CHIPRA TIMES Na t ive Am e r ic a n H e a l th C e n te r
CHIPRA Holiday Dinner brings Community together
February 2011 Volume 1, Issue 1
By Lorena Rivera With visions of candy canes and raffles galore, the CHIPRA team had plenty of surprises in store. On December 21, 2010 in an effort to identify American Indian children in need of health insurance the CHIPRA team hosted a Holiday community dinner. The evening began with an opening song by community member Gene Ray Ahboah; a powerful start to our event. There were 150 people who signed to enjoy good food, learn about our CHIPRA program and to take pictures with Santa. Community Members young and old gathered to hear valuable information about CHIPRA. Over 50 American Indian community members completed a survey which has been instrumental in the shaping of current outreach efforts.
Inside this issue: Meet our CHIPRA team
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Shirley Begay
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Lorena Rivera
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Save the Date
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Martin Waukazoo, CEO of NAHC spoke of the Community Members enjoying importance of children having health insurance, good food and company encouraging those present to tell their friends, families and neighbors about this important service being offered right here at the clinic. His message resonated with community members and staff.
Word Search
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Throughout the evening CHIPRA staff raffled off; Target, Wal-Mart and gas gift cards. The evening ended with the much anticipated Grand Prize raffle, to the attendees surprise it was a NINTENDO WII.
List of Events
Neighborhood Safety 4
5
Got Health Insurance 6
What is CHIPRA? By Shirley Begay
and Healthy Families.
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First things first; CHIPRA stands for the Children’s Health Insurance Reinstatements Act that was signed by President Obama just over a year and a half ago.
The CHIPRA Enrollment & Retention Program is an provides services to help families through the process of enrolling in and maintaining Medi-Cal and Healthy Families.
Come and see our CHIPRA Outreach Team to see if you and your children qualify for these low-cost and no-cost health insurance
In the Fall of 2009, it was recognized that American Indian/ Alaskan Native (AI/AN) children continue to have high rates of uninsured children and in April of 2010 the Department of Health and Human Services awarded Native American Health Center a three year grant to develop an outreach program to find and enroll into Medi-Cal
Here at our clinic we offer:
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Eligibility screening
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On-site enrollment for Medi-Cal & Healthy Families
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Renewal application assistance
Eligibility screening
options!
Meet our CHIPRA Team! Shirley Begay Greetings, My name is Shirley Begay and I am a member of the Bay Area Native Community; born and raised in San Pablo/Richmond, CA. I am Navajo, Hualapai and San Carlos Apache, enrolled in the Hualapai Tribe. I am the CHIPRA Outreach Worker II for Native American Health Center’s CHIPRA Enrollment & Retention Program. As an outreach, I go into the community to seek out American Indian/Alaskan Native families who do not have health insurance for their children and assist them in applying for Medi-Cal and Healthy Families. I understand how hard it is to navigate our government and county systems at times in order to receive services that are more than a privilege for us; they are our right. When it comes to the health of our children, I believe that anything I can do to help our Native families feel at ease when applying for these programs, or any questions I can answer helps to remove barriers to health care, how ever small they are.
Lorena Rivera I am Lorena Rivera (Umpqua/Mohawk), CHIPRA Outreach Worker at the Native American Health Center. It is a great honor to introduce myself to you. I was born and raised in Oakland, and after spending some time on my grandmother’s reservation in Oregon. I am glad to be home. In addition to working at the Clinic full-time, I attend Holy Names University, where I am focusing on Liberal Studies with an emphasis on International Relations. As a mother myself, I understand the importance of Health insurance for our children; and know first hand how having access to healthcare can improve our children’s quality of life. As we embark on this journey of enrolling American Indian/ Alaskan Native families into one of the Children’s Health Insurance Programs, I look forward to getting out into the community and getting to know you all! The whole application process may seem overwhelming, that’s why our CHIPRA team is here to assist you. Please feel free to call, drop by or email me.
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CHIPRA TIMES
Come join NAHC’s CHIPRA Outreach team in, once again, sharing food, laughs and a good time while learning how you can enroll your children in MediCal and Healthy Families. Everyone is invited! Saturday, March 12, 2011 1p-5p
American Indian/Alaskan Native families who schedule an appointment at the BBQ and complete an application with CHIPRA Outreach Staff in our clinic will receive a $20 gift card once the application is complete.
