Orange County Health Department joins Access: Supports for Living to launch Coordinated Home Visiting and Referral System Pilot

Initiative begins in April and will focus on women and children’s health

Goshen, N.Y. – Orange County’s Department of Health Maternal Infant Community Health Collaborative and Access: Supports for Living’s Healthy Families Program have been selected by the New York State Department of Health’s Bureau of Women Infant and Adolescent Health (BWIAH) to participate in a Home Visiting Coordinated Intake and Referral System Pilot.

The pilot is scheduled to begin in April and will concentrate on women’s and children’s health.

“This collaborative will streamline the process for women in need of a variety of services and assure that they are guided and supported to enroll in programs that are best suited to their situations,” Orange County Executive Steven M. Neuhaus said. “I thank our Health Department and Access: Supports for Living for their commitment to working together on this important healthcare initiative.”

The BWIAH pilot will provide technical assistance to create a single point of access to services for women at high risk for poor health. The Coordinated Intake and Referral Pilot will include coordinated community outreach and recruitment, screening and assessment, a one stop referral system, and referrals made based on client needs. It will also create a system within the county that will ensure women are being referred to the programs that are best suited to their needs. This system will result in a countywide referral tracking system. The long range goal of the BWIAH program is community level improvement in pregnancy outcomes and children’s health and development, and the strengthening of family function.

“This will be a fantastic opportunity to ensure that the programs for women in the county are being utilized to their full capacity while eliminating duplication of services and effort.” said Dr. Jennifer Roman, Orange County’s Acting Commissioner of Health. “We are very excited about spearheading this collaborative effort.”

Added Amy Anderson-Winchell, LCSW, President and CEO of Access: Supports for Living: “Access is committed to creating rewarding lives and healthy communities through projects like this. Thanks to the leadership of County Executive Steve Neuhaus and this great partnership with the County’s Health Department, we are excited to provide coordinated services that will improve the health and well-being of moms and their children.”

For more information regarding the NYSDOH Home Visiting Coordinated Intake and Referral System Pilot, please contact Maureen Sailer, Assistant Director of Community Health Outreach at 845-360- 6680.