By Katie Spillman
TALLAHASSEE, FLA. – The state of Florida has made great strides to secure health insurance options for all kids, but more than 257,000 kids in the state still lack health insurance coverage. The Florida Healthy Kids Corporation has recently launched a partnership with Health Foundation of South Florida, supported by a $110,000 grant, to help children in Miami-Dade and Broward Counties receive critical health coverage. A combined 69,000 children in the two South Florida counties are uninsured, and an estimated 35,000 qualify for free or low-cost insurance coverage through the Florida KidCare program.
According to Florida Healthy Kids Corporation CEO Rebecca Matthews, “This Health Foundation of South Florida grant provides a great opportunity for our organization and families across South Florida by expanding our community out-reach efforts to include area schools. This one-of-a-kind partnership will bring added aware-ness to the Florida KidCare program and help more Florida kids get the coverage they need.”
In part, the grant award will fund a project coordinator position who will work with schools and community-based organizations operating in Broward and Miami-Dade Counties to oversee this pilot KidCare outreach and enrollment project.
Currently, 12 schools and three community-based organizations from Miami-Dade and Broward County have signed on as Florida KidCare ambassadors, including:
- ASPIRA Arts Deco Charter School (Miami-Dade County)
- Communities in Schools of Miami (Miami-Dade County)
- Coral Springs High School (Broward County)
- Devon Aire K-8 Center (Miami-Dade County)
- Dillard Elementary School (Broward County)
- John F. Kennedy Middle School (Miami-Dade County)
- Lauderdale Lakes Middle
School (Broward County)
- Linda Lentin K-8 Center (Miami-Dade County)
- Millennium 6-12 Collegiate Academy (Broward County)
- Maya Angelou Elementary School (Miami-Dade County)
- Miramar High School (Broward County)
- Plantation Middle School (Broward County)
- Spanish Lake Elementary School (Miami-Dade County)
- The Crockett Foundation (Broward County)
- Overton Youth Center (Miami-Dade County)
Each school and community-based organization will actively work to identify and connect with students and area youth who are currently uninsured to inform their families about the availability of low-cost insurance coverage through Florida KidCare. Trained application assisters can help families complete the application process, and each school and community-based organization will receive a reward for the verified enrollments they secure.
For more information about the Florida Healthy Kids Corporation, visit www.healthykids.org.