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MERIDIAN PROGRAM OUTREACH PROVIDES VALUABLE SERVICES TO MARGINALIZED GROUPS

Date: 05/11/22

The Meridian CHW Program

Purpose

The Meridian Community Health Workers (CHW) Program uses an individualized outreach and education approach focused on healthy behavior and prevention to address members’ health needs. The program connects members to appropriate physical and behavioral health providers and community resources to remove healthcare barriers. CHW focuses on a small portion of mostly disengaged Meridian member populations.

Staffing Model

Meridian partnered with Engaging Solutions to hire, train, and deploy community health workers and doulas. The CHW team has 10 staff per team lead and one team manager. At least two staff per team manager are certified doulas or specialize in maternal-child health. CHW services are available in all Illinois counties.

Program Description

CHW program goals encourage members to engage in preventative outpatient healthcare for conditions that do not require emergency inpatient care. This engagement leads to improved health outcomes, improved quality measures, enhanced quality of life, and decreased overall costs by focusing on three specialized programs for these targeted populations.

Homeless Initiative

  1. Develop treatment plans to stabilize members’ health while increasing preventative care to reduce ER utilization
  2. Provide education to increase skills for independent living
  3. Connect homeless members to permanent housing resources. Assist members applying for benefits

Infant Mortality Initiative

  1. Determine pregnant mothers’ healthcare needs using Meridian assessments
  2. Connect pregnant women to prenatal and postnatal providers to help reduce the infant mortality rate
  3. Connect pregnant mothers to community resources to remove other healthcare barriers

Behavioral Health and Substance Use Disorder

  1. Provide recovery services to increase the successful recovery rate
  2. increase member independence
  3. Connect members to behavioral health providers and support systems
  4. Connect members to community resources to remove other healthcare barriers

Member Referrals

              If you know a Meridian member who may benefit from this program, please contact us at 866-606-3700 (TTY: 711) Monday-Friday, 7 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.