Accessing Healthcare and Enhancing Education

About the Program

Category: Human Services (Best in Category)

Year: 2011

In the spring of 2010, Henrico County Public School’s (HCPS) implemented an outreach program to assist families in obtaining low cost or free health insurance for children. The program, FAMIS, stands for Family Access to Medical Insurance Security. It provides health care services like: doctor visits, checkups, hospital visits, vaccinations, prescriptions, tests, x-rays, dental care, emergency care, vision care, and mental health. This program has the potential to benefit over 3,500 children in Henrico through increased availability to healthcare, which will enhance children’s access to education. Children who are unhealthy oftentimes do not attend school, and those who do, express difficulty with concentration and spend educational time in the clinic. The funding for this program was provided by Virginia Health Care Foundation, and will be in place for a period of 19 months. At the completion of the program, the project will be streamlined and institutionalized within the school system.