In the Fall of 2003, Hudson River HealthCare and its partners were awarded a Healthy Communities Access Program (HCAP) grant by the Health Resources and Services Administration of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The purpose of the grant is to create a formal the HCAP consortium of community partners to increase access to high quality, effective, efficient and coordinated healthcare for uninsured and under insured individuals in the City of Poughkeepsie, New York.

HCAP Goals

• Coordinate and strengthen the overall "Safety net" services for uninsured and underinsured individuals
• Bridge or eliminate organizational, financial and delivery gaps and barriers that often create fragmented systems of care for the uninsured and under insured
• Develop a more efficient, comprehensive and higher quality system of care, regardless of ability to pay
• Link residents of Poughkeepsie to a medical home to improve health outcomes

HCAP Projects

• Community Care Partners at our partner sites to provide patients with assistance in navigating their health care
• Expanded services through mobile health service sites and dedicated clinics for new immigrants and teens
• A pharmacy assistance program that will help bring access to lower cost prescription drugs to residents of the city
• Programs to improve the care for individuals with chronic diseases including diabetes, heart disease and asthma
• Additional dental services to the community

Beyond poverty and unemployment, there are numerous barriers to care for Poughkeepsie's low income population, including lack of health insurance, lack of transportation, lack of access to supportive services, and most importantly, a dramatic lack of providers willing to take Medicaid and uninsured patients. Additionally, for Poughkeepsie's countless low-income immigrants and migrant workers, some of the barriers limiting access to care include a lack of financial resources, a lack of bilingual providers, fear of discovery of undocumented status, lack of information, and lack of transportation.