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Summary of HR 1688 (All Healthy Children Act) proposed in March, 2007

2008 Federal Poverty Level Guidelines (.pdf file) 

Income Levels Qualifying for WV Children's Health Insurance Program  (50 KB .pdf file)  Flyer published by WVCHIP for 2006.

2005 FINAL REPORT TO ROBERT WOOD JOHNSON FOUNDATION  (57 KB .pdf file)  The WV Healthy Kids and Families Coalition has received $1.3 million from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation for "Covering Kids and Families."  Thanks to our state and local partnerships, we have had extraordinary success with meeting the goals of the project.

POLICY BRIEFS

Healthy Kids ~ Healthy Schools: Recommendations To Promote Health & Advance Learning In West Virginia (.pdf file) The School Health Partners met for almost two years to understand the current school based health system and develop recommendations for change.  This is their report.

Blueprint for West Virginia Perinatal Health (.pdf file)  Final Report of the West Virginia Perinatal Wellness Study completed in 2006.  The study was a project of the West Virginia Healthy Kids and Families Coalition and West Virginia Community Voices with funding from The Claude Worthington Benedum Foundation.

Blueprint for West Virginia Perinatal Health -- Executive Summary (.pdf file)

The State of Kids' Coverage (2006) (.pdf file) This report by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation shows, among other things, that the number of uninsured children has decreased by 2 million since the creation of SCHIP and recent expansions in public programs. In the same period, the number of uninsured Americans has increased by nearly 5 million people.

Expanding the West Virginia Children's Health Insurance Program Through Increased Cost Sharing (495 KB .pdf file) This is the report of a study exploring "all available means" to open participation in WVCHIP to families with incomes as high as 300% of the federal poverty level.  The WVCHIP board considers whether allowing families to share part of the cost would increase health coverage

Experiences in Receiving Health Care by West Virginia CHIP and Medicaid Families (3.03 MB .pdf file)  This report by the United Way of West Virginia Health Care Access Project summarizes interviews with 101 WVCHIP and Medicaid families about their health care experiences in Kanawha, Clay, Boone and Putnam counties. The study found that, with the exception of dental care for adults, most families interviewed get the care they need when they need it. However after-hours and on weekends, many families don't seem to know any alternative to getting care other than going to a hospital emergency room. The report includes recommendations.

State Health Insurance Coverage Estimates:  Why State Survey Estimates Differ From CPS (43 KB .doc file)  Explains why the US Census Bureau's data on children's uninsurance rates (the CPS) differs from that reported by the West Virginia University Institute for Health Policy and Research.

Improving Access Through Policy and Process Change - 2004  (70 KB .pdf file)  Reports on progress to date, and contains the latest recommendations for expanding health coverage in West Virginia and streamlining administrative processes.  This is the document that presents the WVHKFC's goals and strategies for 2004-2005.

2001 Better Health for West Virginia - (1.3 MB .pdf file).  This 2001 publication describes the decline of adequate health care coverage for both children and adults in West Virginia and offers recommendations for policy changes to address the problem. It was produced in 2001 by the West Virginia Community Voices Partnership in collaboration with the Healthy Kids Coalition and the American Friends Service Committee.

WHAT TO DO WHEN YOUR CHILD GETS SICK:
A PARENT EDUCATION PILOT STUDY  - (103 KB MS Word file)
This is a report on a 2005 study based on self-reported data from parents and other caregivers about how they take care of their children’s minor medical needs. Study participants answered 29 questions in a pre-intervention questionnaire and the same questions six months later following visits in the home by a Parents as Teachers (PAT) home visitor. The PAT home visitor gave each participant a free book, What To Do When Your Child Gets Sick; reviewed and discussed the book with parents and followed up each month for 5 more months visiting the parent in the home and spending a few minutes discussing the book and its content. The study showed that parents (1) were much more likely to first consult a health book instead of a health care professional, (2) were more confident in taking care of their children’s minor medical needs at home, (3) used fewer emergency room, doctor/clinic services, and hospital services.

WHAT TO DO WHEN YOUR CHILD GETS SICK:
A STUDY IN FAYETTE AND NICHOLAS COUNTIES - (450 KB .PDF file)
This report expands on the 2005 project.  This project, conducted in Fayette and Nicholas Counties in West Virginia was also based on self-reported data from parents and other caregivers about how they take care of their children’s minor medical needs. In many respects the good results were similar to those of the 2005 study, but in some respects they differed.