Jefferson Health has received a grant of $466,000 from the state Department of Human Services’ (DHS) Division of Aging, according to a Jefferson press release.
The grant will provide outreach assistance for those seeking to enroll in initiatives through NJSave, an online application site that lets low-income older adults and people with disabilities apply for programs that will save money on Medicare and Medicaid premiums, prescription costs, utilities and other living expenses.
NJSave enables DHS – which administers a wide range of state and federal direct assistance programs – to screen and enroll applicants in multiple programs. For those without computer access, paper applications are available.
By sending senior care navigator teams throughout Camden, Burlington, and Gloucester counties, Jefferson seeks to reach a wider population that needs help getting DHS services.
Jefferson’s Community Outreach Team consists of health-care and social workers who attend hundreds of community events a year to share health resources with diverse populations in the community using presentations, pop-up vaccine clinics, mobile health screenings and follow-up calls and care.
The senior care navigators program will leverage existing relationships with community-based organizations in the tri-county area, including senior housing communities and centers, behavioral health services and faith-based organizations. The goal is to enroll at least 2,000 eligible individuals in NJSave.
Outreach team members – some of whom are multi-lingual – will provide educational workshops, enrollment events, help in obtaining documents and accessing and filling out the application, and following up as needed. Six outreach events per month are planned.
For more information on the NJSave program and outreach events go to nj.gov/humanservices/doas/services/l-p/njsave.
