At Neighborhood House, we witness every day the transformative power of Medicaid or Apple Health as it’s known in Washington. This program is not just about healthcare—it is about dignity, safety, and stability for our most vulnerable neighbors.
Aging and Disability Resource Center – is a single point of entry for information, assistance, and referrals related to long-term services and support for older adults, people with disabilities, and their caregivers. These centers are available to people of all income levels and aim to make it easier for individuals to navigate the complex system of services available to them. In 2024, Neighborhood House served over 1,600 people in 11 languages, arranging for caregivers, home delivered meals, and social activities to reduce isolation. We help clients cope when they get a new diagnosis and arrange respite care when an adult son or daughter needs a break. We help clients secure walkers, wheelchairs or other needed medical equipment. And when the insurance company sends a bill, our staff help clients understand it. The Aging and Disability Resource Center services keep vulnerable adults living safely at home and prevent catastrophic events like falls and expensive hospital admissions and nursing home stays. This program saves money while promoting health, independence, and dignity.
Long Term Care Medicaid Case Management provides funding for Neighborhood House to work with over 1,500 clients a month in King County to coordinate critical care in their own homes, surrounded by familiar faces and supported in their primary languages. Unlike the Aging and Disability Resource Center, clients must be enrolled in Medicaid and have one or more conditions that would qualify them for nursing home care. Home-based Medicaid services enable individuals with disabilities and older adults to remain in their communities at a fraction of the cost of institutional care. Without it, the same needs would persist, but at a much higher financial and emotional cost.
E’s son has intellectual and physical disabilities, he is wheelchair bound and requires constant assistance with activities of daily living like bathing, dressing, mobility, and managing his health. E is very concerned about what the future holds if Medicaid funding is reduced or eliminated as it would directly affect his family. E shared “This program is more than just healthcare for families like mine. It is a lifeline to a better life; one filled with hope and possibility for those who need it most.”
A Neighborhood House Case Manager recounts how rapid intervention helped one vulnerable adult. G had a history of being disoriented and several wandering incidents resulting in Adult Protective Services involvement. Due to a nationwide caregiver shortage, she was unable to stay safely in her home. So, the Case Manager found a temporary caregiver and an Adult Family Home that could also support her language and culture. G agreed to move and is doing well.
EPSDT stands for Early and Periodic Screening, Diagnostic, and Treatment – and is a benefit provided to children under 21 who qualify for Medicaid. It is the vehicle we use to ensure children in Head Start and Early Head Start receive medical and dental exams per the American Academy of Pediatrics schedule for well-child care visits and vaccines. Neighborhood House is adept at helping families access this important benefit, with 93% of our Head Start children up to date on vaccines, 93% of Head Start children up to date on dental exams, and 88% up to date on their well-child checks.
NH’s Home Visitor worked with L, a pregnant mom to enroll her into Medicaid/Apple Health – so that the baby’s birth could be covered (over 40% of births in Washington are covered by Medicaid/Apple Health). L’s son had Type 1 Diabetes, so the coverage, care, and support from Neighborhood House’s Early Head Start program and Medicaid/Apple Health was vital. Our home visitor facilitated conversations between L and the clinic, helping her understand the severity of this condition and the importance of following the clinic’s instructions. L’s son’s Diabetes is under control now, and he’s graduated into pre-school!
These stories represent thousands of real lives. Medicaid supports the health and well-being of children and young adults, people living with disabilities, older adults, and their caregivers. Medicaid supports a healthy, thriving and just community.