RANCHO CUCAMONGA, Calif., Feb. 18, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- To address the social needs of Inland Empire residents during the COVID-19 pandemic, Inland Southern California United Way (ISCUW), Inland Empire Health Plan (IEHP), Coachella Valley Health Info Place (CVHIP) and the Inland Empire Health Information Organization (IEHIO) continue to leverage long-standing partnerships to provide residents access to social services and support through telephone and online platforms like 211 and Connect I.E. Both services are available 24,7, free to the public.
Through these platforms, the partnership has connected more than 305,665 residents and families to needed resources since March 2020. These needs range from food and housing insecurity, health and wellness, support for persons with disabilities, to children and family support.
The 211 phone service is accessed by dialing 2-1-1 on any telephone and is locally powered by ISCUW. Callers are matched to available resources based on need and can be linked or referred directly to a supporting agency or organization.
Connect I.E. (ConnectIE.org) allows residents to search for resources like food pantries, legal services and more with just a zip code. With each search request, residents are provided with an up-to-date list of local community resources to fulfill or support needs.
"ISCUW211+ is proud to partner with IEHP and IEHIO to provide critical community services to our residents in need," said Kimberly Starrs, ISCUW's vice president of external affairs. "We are committed to ensuring equity in access to information, especially for those who are homebound, speak languages other than English, or may not have access to technology. The contact center has kept pace with the ever-changing needs of the community throughout the pandemic, including providing non-medical COVID-19 information and scheduling vaccine appointments."
Furthering their support to uninsured residents who called 211 with medical questions or concerns related to the COVID-19 pandemic. Through key partnerships with both counties, IEHP and Carenet Health, uninsured callers can receive free medical advice 24/7. "The exceptional service provided by our Community Resource Advisors has demonstrated the utility and importance of the contact center to the continued health and well-being of the community," added Starrs.
With 211's utilization increasing (supporting more than 244,668 residents since March 2020) and to reduce wait times for residents, ISCUW has leveraged their partnership with IEHP, CVHIP and IEHIO to ensure the continuity of resource access to residents through the Connect IE platform.
Community Organizations have also turned to Connect IE to send and receive referrals and ensure residents receive services in a timely manner. In addition, IEHP is actively working to increase access to these resources by making the platform's referral system available to network providers.
"Ensuring our communities have access to social services that lie outside of traditional healthcare but greatly impact their overall health and wellness is critical," said Dr. Gabriel Uribe, IEHP director of community health. "Working hand in hand with our partners at ISCUW and IEHIO enhances this effort and effectively connects residents to what they need, when they need it. Working together, we can fill in the gaps and work to ensure our communities enjoy optimal care and vibrant health."
About IEHP IEHP, Inland Empire Health Plan, is one of the top 10 largest Medicaid health plans and the largest not-for-profit Medicare-Medicaid plan in the country. With a network of more than 6,400 Providers and more than 2,000 employees, IEHP serves more than 1.3 million residents in Riverside and San Bernardino counties who are enrolled in Medicaid or Cal MediConnect Plan (Medicare-Medicaid Plan). Through a dynamic partnership with Providers and Community, award-winning service and innovative products, IEHP is fully committed to advocating for our Members and providing them with quality, accessible and wellness-based health care services. For more information, visit iehp.org.
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