Transporting Low-Income Northern Kentucky Applicants for Child Health Coverage

Application policy for the Kentucky Children's Health insurance Program (KCHIP) and children's Medicaid requires that parents undergo Interviews in person. Staff of northern Kentucky Family Resource and Youth Service Centers (FRY5Cs) have Identified lack of transportation as an important barrier in the el1gibillty determination process. Parts of the counties In this region are located quIte far from the Department for Community-Based Services (DCBS) offices where eligibility is determined, so lack of a publ1c transit system is a serious problem for families without transportation. In the 3 largest counties, big-city traffic is also an obstacle for families in more rural parts of the counties. The proposed project will expand access to healthcare for Children In low-income families who lack reliable means of transportation by funding travel to DCBS offices In the 6-county region. Northern Kentucky Community Action Council (CAe) will provide transportation through an existing program. The FRYSCstaff will assist a separately-funded outreach worker in coordinating appointments wIth the DCBS office. The outreach worker will conduct these activities as part of her work for the Covering Kentucky Kids statewide initiative, under the supervision of that project's community outreach director.