For the last 3 years Jodi Ray’s team has successfully partnered with key organizations statewide, providing enrollment education and outreach to vulnerable populations in all 67 Florida counties

Tampa, FL (Sept. 17, 2015) — Over the last three years, the University of South Florida has been awarded more than $14.5 million in federal Navigator grants to help eligible uninsured Floridians get health care coverage.

That total includes a $5.9 million 2016 Navigator grant announced Sept. 2 by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, which awarded a total of nearly $67 million in grants in 34 states federally facilitated and state partnership Health Insurance Marketplaces.  All recipients will have the opportunity to renew their grants for the next two years.

The Year 3 Navigator grant marks the second consecutive year that Jodi Ray’s team at the Florida Covering Kids & Families program (FL-CKF), USF College of Public Health, has won the largest Navigator grant in the country and in Florida.  Once again the program, directed by Ray, covers all 67 Florida counties, working with consortium partners that deploy in-person assisters known as navigators to explain health insurance options and help people sign up for plans.

“Jodi Ray and her incredible team are dedicated to helping everyone in Florida secure the means to access the health care they need to live full, productive lives,” said Donna Petersen, ScD, dean of the USF College of Public Health. “This level of support three years in a row is a clear testament to the incredible knowledge, skill and talent this group has cultivated over many years, connecting Florida families to health care coverage.  The College of Public Health couldn’t be prouder of their continued excellent work.”

For three years running, Jodi Ray, director of the Florida Covering Kids and Families program at the USF College of Public Health, has been the lead investigator for USF’s Navigator grant.

In its third year, the program will focus on helping consumers understand how to get the most out of their coverage as well continue new enrollments and renewals, Ray said.

“We want people who get health coverage to keep it and to understand how to use their benefits correctly to access care,” she said. “We will continue to make a concerted effort to target hard-to-reach populations and hone in on post-enrollment activities.”

USF FL-CKF will work with the following 11 consortium partners this year to expand education, outreach and enrollment:

• Florida CHAIN
• 90Works
• WellFlorida Council
• Health Planning Council of Northeast Florida
• United Way of Brevard
• Primary Care Access Network
• The Family Healthcare Foundation
• Health Council of Southeast Florida
• Broward Regional Health Planning Council
• Health Council of South Florida
• Health Planning Council of Southwest Florida

-USF Health-

USF Health’s mission is to envision and implement the future of health. It is the partnership of the USF Health Morsani College of Medicine, the College of Nursing, the College of Public Health, the College of Pharmacy, the School of Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation Sciences, and the USF Physicians Group. USF Health is an integral part of the University of South Florida, a high-impact, global research university dedicated to student success. For more information, visit health.usf.edu.

Media contact:
Anne DeLotto Baier, USF Health Communications
abaier@health.usf.edu or (813) 974-3303