Healthy Opportunities Pilot

AGING RESOURCES HOP to Offer Healthy Opportunities

By Casey Poplaski BSRI Aging Resources Specialist

Brunswick County and BSRI will be part of the nation’s fi rst comprehensive Medicaid program to off er nonmedical services promoting health.

The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services is rolling out the Healthy Opportunities Pilot, or HOP, the nation’s fi rst comprehensive program to test and evaluate the eff ectiveness of select non-medical services in improving health outcomes and reducing health care costs for high-risk NC Medicaid Managed Care members.

Why HOP?

HOP comes in response to studies showing that up to 80 percent of a person’s health is driven by social determinates such as food insecurity, housing instability, unmet transportation needs, and other environmental factors. Despite this evidence, our nation’s health care system is not designed to consider social determinates of health, and 90 percent of health care spending goes toward services provided by medical professionals.

HOP will provide preventive services through communitybased organizations and social service agencies. The program will attempt to improve health by paying for non-medical things, like fresh produce, or fi rst month’s rent, for example.

Photo by Pat Naughton Wilmington Area Rebuilding Ministry (WARM) volunteers repair a railing for an older homeowner. The Healthy Opportunites Pilot (HOP) will allow WARM to provide services for people who rent, too.

HOP Here at Home

For Brunswick County, HOP will increase access to services. Wilmington Area Rebuilding Ministry (WARM), Brunswick Senior Resources Inc. (BSRI), Catholic Charities, and the Disability Resource Center are among 18 agencies that will provide services through HOP.

WARM has been one of the largest providers of accessibility solutions to Brunswick County residents. Kim Gore, Director of Homeowner Services, explained that HOP is allowing for an expansion of their existing services.

“Previously WARM has not provided services to applicants who are renters,” Gore says. “For [renters] who are disabled and or have mobility issues, WARM would refer the applicant to other partner agencies. But now, for those referred through HOP, WARM will be able to provide removable ramps, eliminating the need to make permanent alterations ... and ... opening the door for us to serve those who are renting.”

BSRI will also expand services thanks to HOP. Director of Human Services Jennifer Sherman says, “Before HOP, Brunswick County residents 60 and up had access to the health programs, exercise classes, and fi tness rooms in our senior centers at no cost. Thanks to HOP, we are now able to expand that off ering to qualifying Medicaid participants between the ages of 55 and 60 as well.”

The goal is to provide a preventive approach to improving health that goes beyond checkups and testing and provide a path to healthier living that starts in our homes and communities.

Learn More

HOP services in our area are managed by Community Care of the Lower Cape Fear. To learn if you qualify, and to see a list of human service organizations participating in the program, go to www.carelcf.org or call 910-763-0200. You can also contact a BSRI Aging Resource Specialist at your local Coastal Carolina Active Living center.