Access to Services

Access to Services

Grantmaking in the area of access seeks opportunities to:

• Strengthen and increase the ability of organizations to reach out to those in need;
• Support efforts which make it easier for those in need to access health related services.

Factors affecting access to quality health services include:

Transportation

The factors affecting access to health services can vary from person to person, but aggregately, the main barrier to accessing services in the Foundation’s catchment area is transportation. Transportation to and from services is a key issue in the delivery of rural health services. Transportation is an issue whether or not the service is offered locally or 50 miles away. For seniors living in rural communities, transportation is often a critical determinant of health and quality of life. The transportation provided within the Foundation’s communities comprise a patchwork of government, quasi-government, private enterprise, nonprofit social service organizations and volunteer run services. While funding several of these services directly, the Foundation has been working to strengthen communication and coordination between these services. In addition, the Foundation has been advocating on their behalf and that of our local communities for more government support of transportation services that are relevant to serving our communities.

Another vital transportation component of our rural system of care is Emergency Medical Services (EMS). In most of our smaller communities these services are provided entirely through a network of volunteers. Often lacking in organizational sophistication and resources, these small squads can benefit from collaborative efforts like regional training opportunities and assistance with recruitment and retention. For this reason, the Foundation has supported the local regional EMS Institute’s operations for the past four years. The agency has significantly increased its ability to provide low cost trainings for area squads, as well as assist in local recruitment and retention activities.

Lack of Knowledge of Resources and Services

It is common to find that knowledge of available services is limited in rural areas where services may or may not be located nearby. The Foundation has actively supported efforts to share information among and between providers, including such resources as Programs that Help People in CT, 211 Infoline, NeedyMeds.com, and HealthWise – a local community health fair.

Costs of services/Inability to pay

In rural health providers are often confronted with the difficult business proposition that while there may be a need or demand for their services the low volume of patients or consumers makes it financially difficult if not impossible to cover operating costs – let alone earn a decent living. This results in higher costs per visit or worse, no local services at all as providers are difficult to recruit and retain in the area. Designing and providing accessible quality services in rural areas demands creativity and collaboration and the Foundation envisions itself as a catalyst for such activities. In recent years, the Foundation has convened leaders in the area of Hospice, breast cancer, social service agencies and town departments, mental health providers, and transportation, etc. to discuss areas of interest and concern develop ideas for improving local services and/or reducing costs in these areas of interest.

Other Barriers to Accessing Services

Other barriers to accessing care include language and cultural issues. In the Foundation catchment area there is a growing Spanish speaking population from a variety of backgrounds (many different countries of origin), some here legally while others are not. Children born here are automatically considered citizens and therefore eligible for services. Families in this scenario often do not get the assistance or services they need fearing deportation even when the child is eligible for services. In addition, each state has differing rules for accessing different programs not to mention different federal government program rules and regulations. The Foundation has invested many hours in reaching out to this community and to those who serve it. The Foundation staff have participated and helped to organize local meetings and forums on issues facing this community. It has funded a project to bring immigration expertise to the area and a project which trains local community members on both health topics and resources for addressing health issues that arise.