What is the program?

Saginaw County’s Children’s Health Access Program (CHAP) administered by Saginaw County Community Mental Health Authority (SCCMHA), is excited to participate in a community endeavor to prevent, treat and reduce childhood obesity. Saginaw County’s CHAP will support improving statistics related to childhood obesity. The goal of Saginaw County’s CHAP is to promote healthy outcomes for children.

How will grant dollars be used?

Funding from the Michigan Health Endowment Fund (MHEF) grant will help leverage additional funding for a Saginaw County CHAP community health worker’s wages & fringe benefits. This position will be housed within existing community partner agencies who currently employ Community Health Workers (CHW) in our community. The CHW will provide dedicated outreach efforts focused on improving health outcomes defined in the Pathways evidenced-based protocols for children. 

Who do they collaborate with?

Through the Children’s Health Access Program, a community health worker will be working closely with area hospitals such as St. Mary’s of Michigan and Covenant HealthCare. They will also work closely with Health Delivery, Inc., an organization who hosts many clinics in the community. Health Delivery, Inc. will refer families to the community health worker to get them connected with available services for their child. Also, through the Children’s Health Access Program, a relationship has been built with two key doctors at Partners in Pediatrics, a pediatric office offering comprehensive, quality medical care to children birth through adolescence. By the community health worker building a close relationship with the two key doctors, the doctors can share with the community health worker trends they have seen in children’s health, provide patient referrals to the community health worker, and advocate for the Children’s Health Access Program to other pedestrians in the community.

The Children’s Health Access Program collaborates with the Saginaw County Health Department for statistics and data. The Saginaw County Health Department is also an advocate for Saginaw County’s CHAP to help direct people to the resources available for children’s health.

What’s the plan for sustainability?

In order to sustain a Saginaw County CHAP-dedicated community health worker, internal resources will be available through the Saginaw County Community Mental Health Authority as well as other potential grant opportunities.