FY23: Kentucky Homeplace Project

Abstract for Kentucky Homeplace Start date: July 1, 2022 End date: June 30, 2024 The Kentucky Department for Public Health has worked in partnership with the University of Kentucky Center for Excellence in Rural Health, Kentucky Homeplace since 1994. CHFS/DPH provides an allocation to support the operation of the Kentucky Homeplace Project. Kentucky Homeplace utilizes Community Health Workers to assist rural Kentuckians, who live in medically underserved areas, in accessing appropriate health care, including preventive care and linking them with appropriate resources and connections within their community. The project shall focus on the use of Community Health Workers (CHW) to provide intake, needs assessments, referrals to resources, linkages with providers for medical, social and mental health issues and follow-up. In 2021 the Department for Public Health received a three-year cooperative agreement from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention CDC DP21-2109 CFDA# 93.495 to utilize Community Health Workers (CHW) to implement evidence-based interventions and strategies related to addressing health disparities related to underlying chronic conditions and social determinants of health for underserved populations. This includes ethnic and racial minority populations and rural communities. Kentucky Homeplace is well suited to work with DPH on this project. Kentucky Homeplace will address the following goals: 1. Provide CHWs and appropriate supervision in a 30 county area to assist rural Kentuckians who live in medically underserved areas in identifying their health risk factors, use of preventive health screening and how to live a healthier lifestyle. 2. Assist clients in access to and navigating healthcare, social service and mental health systems. 3. Work with the Kentucky Department for Public Health and partners to find solutions to bridge the gap between uninsured and underserved individuals and the health care delivery system. 4. Work with the Kentucky Department for Public Health Kentucky Prescription Assistance Program to connect clients with access to medications they are in need of. 5. Create community clinical linkages between vulnerable populations and healthcare providers and address social determinants of health. 6. During the 3 years of the grant, expand Kentucky Homeplace’s reach through addition of up to 10 new CHWs in identified areas of need.