Priority 1: Access to Health Care

To center access to care in its grantmaking, EPHT will consider proposals aligned with the following funded approaches:

Primary Care that Addresses Barriers (Cycle 1 and 2): Access to primary care can help communities improve wellbeing and reduce reliance on emergency care. Primary care may help ensure timely detection of and intervention for health issues and include preventive measures like screenings, routine care, and health literacy. EPHT is interested in proposals that demonstrate the ability to: establish and/or sustain continuity of care relationships, effectively coordinate healthcare services, and increase responsiveness and availability of care for populations with little to no access to health services and/or high dependence on emergency resources.

EPHT will consider requests for affordable, community-based models of primary care delivery that leverage trusted spaces, expand hours of care, or otherwise address barriers of location, transportation, trust, and cost for communities experiencing health disparities. Integrated care models will also be considered. Funding may support co-location of health services with other agencies or resource hubs; mobile or clinic-based care in priority zip codes; school-based health clinics; and/or services offered at non-traditional hours of care. Virtual care models should address relevant barriers (e.g. access to devices, networks, affordability).

Navigating Systems of Care (Cycle 1 and 2): EPHT will consider requests to support strategic care team roles such as community health workers, case managers, and other healthcare navigators who help individuals and families navigate to and through systems of care. Supported services include the following: Medicaid and insurance enrollment and re-enrollment; help identifying and using covered providers, safety net providers, and other low-cost health resources; scheduling & keeping appointments; other care coordination, including addressing individual barriers to successful follow-up care. Limited financial support may be available for direct transportation services.

Regional Access Issues: Dental Care – (Cycle 2 only): On an annual, rotating basis, EPHT will consider requests that sustain or expand access to care for the following areas:

Requests for funding in these areas will need to demonstrate how the organization, program, or project is addressing barriers to care for underserved communities in EPHT priority zip codes. Future focus areas are subject to change.