• What is CHIP's Mission?
• What community needs are addressed by CHIP?
• What solutions does CHIP provide?
• What is CHIP's budget?  Sources of Funding?
• Where does my money go?
• Who is the Executive Director?  Who are some of the Board Members?
• How many full and part-time staff does CHIP have?
• Why can't CHIP families go to the free clinic?
• Does CHIP duplicate the work done by Social Services?
• Doesn't Medicaid provide healthcare coverage?
• I heard that CHIP was a United Way partner agency, why do they still need my donation?

• Primary health care services delivered by physicians and dentists in the private sector
• Coordination of health and other services by community health nurses
• Family support and education by home visitors

• Primary Health Care Services
  • Each child enrolled in CHIP is provided a medical home - a private physician and dentist from a network of 70 local practitioners who have agreed to accept CHIP patients. These physicians and dentists provide primary health care services where the child is known and seen regularly for both well and sick visits, where central records are kept and the doctor can be reached during off-hours. Transportation is provided by CHIP for medical appointments when needed.
• Coordination of Health Care Services
  • Each child enrolled is placed in the care of one of CHIP's nine community health nurses. The nurse coordinates the medical and developmental care specific to each child's needs. Nurses prompt families to keep appointments, help ensure that treatment recommendations are carried out, and help parents cope with caring for children with chronic health problems such as asthma, diabetes, sickle cell anemia, and HIV. In addition, nurses also ensure that each child is up-to-date on his/her well child exams, preventative dental services, and immunizations; has appropriate weight for height, and has been assessed for hearing and speech delays.
• Family Support and Education
  • CHIP works to strengthen the family. To grow up healthy, children need families who are able to provide stable, safe, and nurturing environments. CHIP home visitors assist the entire family - working with parents to address issues such as housing, nutrition, education, employment, and parenting techniques. Effective parent education and support can build on family strengths so parents feel more knowledgeable, more confident and better able to care for their children.
• Pre-natal Case Management
• As CHIP identifies other needs of our families, additional and/or new services are provided. CHIP has implemented Pregnant Moms Program, a new initiative extending services to pregnant women, enrolling families when positive intervention in the child's life has the best chance of making a profound and lasting impact. CHIP Pregnant Moms Program gives expectant moms better healthcare for themselves and their babies in order to increase birth weight, decrease infant mortality, stop high risk behavior, and receive basic parenting skills. The pregnant moms will understand and become accustom to preventative medicine and continue with a medical home after the birth of their babies for themselves and for their children. Services include: Monthly Home visits with a Registered Nurse or Family Case Manager, Transportation to and from doctor appointments, Child Birth Education classes, Breast-Feeding Support, Nutrition Education, Referrals to community resources for car seats and nursery furniture.

• Care Coordination Programs
  • Reimbursements to physicians and dentists.
  • Transportation in the CHIP van for doctor appointments, therapy treatments, prenatal and family planning appointments, and counseling.
  • Ensuring appointments are kept for preventive care such as well-baby visits, immunizations and dental care.
• Family Strengthening Programs
  • Educational home visits by CHIP Family Case Managers who educate families on issues such as parenting skills, education, nutrition, and employment.
  • Monthly Parent Group Meetings for CHIP Mom's and Dad's where CHIP staff provide parent education and a supportive network.
  • The Family Friend Mentoring Program which matches volunteer mentors with CHIP families for intense needs such as GED tutoring and transportation to out-of-town medical appointments.

• Robin Haldiman, Executive Director, CHIP
  • Ms. Haldiman has been CHIP's executive director since November, 1995. In her tenure, she has overseen the development of a long-range plan and business plan, reorganized staffing for greater efficiency, initiated collaborative efforts bringing new expertise and funding to CHIP, and implemented a computerized patient tracking system to better maintain data and report outcomes. Prior to joining CHIP, Ms. Haldiman was the Senior Vice President for Planned Parenthood of the Blue Ridge where she worked for eight years. She holds a BA degree in Business Administration from Mary Baldwin College.
• Our Board Members, who include physicians, dentists, attorneys, stock-brokers, CEO's and community volunteers, represent a diverse section of our community and share a commitment to promote comprehensive health care to our Valley's neediest children.

There is a large percentage of our community who, while unable to qualify for Medicaid, are not in a position to purchase private insurance for themselves and their families and often do not receive medical benefits through their employer.  CHIP helps bridge this gap while working to provide comprehensive medical care to both Medicaid and non-Medicaid eligible needy children in our community. With the implementation of the Family Access to Medical Insurance Security Program (FAMIS), less than 2% of CHIP children are currently uninsured. CHIP reimburses physicians and dentists at Medicaid rates for providing care to uninsured CHIP children.

While many children do have Medicaid insurance many parents still utilize the emergency rooms for health care. CHIP works to educate parents on the importance of using a pediatrician for preventive care to reduce inappropriate and costly use of emergency rooms.

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