SUBSTITUTE
Public Hearing: YES ☐ NO ☒ Department: Board of Commissioners - District 6
SUBJECT:
Title
Commission District(s): Commission Districts 4 and 6
To approve $-----------125.000.00 from District 6 ARP appropriations to Clarkston Community Health Center (CCHC) use to increase the capacity to meet the critical need for COVID-19 related and healthcare access and equity provisions for the un/under insured and Immigrant and Refugee community.
Body
Information Contact: Commissioner Edward C. “Ted” Terry
Phone Number: 404-371-4909
PURPOSE:
To appropriate the $125,000 to hire 3-5 Community Health Workers (CHW) (the equivalent of 4 FTEs).
• The total cost of $125,000 to hire 3-5 Community Health Workers (CHW) (the equivalent of 4 FTEs) to be fully spent by December 31, 2024
• Estimated breakdown equals $62.50 per qualified participant includes each full time Community Health Worker serving 500 people annually at an average annual salary of ~$31,500. So, each CHW would be providing service to one individual for $62.50.
• CHWs would help individuals in our community access benefits they are entitled to already but are not aware of, such as Medicaid (a large number of people are falling off the rolls of Medicaid currently with the ending of the public health emergency and automatic renewals), ACA plans, WIC, housing assistance, etc.
• CHWs will provide both one-on-one education (in our clinic) as well as classes for community members on a variety of healthcare topics to improve health outcomes (for example, topics such as diabetes management, hypertension, diet and healthy living, and more)
• CHWs will be trained on a variety of community resources available to their clients and provide and coordinate referrals to these resources. In some cases, this may involve personally taking these patients to appointments. In other cases, it may be just interpretation services over the phone, or helping to guide the client where they need to go.
NEED/IMPACT:
The Clarkston Community Health Center (CCHC) is requesting a change in the purpose of the $125,000 that was allocated to CCHC earlier this year. The original purpose was to be used for purchasing medical equipment. The updated and revised purpose is to use these funds to hire Community Health Workers that will provide patient navigation services in our area. This request is being made due to the urgent need to provide these services in our community. These services will be provided to DeKalb County’s disenfranchised, immigrants and refugees who felt the greatest impacts from the ramifications of COVID 19 by serving as a bridge to historically marginalized and/or newcomer communities to improve overall access to healthcare services. CHWs will: assist with navigating existing services for individuals who are unaware of benefits they are already eligible for, proactively educate community members to increase public health knowledge among the diverse communities in Clarkston (new American) as well as native-born, assist with navigating the healthcare system for individuals in need of complex care.
FISCAL IMPACT:
$125,000.00 from D6 ARP fund
RECOMMENDATION:
Recommended Action
Approve the $125,000 D6 ARP appropriation to CCHC and authorize the CEO or his designee to execute all necessary documents.