CHAP is collaborating with others across the country to achieve health equity and improve focusing on outcomes. Please see the attached guide representing our common principles and approach. Learn More
Prenatal care is one of the most critical interventions to reduce the rate of low birth weight. If a young mother is homeless or does not have enough food for her other children, then she is not likely to access prenatal care or other medical services. CHAP helps families with identified needs: housing, food, educational services, employment, and other health resources.
The Community Health Access Project (CHAP) provides a recognized model of community-based care coordination as a means of improving the basic health and social outcomes of individuals in economically disadvantaged neighborhoods. Community connected care management, reaching out, beyond the doctor’s office and hospital, connecting to those most at risk and ensuring they receive critical health services, can eliminate health disparities and save dollars. The work of CHAP in partnership with other similar programs across the country is helping to improve the effectiveness of care coordination as part of the health and social service system. Contractual models and pilot programs are in place to ensure dollars supporting care coordination purchase meaningful work products focused on positive outcomes.
CHAP has documented positive outcomes, which in addition to improved health, demonstrate the achievement of self sufficiency. CHAP has worked with hundreds of homeless families and ensured they have safe and stable housing. CHAP has served many individuals without high school education, and hundreds have now completed their GED. More than 200 at risk unemployed clients have been care managed to employment and self sufficiency. We are successful when our clients no longer need our service.
CHAP started on Bowman Street in Mansfield, where the rate of low birth weight was found to be greater than 23%. Babies born low birth weight are 50% more likely to need special education, are at increased risk for asthma, diabetes, cerebral palsy and have an average cost of more than $40,000 in excess medical expense in the first year of life alone. Medical care can have a substantial impact reducing this unethical disparity. Unfortunately our nations poor, though eligible for Medicaid, often never show up to receive basic care. Economically disadvantaged and culturally isolated people face barriers of transportation, culture, and priorities of finding safe housing and food. CHAP identifies hires and trains Community Health Workers (CHWs) from and part of the community to reach out and identify those most at risk - helping them overcome barriers and ensuring that each mother receives basic prenatal care and supportive services. CHWs are supervised by nurses and doctors as an integral part of the health care system. Low birth weigh is now less than 5% for enrolled clients.
