ACCESS TO PRIMARY HEALTHCARE SERVICES

HEALTHCARE ACCESS ISSUES ARE PARTICULARLY CHALLENGING GIVEN THE DIFFICULT ECONOMIC ENVIRONMENT

Rationale

In a 2004 community health assessment, 24% of Brevard adults (ages 18 to 64) reported lacking health insurance. In 2008, Florida KidCare reported 53,000 uninsured children in Brevard County.

Actions to Date

Healthcare access issues have proven more challenging to address in the current economic environment. The Forum continues to work closely with members including The Brevard Health Alliance, the county’s only federally-qualified health center, to increase access to primary health care. The Brevard Health Alliance was recently awarded grants to open and operate a pediatric clinic in Palm Bay and a new community health center in Cocoa. The Forum has also aligned with the Brevard KidCare Coalition to help inform residents about the state-funded program available to many local children.

Future Actions

The Forum will continue to support and endorse initiatives aimed at reducing disparity and increasing access to health care for all Brevard residents. In addition to the above-listed priorities, the Forum’s Patient Safety Task Force has been instrumental in creating initiatives to keep residents and patients safe in Brevard County since the group’s inception.