Universal health care group awarded Robert Wood Johnson Foundation grant

COLUMBUS, OHIO - The Universal Health Care Action Network Ohio (UHCAN) has been awarded a Consumer Voices for Coverage grant from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, the nation’s largest health philanthropy.

In a media release Wednesday, UHCAN Ohio said it will work in conjunction with Community Catalyst, which serves as the national program office for the Consumer Voices for Coverage program. As one of 18 state-based consumer health advocacy organizations around the country to receive a grant under the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation’s Consumer Voices for Coverage initiative, we will be working to expand enrollment capacity in communities of color, rural, and other hard to reach communities in Ohio.

“We see this grant as a wonderful opportunity to add enrollment capacity using faith and community based organizations,” said Nita Carter, Health Equity Director at UHCAN Ohio.

Carter added UHCAN will take experience gained from a successful pilot project with Lutheran Metropolitan Ministries and expand the organizations work to faith and community programs in Cleveland, Columbus and Cincinnati and add a rural pilot project.

“This effort will recruit churches and community organizations to create lasting community based enrollment sites that will host regular enrollment hours provide follow-up,” Carter said. We’ll track their work and share their lessons learned to help guide the development of best practices for outreach and enrollment and connecting people to care in hard to reach communities.”

UHCAN Ohio is a statewide, consumer health advocacy nonprofit, working to achieve quality, affordable health care for all Ohioans. www.uhcanohio.org.