Baltimore Healthcare Access/Project Health

Low-income families often struggle with non-medical issues that can undermine their health. Healthcare professionals serving these families struggle to address such needs as inadequate food, poor housing conditions, lack of appropriate child care and/or after-school programs for children, and lack of health insurance - all of which, though not considered medical uses, can undermine health or lead to risky situations. Parents who struggle to feed their children or pay the rent may have little capacity to focus on maintaining their own and their children's health, and the lack of health insurance is often a barrier to accessing health care. Moreover, housing and environmental conditions such as lead paint, mold, rodent infestation, or lack of heat and utilities can cause serious health problems. Unfortunately, most health care professionals are not equipped to address these non-medical needs and lack the resources to connect their patients with appropriate services.

Baltimore HealthCare Access (BHCA) is a quasi-public agency of the Baltimore City Health Department that works to assist uninsured clients and those who are on Medical Assistance to access health care services. Recognizing the importance of addressing non-health concerns that can lead to poor health outcomes, BHCA initiated Project HEALTH in 2006 with a grant of $56,000 from The Abell Foundation and funding from other Baltimore foundations. Based on a successful Boston program, Project HEALTH recruits college students to serve as volunteers to provide services in community-based health centers. The students assist patients with non-heath care needs, such as applying for pubic benefits, and identifying housing and food resources. The health care professionals can then focus on the patients' medical needs, and the patients are better able to focus on their own medical treatment.

Project HEALTH opened its first help desk in Baltimore at the Johns Hopkins Harriet Lane Clinic in fall 2006, staffed by 20 students from Johns Hopkins University and Loyola College. In 2007, Project HEALTH plans to expand to seven additional Baltimore sites - four drug treatment programs, two Baltimore City Health Department clinics, and a community-based health center. Project HEALTH will also recruit student volunteers from Morgan State University. the program expects to serve at least 250 families in its first year and 500 families by the end of its second year.