215 South Barnes
* Phone (417)
862-4314 * Fax (417) 864-3499 * www.oacac-caa.org
Carl
Rosenkranz, Executive Director
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
OACAC
Head Start families in the Ozarks will soon benefit from a research-based
program that teaches parents to care for common childhood ailments at home,
reducing the number of unnecessary ER and clinic visits while providing
significant savings to the Medicaid system.
OACAC
Head Start was chosen to participate in Central Missouri Community Action Head
Start’s national Head Start Innovation and Improvement grant; I Can Help My Child to Stay Healthy:
Innovations in Head Start Health Literacy Training or “I CAN.” The I
CAN program is based on the research study, “Ensuring Positive Health
Outcomes in Head Start Children and Families,” conducted by the Johnson &
Johnson Health Care Institute at UCLA’s Anderson School of Management. The study showed a drop in number of visits
to hospital emergency rooms by 58 percent and in the number of visits to urgent
care clinics by 42 percent when parents who received health literacy training
chose to care for their children’s low fevers, colds and earaches at home. Being better informed and able to handle
children’s mild illnesses at home produced additional benefits of a 42 percent
reduction in workdays missed and a 29 percent reduction in school day
absences.
The
training sessions for families are designed to be interactive and enjoyable
events where parents experience a hands-on approach to learning basic health
care skills and receive a health care kit to take home which includes a low-literacy
medical guide as well as basic health care tools like a thermometer and a
medicine measuring cup. OACAC Head Start expects robust participation by
families. “Families want to know what to
do when their child is sick. When
parents have knowledge, tools and confidence, they make the best decisions
about their child’s care,” says Kimberly Shinn-Brown, OACAC Head Start
Director.
One
of the objectives is helping parents know when and how to care for the child at
home versus when to take the child to the clinic or ER. Knowing the difference and acting on that
knowledge translates to an enormous potential cost-savings to the Medicaid
system as well as better care for children.
Researchers estimate the program’s potential annual savings to Medicaid
to be $554 per family every year following the training.
The
estimated one-time cost to train one family is $60, of which the “I CAN” grant covers about half. OACAC Head Start is seeking community
partnerships to offset the difference. According
to Shinn-Brown, “This is an opportunity for the community to invest in a proven
program that saves tax-payer dollars.
Given OACAC Head Start’s goal of serving 200 families by December 2009,
the local cost-savings to Medicaid would likely exceed $110,800. While we are starting small this year, I
can’t help but imagine the cost-savings when we are able to provide this
training for all of our 1,500 families.”
For more information, including charts and podcasts visit http://www.anderson.ucla.edu/x682.xml. To donate to the I Can program, please call
Matthew Evans: 417.864.3448 or email mevans@oacac-caa.org.
Head
Start is an early childhood program, which began in 1966, for children from
income-eligible families. The program is designed to provide high-quality
educational experiences, health services, social service support and other
opportunities for children and their families. Each year the program
serves over 1500 children. The Head
Start program works closely with parents to help children gain the social
competence, school readiness skills and confidence necessary to succeed in
their current preschool environment and later in school and life. The Early Head Start Program provides
comprehensive services for pregnant women and infant-toddlers from birth to
three years.
OACAC PROGRAMS:
Housing, 417-864-3444; LIHEAP,
417- 873-3460; Family Planning, 417-864-3410;
Foster Grandparents,
417-864-3420; Head Start, 417-864-3430;
SERVING THESE COUNTIES:
Barry-Christian-Dade-Dallas-Greene-Lawrence-Polk-Stone-Taney-Webster
Equal Opportunity Employer. All services provided on a non-discriminatory basis