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The Northern Manhattan Community Voices Collaborative
The Central Harlem and Washington Heights/Inwood community has become the center of an alarming New York City statistic--an uninsured rate that is 50 percent higher than the national average. Due in part to language barriers, high rates of unemployment and poverty, a large number of people in this community are not receiving necessary preventive and primary health care. Families are also at risk of incurring unbearable financial burdens in the event of serious illness. This health crisis is the focus of the Northern Manhattan Community Voices Collaborative. As its name states, Community Voices is a collaborative effort of 35 community-based organizations and health care providers. The goal of this group is to help residents of Central Harlem and Washington Heights/Inwood receive quality health care through several methods: enrollment in Medicaid, Child Health Insurance Program, and other forms of related coverage; primary health care coverage for uninsured residents; health education and disease prevention; and access to dental, mental health, and other important resources. "Community Voices is possible because of the many dedicated community groups, health care providers, churches, and individuals who are already working to improve health in Northern Manhattan," says Sandra Harris, Community Voices executive director. "Community Voices. role is to support and link these forces, to create stronger, effective solutions to the health issues faced by Northern Manhattan residents and their community." Community Voices is funded by the W. K. Kellogg Foundation as a part of its national Community Voices: Health Care for the Underserved Initiative. It is one of 13 programs nationwide working to bring quality health care to otherwise underserved communities. For more information, contact: |
