Community Action Month

May is Community Action Month! To showcase the powerful work of LHDC throughout southern Indiana and what it means to #BeCommunityAction, we are sharing several LHDC success stories below. 

Please note that for privacy reasons, the names of families and individuals have been changed.

Covering Kids and Families:
In late 2017, during health coverage open enrollment season, a local health clinic referred a family to one of LHDC’s Health Insurance Navigators. At the time, the Navigator assisted the family with enrolling in health coverage through the state. The family was so pleased and grateful for the assistance received that they have now referred four additional families to the LHDC Navigator. Two of those referrals were in 2020 and resulted in approved applications for everyone involved. With that recommendation of LHDC’s services from that one family, along with the referral from the local health clinic, 27 individuals have acquired health insurance coverage through the assistance of the Covering Kids and Families Program.

Head Start Birth - 5:
During the 2020 school year, Ashley, a student in LHDC’s Head Start Birth-5 Program, had difficulties with behavior and focusing her attention. Her family was concerned with Ashley starting her first year of school because she was very shy and not very verbal, but throughout Ashley’s time in the classroom, she continued to grow and become more successful every day. She adapted to her new environment so well, allowing her to feel comfortable enough to make new friends and learn new things. Ashley has shown interest in active participation in choice time and in dance and singing time. She has done a fantastic job communicating with her teachers and classmates. We are so proud of her and her accomplishments!

Housing Program: 
Robert, an elderly resident at LHDC’s housing, has difficulties reading and has needed help applying for assistance and keeping paperwork straight. Over the past year, his health has declined, and he has struggled with getting medical care, in part, due to not having a phone and dealing with the challenges with the COVID-19 pandemic. In the fall of 2020, LHDC’s Service Coordinator met with Robert in the shelter house, using masks and social distancing, and was on the phone for an extended time helping him apply for the Medicaid Waiver program. Since then, Robert has purchased a phone and has been approved for the Medicaid Waiver program. This program will help him with added meals, a lifeline alert, homemaker services, and more. With the help of LHDC’s Service Coordinator and this assistance, Robert will have a much better quality of life.

Retired & Senior Volunteer Program:
During the COVID-19 pandemic, the shortage of PPE supplies was a crisis across the country.  RSVP volunteers rose to the challenge and crafted several hundred masks for front line workers, residents at elderly housing facilities, and members of their community.  As the pandemic continued and vaccinations became available, our community desperately needed volunteers to vaccinate the public.  Our health department and only hospital in the RSVP service area did not have enough staff for vaccination clinics.  Three of our RSVP volunteers graciously accepted the call and served our community to vaccinate individuals.  Between the three volunteers, they have vaccinated upwards of 1,050 community members (and counting).  Five other RSVP volunteers provided transportation to homebound residents who needed transportation to vaccination clinics.  Lincoln Hills Development Corporation is humbled by the service our RSVP volunteers have provided during this challenging time.  

Resource Coordination:
In April, the LHDC Resource Coordination program received a referral for a family with four children. The Resource Coordinator made several attempts to contact the family, but the family was reluctant to engage. After weekly contacts with the LHDC Resource Coordinator, they were able to build rapport and trust, and the family identified three goals they would like to achieve, which included obtaining new housing, transportation, and childcare. The Resource Coordinator worked with the family, and the family was able to lease a 4-bedroom home and moved into their new home in July. The family also battled paying their utility bills, so the Resource Coordinator assisted with completing an Energy Assistance program application. To work toward the transportation goal, the father was also able to obtain his license, and he worked with the Resource Coordinator to apply for and get approved for the Individual Development Account (IDA) program to save money to toward his goal of purchasing a vehicle. The mother would like to return to the workforce to help support the family, and the Resource Coordinator is assisting with employment and childcare options. The family has achieved several goals and strives to achieve even more in the future!

Healthy Families:
In February 2020, Jasmin enrolled in LHDC’s Healthy Families Program. At that time, on the parent survey assessment, she struggled with knowledge about child development, believed in physical discipline, battled depression, and lived with family members because she could not financially afford her own home. With the help and support of LHDC’s Healthy Families Home Visitor, Jasmin has sought help for her mental health, owns her own home, does not believe in physical discipline, and is learning more and more every week about child development.

Head Start Birth - 5 & Covering Kids and Families:
In 2020, a Head Start family was struggling to find a local optometrist to accept their insurance. The LHDC Head Start Family Advocate referred the family to the LHDC Health Care Navigator, who was able to help the family apply for different coverage. The Head Start children received vision screenings, and it was found that both children needed glasses. After receiving their glasses, their learning began progressing by leaps and bounds!

Head Start Birth - 5, Housing Program, & Resource Coordination: 
Susan and her three children, one a newborn, had been staying with family, and due to a situation, she found that she had only two weeks to make other living arrangements. The LHDC Head Start Family Advocate contacted LHDC’s Resource Coordination program, and they were able to work with LHDC’s Housing program to complete an application for an apartment. Within four days, Susan sent the Family Advocate a photo of her new keys, and she was able to move her family into their new apartment.

Covering Kids and Families & Head Start Birth - 5:
In September 2020, the Head Start Program contacted one of LHDC’s Health Insurance Navigators to assist with a child in need of health insurance. The navigator contacted the Brown family and scheduled a virtual appointment to assist the Brown’s with applying for health insurance. After working with the family throughout the application process and by working together, the Head Start Program and the Health Insurance Navigator were able to assist in all family members getting enrolled in health coverage.

Weatherization Program:
In late 2020, the LHDC Weatherization crew discovered a homeowner living in a very dangerous situation. For various reasons, the gas-fired appliances were venting carbon monoxide into the living space of the home. Using their training, the LHDC Weatherization employees were able to eliminate this hazard with the help of a contractor. Through the Weatherization Program, this homeowner is now living in a much healthier and more energy efficient home.

Resource Coordination & Housing Program:
In March, one of LHDC’s Resource Coordinators was contacted by an individual who was in need of assistance in making a transition from a nursing home facility to finding permanent housing. The individual, who no longer qualified for nursing home level of care, was informed that he would need to make arrangements by early April to leave the nursing home. Initially, LHDC was working to assist him with housing applications in the area. While a housing option was available in the area, eligibility requirements would have required the individual to leave the nursing home facility, but due to COVID-19, individuals were not allowed to leave the nursing home and then return. Having realized this was no longer an option and the individual still needed to find permanent housing quickly, the Resource Coordinator reached out to LHDC’s housing. One of the housing properties had an affordable apartment available, and the LHDC team was able to work together to finalize the housing application paperwork, all just one day before the individual was required to leave the nursing home facility. Since moving into his new apartment, the Resource Coordinator has continued to follow up with the resident. The resident is doing well, and with the assistance of LHDC, he is now living independently in his new home.