GRANITE CITY, IL – The COVID-19 pandemic presents special challenges for people who are experiencing homelessness or who are housing insecure. Chestnut Health Systems will use recently-awarded grant funding to help meet the immediate needs of those impacted.
Chestnut is one of four agencies in Illinois to receive funding from Meridian, which provides government-sponsored managed care services to families, children, seniors and individuals with complex medical needs primarily through Medicaid, Medicare Advantage, Medicare-Medicaid Alignment Initiative, and Medicare Prescription Drug Plans. In all, Meridian is funding $500,000 in grants to help those in the State who are disproportionately impacted by the pandemic. Chestnut’s share of funding is $150,000, to be distributed among Madison, St. Clair, and McLean Counties. The funding will help Chestnut to do the following for those especially hard-hit by the pandemic:
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- Enable clients to be served virtually and from a safe distance by buying laptop computers, cell phones, and other technology for its large clinical work force;
- Cover additional costs for support, supervision, and food to enable residents to stay in Chestnut owned or operated apartments and to have continued access to 24-hour support;
- Enable increased staff presence at food drop-offs, homeless shelters, and school drop-off and pick-up sites to do clinical outreach and assessment and to provide linkage to counseling resources;
- Buy and donate essential products for homeless women and children through the Girls Club in Madison County;
- Donate essential products – such as food, toiletries, thermometers, and hand sanitizer – to homeless shelters; and
- Provide emergency financial assistance for Chestnut patients to pay for housing, food, and utilities.
"People experiencing housing insecurity or homelessness lack protection from the environment, access to proper hygiene, and connections to critical primary health and behavioral health care. Combined with community spread of COVID-19 and a higher likelihood of underlying health issues, these factors mean a greater risk for this population of contracting the virus," said David A. Sharar, Ph.D., chief executive officer of Chestnut Health Systems. "Meridian is a valued partner in Chestnut's mission to deliver quality primary health and behavioral health care to all who need it. Meridian's generosity will help Chestnut to make a positive difference in the lives of an untold number of people."
