Removing Barriers to Health Care: Health Guardians

Published in our 2016 Annual Report.

Health Guardians is an intensive and integrated care model that strives to remove and Health Guardians Sacred Heart Residentaddress any and all barriers (social, economic and health-related) to receiving effective health care. It is an integrated system of intensive medical and behavioral care navigation. It incorporates the many health and social services provided by Catholic Charities and its partner organizations to help these patients achieve a better quality of life.

Health Guardians Patient CarePatient Navigators work one on one with these individuals and their families to map out an intensive care plan that leads to improved self-sufficiency in accessing care. Through Health Guardians, Catholic Charities offers an integrated system of intensive medical and behavioral care management and wraparound social services for this high-need patient population.

Health Guardians currently serves St. Bernard, Plaquemines, Jefferson and Orleans Parishes. Support and assistance includes:

  • Intensive care management
  • Transportation assistance for those otherwise unable to attend Primary Care appointments
  • Facilitating with Health Care Coverage (Medicaid, Medicare, GNOCHC)
  • Serving as a liaison between doctors and patients
  • Counseling and medication management
  • Food Assistance
  • Enrollment in primary care medical home
  • Prescription Assistance
  • Application Assistance
  • Hygiene Needs
  • Referrals for substance abuse treatment
  • Workforce Development Referrals
  • Transitional housing
  • Health education and literacy