In 1996, Boston Medical Center pediatricians voiced concerns about managed care’s detrimental impact on low-income families. Granted just fifteen minutes per patient, physicians lack sufficient time to address critical aspects of families’ lives – such as access to food and housing – while also providing necessary medical care.
In response, Project HEALTH created the Family Help Desk. Based in the Pediatric Clinic waiting room, the Help Desk advocates for 700 families per year, ensuring their access to food, safe shelter, health insurance, job training, and child care.
At a cost of just $.50 per family, the Help Desk acts as an ally for one in 20 of Boston’s 40,266 low-income children. The Help Desk successfully resolves 60% of cases in which bureaucratic systems, language barriers, or administrative errors obstruct families’ access to resources. Likewise, 45% of families who approach the Help Desk regarding hunger issues obtain food from WIC, school lunch programs, or Dollar-a-Bag programs after meeting with the Help Desk.
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