About Us
PA-NH brings the Greater New Haven Community Together to Care for Our Neighbors in Need.
Mission
Vision
To be the Greater New Haven area community champion for access to medical care for those most in need
Project Access-New Haven (PA-NH) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to increasing access to medical care and services for underserved individuals in Greater New Haven. We achieve this mission by mobilizing a volunteer provider network to expand care for uninsured patients and providing patient navigator (PN) and community health worker (CHW) services to help underserved patients access timely medical care and connect with local resources to address health-related social needs.
VOLUNTEER PROVIDER NETWORK
Our extensive volunteer provider network is comprised of physicians, hospitals, businesses, and other partners that agree to provide free medical care and services to our uninsured patients.
It is based on a model that has been implemented in 150+ communities across the U.S. and made possible through partnerships that we have cultivated in the Greater New Haven community. Over 500 physicians provide free care through Yale Medicine (YM), Northeast Medical Group (NEMG), and independent medical practices throughout New Haven. In addition, Yale New Haven Hospital (YNHH) donates a full spectrum of ancillary and hospital-based services (e.g., diagnostic testing, surgical facilities, inpatient care). Other partners contribute in a variety of ways – for example, Metro Taxi/M7 provides free taxi rides to medical appointments, Quinnipiac donates physical therapy services, and Quest Diagnostics donates laboratory services. Our model ensures that donated medical care is delivered to those most in need in a timely and coordinated fashion, while providing a hassle-free experience for providers.
PATIENT NAVIGATOR (PN) SERVICES
Our PN services promote timely access to comprehensive, coordinated medical care for underserved patients.
Our dedicated, compassionate, bilingual (English/Spanish) PNs work closely with each patient to coordinate medical care, remove access barriers, and offer linguistically and culturally competent education and support. Our services are designed to guide patients through the healthcare system and include scheduling and reminding patients of appointments, coordinating services to address barriers to care (e.g., transportation, translation), ensuring comprehension of medical information and instructions, and facilitating follow-through with clinical recommendations and treatment plans.
COMMUNITY HEALTH WORKER (CHW) SERVICES
Our CHW services facilitate access to community-based resources to address social conditions that impact health – often referred to as social determinants of health (SDOH).
Health-related social needs may include housing instability, food insecurity, transportation, and other such concerns. Our CHWs connect patients with resources in the community to address these needs and provide education, support, and encouragement. Our staff also advocate for additional resources to address the needs of underserved members of our community.
Awards
PA-NH and Yale New Haven Hospital were awarded the 2014 Connecticut Hospital Association and Connecticut Department of Public Health’s Hospital Community Service Award for working together to care for medically underserved Greater New Haven residents.
The PA-NH Breast Health Navigation Program was awarded the 2016 Susan G. Komen of Southern New England Power of Pink Innovative Program of the Year Award.
PA-NH was awarded with the New Haven Medical Association Community Service Award in 2019