due to legal status or a slightly higher income are referred to affordable quality health care at neighborhood FQHC (Federally Qualified Health Centers) clinics. In addition, referrals are provided for limited vision and dental programs, English, citizenship, GED classes, and job training opportunities. The Health Outreach office also serves as an outpost of IDHS offices, making sure that low-income families access benefits that can assist them such as food stamps and cash. Given the limited number of Spanish-speaking social workers at IDHS offices, residents who visit LSNA benefit from the Health Team being bilingual/bi-cultural.

In the 12 months between August 2004 and July 2005 alone, LSNA's Health Outreach Team assisted 2,081 people into health related programs, including Food Stamps, vision programs, and federally funded clinic services. Specifically, the Team accomplished the following:

• 192 new Kid Care applications, with 59 Kid Care renewals;
• 858 individuals referred to clinics;
• 12 new Family Care applications;
• 82 IDHS applications for Medicaid Assistance;
• 148 IDHS applications for Food Stamps;
• 26 IDHS applications for Cash Assistance;
• 20 chronic condition: diabetes referrals;
• 228 referrals to screening for breast and cervical cancer
• 456 referrals into the Vision for Hope Program.

Our open door, no appointment necessary policy encourages clients to return both to follow up on their initial application, as well as to learn about other services LSNA offers that may interest them such as English classes, GED classes, etc. For the Vision for Hope enrollments, we call and tell enrollees when their appointments are. For IDHS programs, sometimes applicants find the materials they receive in the mail confusing and come to our Team for clarifications and help. Sometimes clients come to us for additional assistance when they feel they want more help than the local IDHS office can provide them, as a supplement to the case management they receive there.

It is not unusual for residents who have benefited from our outreach service to return with a family member or friend in need.

[1] Community Area Health Inventory Volume 1. Chicago Department of Public Health, 1999.