Medicaid Outreach: Grassroots and Beyond

1. Medicaid Outreach: Grassroots and Beyond March 18, 2011 National Hispanic Medical Association 15th Annual Conference Anel Mercado Sanjuan Manager, Enrollment Growth Molina Healthcare of Washington

2. Background • Medicaid Outreach to Latinos in King County began • in 1998. Washington received a grant as part of the • Covering Kids and Families funded by the Robert • Wood Johnson Foundation. Developed grassroots • Latino Outreach Program for King County Public • Health Department. • Participated in Covering Kids Latino Outreach Toolkit • development in 2001.

3. Lessons learned a decade ago, still apply: • Build Trust • Materials in appropriate language and appropriate • reading levels. • Community partnerships

4. Promotores • Culturally-tailored community-based outreach approaches, such as the Promotores de la Salud , have proven to be effective • May be composed of volunteer or paid community health workers • Promotores are trained as health navigators to work within their own communities.

5. Promotor Program to Enroll Uninsured • In 2008 developed Promotor Porgram for Public Health • Department in King County. Promotores focus: enroll • uninsured children into public health coverage and assure that • they receive medical and dental care. • Program tracks the number of newly enrolled children in • Medicaid and SCHIP in by Promotores and those connected to • a doctor and/or dentist. • Additionally, focus group discussions were conducted with • Promotores to ascertain the strategies they employ to • successfully connect with families, the intangible benefits that • Program participation offers to them and the challenges • that the community faces. Program evaluation consisted • of conducting three focus group discussions.

6. 2009 Focus Group Discussion Outcomes • Successful Strategies • Promotores have success in reaching families who are often on periphery of the health system because they are members of the Latino community in which they volunteer • Promotores primarily use personal networks to locate eligible children, which include, family, friends, neighbors, schools, churches, neighborhood apartment complexes, and word-of-mouth referrals. • Promotores help families to navigate the complexities of publicly funded agencies that oversee the medical programs and the healthcare system in this country.

7. Focus Group Discussion Outcomes Continued • Personal Benefits for Promotores • Promotores value learning about the health benefits for which they are eligible and helping other in their community to become informed about those benefits • Promotores, the majority of whom are low-income women with little previous professional work experience, report a new sense of pride and accomplishment and increased self esteem as a result of their participation in the Promotores Program. Promotores value the opportunity for personal and professional development and opportunities to learn. • Promotores appreciate contributing to the financial health of their own families through the gift cards, which they receive as reasonable reimbursement for expenses they incur while serving as volunteers.

8. Focus Group Discussion Outcomes Continued • Lessons Learned • Promotores find that many families still encounter persistent system wide discrimination while trying to apply for publicly funded benefits and services • Promotores credibility and role is enhanced in the in their community with agency support, such as formal introductions to community partners and at community events. As well as, equipped with the proper identifiers and materials, such as, badges, flyers, and business cards. • Promotores overwhelmingly concurred that a Program Coordinator has to have certain characteristics and someone who is both fluent in Spanish and Latina is essential to program success.

9. Molina Healthcare of Washington • Latino Outreach Focus • Bilingual Staff • Building Trust • Partnerships • - Mexican Consulate • - Health Fairs at Faith Based Organizations • Program Education • Health Education • Community Navigator Program

10. Questions? • Thank you • Anel Mercado • (425) 424-7159 • anel.mercado@molinahealthcare.com