Background: Connecting vulnerable populations to healthcare and health-related services remains a challenge. In San Diego County, California, many individuals are unaware that they are eligible for assistance, and community-based healthcare providers often do not have a single, reliable point of access for information on available programs.
Purpose: This paper describes how 2-1-1 San Diego worked with community partners to develop and implement a Healthcare Navigation Program. Navigators provide information about health insurance coverage, prescription assistance, and food assistance for low-income households and assist clients with transportation, appointment scheduling, child/elder care, and personal finance.
Methods: The 2-1-1 agents collected demographic, healthcare access, and program participation data as part of routine service. Participants in the Healthcare Navigation Program also completed a follow-up satisfaction survey. Data were collected July to December 2011, and analyzed in 2012.
Results: The program has resulted in increased enrollment of eligible individuals in California's Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program and Medicaid, and a high percentage of callers reported satisfaction with the program and use of the referral information they received.
Conclusions: The health-related programs of 2-1-1 San Deigo demonstrate the ability of this platform to support improvements in health and healthcare access.
Copyright © 2012 American Journal of Preventive Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.