Wayne County has launched an initiative to improve health care for low-income children. The Wayne County Child Healthcare Access Program is modeled after a similar project in Kent County. It’s based on a concept called the “medical home.”
Project Director Jametta Lilly says that concept already exists for many kids covered by private insurance. But she says care is often less consistent and coordinated for kids in the Medicaid program:
"So often when people take their children to a Medicaid facility, they may have a doctor that changes all the time. They may only see residents, and not have the opportunity to work with a family or pediatrician."
Wayne County’s is a two-year pilot project that’s funded in part through $1 million grant from the Kresge Foundation. Lilly says it’s expected to include between 2,500 and 3,000 kids.
Wayne County has more than a 250,000 children in the Medicare program.
