More children have access to quality health care

KING COUNTY, WASHINGTON - In a healthy boost to the community, 2,700 more children in King County have signed up for health insurance and have access to a doctor and dentist. This local effort to reach out and sign up hard-to-reach families who are uninsured but eligible is highlighted in the new Children’s Health Initiative 2008 Annual Measurement & Evaluation Report.

“Two years ago we made a commitment for all children to have access to quality health care,” said King County Executive Ron Sims. “Now we know that through our efforts, thousands of children are signing up for insurance and seeing a health care provider. That means more parents can help their children lead healthier lives, and more children can focus on learning without the discomfort and distraction of preventable health and dental problems.”

The report highlights the following accomplishments:

• From January 2007 through June 2008, the Children’s Health Initiative enrolled or renewed coverage for over 2,700 children in King County. Outreach efforts have surpassed the program’s 2007 enrollment goals and are on track to meet 2008 goals.
• Since traditionally many Medicaid enrollees never see a doctor or dentist, the Children’s Health Initiative focuses on ensuring that the children enrolled have visits with a doctor and dentist, especially for preventive care. Over 83% of the newly enrolled children have seen a doctor.
• Over 4,000 community agency staff and 7,000 parents have received training or education on the need for preventive services and how to access them.

To enroll in coverage or find a doctor or dentist, call 206-296-4841. On the web, visit the King County Children's Health Initiative or the state’s new Apple Health webpage www.AppleHealthforKids.wa.gov.

“I worked with a family from Asia whose daughter called since the parents did not speak English well,” said a Public Health worker with the Children’s Health Initiative. “She had gotten a flyer about our program from the school nurse because she needed glasses. The girl got an eye exam and the glasses, and she called to tell me, ‘Now I can see!’”

Children’s Health Initiative

The Children’s Health Initiative is designed to overcome the barriers children disproportionately affected by socioeconomic and racial forces face in receiving consistent access to health care services. With staff and contracted community health workers who have insight into local social networks, the initiative targets populations that have the highest level of poverty and un-insurance and isolated groups that have significant language, cultural and literacy barriers.

King County has been a leader in getting more children the health care they need. In 2007, the King County Executive, with support from the County Council, established the Children’s Health Initiative as a public/private partnership to improve low-income families’ ability to enroll in federal and state health insurance programs. That same year, the State of Washington’s new “cover all kids” law expanded the number of families who are eligible for publicly-funded health care coverage.

The county’s $3 million investment over the years 2007 to 2009 for the Children’s Health Initiative has drawn matching contributions from Group Health Cooperative and the Washington Dental Service, and additional contributions from 17 local and national organizations totaling $3 million.

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