Action Plan

Two days a week I ride the Regional Rail to Northeast Philadelphia, where I get off at the Holmesburg Junction station and walk to Curran-Fromhold Correctional Facility (CFCF) to begin my day. CFCF is one of several jails in Philadelphia County. A nonprofit organization, Action Wellness is committed to helping people living with chronic diseases in the Greater Philadelphia area by providing chronic illness treatment and prevention services, free rapid health screenings, and medical case management. The Philadelphia Linkage Program (PLP), a medical case management program at Action Wellness, serves individuals living with HIV or other chronic illnesses during incarceration and after release from the Philadelphia Prison System. Not only does the PLP provide access to medical care by referring clients to clinics and pharmacies and helping them understand their health insurance, but it also provides a myriad of other non-medical services that enable an individual to reenter the community as smoothly as possible after incarceration. These services include help with obtaining a state ID, employment resources, education resources, and referrals to drug and alcohol treatment programs. As the first AmeriCorps volunteer at Action Wellness, I am proud to be a part of the Philadelphia Linkage Program.

^{The mission of the Philadelphia Linkage Program is to reduce recidivism rates in Philadelphia by offering access to health care and other resources that enable an individual recently released from jail to establish a sustainable lifestyle.}

A disproportionate percentage of the Philadelphia prison population is affected by HIV, or human immunodeficiency virus. This prison population faces significant barriers to health care due to high rates of poverty, homelessness, recidivism, parole issues, drug use, and mental illness, among other factors. The Philadelphia Linkage Program plays an essential role in the battle against HIV in Philadelphia. The city faces one of the highest rates of HIV infection in the nation, largely due to its high percentage of individuals living in poverty who lack access to basic health care and health education. High rates of poverty coincide with high crime rates, which means that many of the individuals who end up in a Philadelphia jail are from Philadelphia’s poorest neighborhoods.

In my day-to-day work at CFCF, I meet individually with potential clients and introduce them to the Philadelphia Linkage Program. As the first step in linking clients to care through the PLP, each person I visit is a new face, one whom I’ve never met before. After introducing myself and explaining the program, I conduct an intake, which is a detailed questionnaire that covers the client’s medical history, educational background, and family history. The intake, once completed, is handed off to the case manager who will work with the client after he or she is released.

The most difficult aspect of my service is quickly developing trust with the individuals I meet. After just ten minutes of conversation, I’m directed to ask them personal questions about their life. I’ve found that simple gestures such as offering to shake hands, smiling, and addressing them by name have helped my clients feel relaxed and thus more willing to engage in conversation and provide honest answers. Clearly expressing to them that our program is voluntary and free, and ultimately allowing them to decide for themselves if they would like to participate gives the individuals I meet a sense of agency. Recognizing that nearly every client is disenfranchised in some way has helped me better understand the personal obstacles they may face, such as unstable housing, undependable family or friends, or childhood abuse. I rely on the NHC training I received about providing trauma-informed care to guide my daily interactions with clients.

My favorite part of the visit comes at the very end, when I ask the client for specific ways in which he thinks the PLP can help him personally. The top responses I hear are requests for referral to a primary care physician or behavioral health provider, employment resources such as assistance with job applications and resume building, and education resources such as assistance with GED enrollment and information about trade school and community college. By this time, each person I meet is eager to work with the PLP. I see on their faces the excitement they feel as I encourage them to envision their life after they are released. I am motivated by the chance I have to instill hope in the lives of those I meet. I have learned to look beyond my original misconceptions and recognize, encourage, and celebrate each person’s capabilities, goals, and great potential.

The Philadelphia Linkage Program has a track record of linking 85 percent of clients to health care upon their transition from jail to the community. By ensuring a continuity of medical care, we reduce the development of drug-resistant HIV strains and the risk of HIV transmission to others. As an NHC member, I have the privilege of serving this community on a daily basis by helping them access affordable healthcare through the Philadelphia Linkage Program of Action Wellness.
 

This blog post was written by NHC Philadelphia member Eleanor Love.
Eleanor serves as a Health Navigator at Action Wellness.