Intertribal Friendship House 523 International Blvd Oakland, CA 94606 For more information, contact Shirley Begay (510) 535-4474 or Carol Wahpepah (510) 836-1955 Volume 1, Issue 1
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By Dawn Lulua-Claxton How much do you really know about your neighborhood when you move in? Sure, the landlord/realtor gives you the wonderful statistics about how great the school system is, the easy commute and the nearby activities. But do they share with you information regarding assaults, robbery or sexual predators who live in the vicinity? I’ve learned that if you want to know about something, and it’s important, you had better do the research yourself and not rely on a third party. Before moving anywhere, view the Free Crime Maps & Sex Offender listing on the internet. You should be able to view your neighborhood using several sites. I have to say, I felt much better about my community after having searched my neighborhood. But then I took it a step further and started viewing the neighborhoods of my elderly in-laws & friends with small children. I was horrified to find out in my in-law’s community there were several registered sex offenders within a 10-mile radius! They live very close to middle schools. Now I am glad that I opted for a school where I drop and pick up my children. This has, however, allowed me the opportunity to have a conversation with them about their personal security. Unfortunately, they were the type of people that assume they’ll live forever and nothing will happen. So far, they’re right. But, by viewing a few crime maps with them I was able to review safety measures that should be in place for them. I would encourage everyone to check out their neighborhood and those of family and friends. Some Sites to check: www.crimespotting.com
www.crimereports.com
www.crimemapping.com www.meganslaw.ca.gov
CHIPRA Word Search
y c
l m y d e e n r
l v
e e
h n
y h n e
t l a 7 m v
e i
n e d i s e
d c h i l d
v n u i f h
i a c s s a
a u h n c u
e s c e c a
l n r o n i
a i d n i n
d h a c c
a i t l c e h i - u o m
i a d p c e
e m e h n c r a o e l r
r u
r e
p o
i m k e s i
a o
k l
a c
f e
e c
n i
n l t e m u
y s s m e
n t a l l
n l a a i
a i c l c
s i m i r m s e n a m s y a r
h l e m e
c a e h i n h s t e m l s s e
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n r d p t t
i m l o n e a r n e l n n i d
h c
o d o p t
Med-Cal Healthy
Children Families
American Indian NAHC CHIPRA Outreach Documents
Alaskan Native 7 Directions Health Insurance Enrollment Income
Residency
CHIPRA TIMES
Schedule of Events February 2011 • All month on-site Medi-Cal/Healthy Families enrollment • 2/23/11-CHIPRA Focus Group
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March 2011 All month on-site Medi-Cal/Healthy Families enrollment 3/12/11– CHIPRA Springtime BBQ
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3/12/11– Running is my High
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Got Health Insurance? Frequently Asked Questions
What if I have income? That’s ok, you may still qualify for MediCal or Healthy families depending on your household size and income.
What type of documentation do I need to bring in?
Do I have to make an appointment? While appointments are recommended , drop-ins are available. Monday-Friday 9 AM-12PM, 1-5PM. What if I do not live in Alameda County? We can still help, in fact we are in the midst of setting up times when our CHIPRA team can travel to Contra Costa, San Francisco and San Mateo Counties. Keep your eye open for our announcements'.
Volume 1, Issue 1
If I am Native American do I need to provide proof? If so, what kind is acceptable
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Proof of Identity
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California Drivers License or Identification Card
No, but these documents are helpful in reducing co=pays and premiums.
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U.S Citizenship or alien status documents (passport)
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Birth Certificate
Enrollment document from your federally recognized, or
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Documentation of Income
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Certificate Degree of Indian Blood (CDIB)
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Paycheck stub
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A copy of last year’s federal income tax return
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Proof of Residency
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Rent Receipt or Utility bill, or
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A pay stub that shows your address in California
Currently seeking submissions for our next CHIPRA TIMES. Poetry, Artwork, and informational pieces are being accepted. Keeping with the Health Insurance topic all work should be relevant for American Indian Children & Families.
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Native American Health Center Phone: 510-535-4408, 510-5354474 Fax: 510-535-4409 E-mail: Lorenar@nativehealth.org Shirleyb@nativehealth.org
Striving to make sure no Bay Area American Indian/Alaskan Native child goes without Health Insurance.
Native American Health Center 7 Directions 2950 International Blvd. Oakland, CA. 94601
Native American Health Center assists American Indians and Alaska Natives to improve and maintain their physical, mental, emotional, social and spiritual well-being with respect for cultural traditions and to advocate for the needs of all Indian people, especially the most vulnerable members of our community.
Were on the Web! www.nativehealth.org