Results Statement: People living in the community of Carroll County have access to quality, affordable and available primary health care, dental care, behavioral health care, hospitalization and pharmaceuticals.
Access to health care is important to eliminate health disparities and increase the quality and years of healthy life for all. Achieving measurable goals to advance access for all, with emphasis on health care for underserved and uninsured residents, is the cornerstone of this leadership team.
Partnership Staff Contact:
Barb Rodgers
443-375-7286
BRodgers@dhmh.state.md.us
Click on the organizational chart items to view the details of each.
Access to Health Care Leadership Team
The Access to Health Care Leadership Team consists of members representing a widevariety of access areas in the community. These members include local health care providers and concerned entities such as physicians and nurses, non-profit health and dental care agencies for children and adults, Carroll County government, insurance brokers, faith organizations, human service agencies, Carroll County Health Department, Carroll Hospital Center, pharmacy programs and citizens.
This Leadership Team is responsible for annually reviewing County data and selecting indicators that focus on access to health care and dental care for uninsured, underinsured, low-income residents including pregnant women. Projects have included the promotion of oral health for children; promotion of Maryland Children’s Health Insurance Program (MCHP); an annual legislative advocacy agenda; an annual Cover the Uninsured Week Event held in March; access resources; advocacy for transportation improvements for medical appointments; public and professional education about Health Care Reform; and education about mandated benefits in Maryland.
Organizations represented on this Leadership Team include:
- Access Carroll
- Carroll Area Transit System (CATS)
- Carroll County Bureau of Aging and Disabilities
- Carroll County Children's Fund
- Carroll County Department of Citizens Services
- Carroll County Department of Social Services
- Carroll County Health Department
- Carroll Hospital Center
- Catastrophic Health Planners
- Core Service Agency
- Get Connected Family Resource Center
- Human Services Programs of Carroll County, Inc.
- John Hopkins Priority Partners
- Mission of Mercy
Cover the Uninsured Action Team
It is an important goal of the Access to Health Care Leadership Team to increase the percentage of Carroll residents who have a source of primary health care. In 2011, the Cover the Uninsured Action Team held a series of enrollment-and-information events to help uninsured Carroll County residents find health insurance. Over 150 individuals were assisted with determining eligibility for state health insurance programs. Plans are underway for another enrollment assistance event in March 2012.
Prescription Assistance Information Card
Members of this Leadership Team have created an information card for those who have trouble meeting the cost of their prescription medications. The card is available for free on this site. Click HERE to view and download the Prescription Assistance Information Card.
Cross Training
The Access to Health Care Leadership Team is collaborating with local service organizations and agencies to provide training that will educate their staff members about each others’ basic services and procedures. As a result, clients will be better informed about help that is available, and they will have more continuity between services. The first training event is in planning for April 2012.
Oral Health Education and Awareness
The Leadership Team and the Get Connected Family Resource Center co-hosted a public presentation in August 2011 on access to oral health care. It was attended by representatives of many local service agencies, who learned about new avenues to oral health services.
This Action Team collaborates with the Carroll County Health Department, which operates a program to coordinate oral health care for Carroll residents who meet income eligibility requirements. The program provides a list of free or low-cost treatment providers as resources for anyone in the County seeking dental care.
Click on Oral Health Resource Guide to view and download this list.
Access Carroll
Access Carroll, Inc. was developed in coordination with the Carroll County Health Department, Carroll Hospital Center, and the Access to Health Care Leadership Team of The Partnership for a Healthier Carroll County, Inc. The mission of Access Carroll, Inc. is to improve pathways to primary health care of all ages for the uninsured low-income residents of Carroll County. They believe that every individual should have access to health care that is coordinated, comprehensive, culturally sensitive, community based, accountable, and of high quality. Additionally, each individual has the right to health information, the opportunity to participate in their plan of care, and the right to accept responsibility for one’s own care to the extent of one’s ability. Contact Access Carroll at 410-871-1478.
Click here to visit the Access Carroll web site.
Links
Access Carroll, Inc.
Carroll County Children’s Fund
Carroll County Department of Social Services
Carroll County Government – Department of Planning
Carroll County Health Department
Carroll County Youth Service Bureau
Carroll Hospital Center
Catastrophic Health Planners
Get Connected Family Resource Center
Human Services Programs of Carroll County, Inc.
Maryland Dental Action Coalition
Maryland Health Care Reform - presented at We're On Our Way, May 2011
Maryland Health Reform Coordinating Council
Maryland Prescription Discount Card
MedBank of Maryland, Inc.
Mission of Mercy
New Maryland Health Care Reform Council - article
Oral Health Resource Guide
Carroll County Senior Health Insurance Program
Prescription Assistance Information Card
Shepherd’s Staff
Page updated: 01/12
