Health Care

Miami-Dade County has the dubious honor of being among the 12 worst metropolitan areas in the United States for numbers of residents without health insurance. Most recent estimates suggest that at least 600,000 people are without insurance.

Locally, the number of uninsured and working uninsured residents continues to rise. Our children are the greatest victims of this problem. Among school age children in Miami-Dade public schools:

• Nearly 90% of Miami-Dade’s 331 public schools have no nurse or clinic
• One out of every five children in Miami-Dade has no health insurance. A greater number are not in a “medical home” (a place where a child gets health care from a consistent provider)
• Lack of preventive health care services leads to more missed days of school and poor educational performance
• Poor health status and lack of care leads to more missed days of school and poor educational performance

Past Accomplishments
Shortly after our March 2004 Community Action, PACT’s Healthcare Committee was approached about getting community support and help to save the then twenty School Based Health Clinics from permanently shutting down due to declining funding.

Two years later, after a multi-step campaign, PACT is celebrating a tremendous victory as the Health Connect in Our Schools model has begun in thirty Miami-Dade County Public Schools. Health Connect in Our Schools provides primary healthcare including mental health to any student with parental consent. Students are not required to have health insurance and can take advantage of preventive health care education while at school.

The program is scheduled to be implemented fully within three years, and will be in 101 schools by the end of the 2006-2007 school year. Various organizations throughout the county are currently considering ways to augment the program through services, staffing, etc.

Current Campaign Focus
PACT’s current campaign focus is to follow up on our recent victory and ensure the full implementation of the program. With full funding of Health Connect in Our Schools:

• All children will be enrolled in available health insurance and other programs
• All children will have an identified “medical home” for physical and mental health
• Students will receive primary and prevention services for physical and mental health
• Any student with parental consent will be eligible, regardless of immigration status
• There will be less time taken from the work and school day to visit a clinic, or doctor’s office

Committee Co-Chairs:
Willie Mae Gibson (Ebenezer United Methodist Church)
Rev. Dr. Bill Bailey (Mount Pleasant / Sellers Memorial Cooperative Parish)