National Youth Enrollment Day Call to Action Event Hosted at A Safe Haven Foundation Headquarters
Chicago, IL, January 29, 2015 – In honor of National Youth Enrollment Day, A Safe Haven Foundation (ASHF) held a press conference opened by ASHF President, Neli Vazquez Rowland with guest speaker Eve Rips, the Midwest Director of Young Invincibles, a national organization, working to engage young adults on issues, such as higher education, health care, and jobs. The purpose of the press conference was to raise awareness about the importance of getting Chicago’s residents- particularly the youth- enrolled in healthcare coverage by the February 15th deadline. ASHF is a proud navigator and in-person counselor in the Get Covered Illinois campaign. During the press conference, ASHF President Neli Vazquez Rowland emphasized ASHF’s commitment to getting Chicago’s residents particularly youth covered.
‘According to statistics provided by Get Covered America, nearly 1 in 5 young adults doesn’t have health insurance coverage; that’s a terrifying statistic when you consider the disproportionate incidence of heart disease, hypertension, diabetes, and other preventable conditions among residents in Chicago’s at-risk communities—the communities served by A Safe Haven. We are proud to promote National Youth Enrollment Day as a national movement where young people, communities, and organizations come together in a unified effort to ensure young adults know about their new health care options and enroll in health coverage,” said A Safe Haven President and Co-Founder, Neli Vazquez Rowland.
For over 20 years, A Safe Haven Foundation has been helping homeless individuals rebuild their lives through an integrated continuum of care which includes housing, job training, behavioral health, and substance abuse treatment. A critical component of ensuring clients are on a path to stability and recovery is ensuring that they have access to healthcare and other necessary support services. That is why upon intake, all clients are assessed and screened for benefits and enrolled in coverage. ASHF has been a navigator and in-person counselor in the Get Covered Illinois campaign, since inception.
Vazquez Rowland ended the conference with a call to action, announcing upcoming enrollment events at Community Health First (5645 W. Addison) from 9-6 on Saturday 1/31 and Roberto Clemente Health Fair 10-5 on 2/7, and Open Mic Enrollment Slam from 5-10 on 2/7, among other events happening state-wide.