In the bustling atmosphere of the Laundry Café on Girard Avenue in North Philadelphia, a unique initiative is taking place.
As machines hum and children play, outreach workers from Fabric Health work to connect community members with essential health care services.
Olivia Pecora, an operations specialist with Fabric Health, explains how their program fits into the life of the laundromat, a place where many families spend significant amounts of time.
“The sounds of the laundromat are kids playing, music, people chitchatting and machines tumbling,” Pecora said.
Alongside a team of outreach workers, Pecora engages with visitors while they wait for their wash cycles, emphasizing the importance of health care education and accessibility.
Fabric Health, originally launched in Philadelphia in 2021, is now based in Washington, D.C., and strives to bridge the gap between community residents and health care resources.
The company seeks to address pressing public health issues, particularly the troubling rates of maternal and infant morbidity and mortality in Pennsylvania.
Their approach aligns with state efforts to enhance access to health care, food assistance, and transportation for women and families.
However, it comes at a time when federal funding cuts threaten the very programs that support these vulnerable groups.
Valerie Arkoosh, Secretary of the Department of Human Services, expresses the need for Pennsylvanians to understand the critical role these programs play in maintaining the health of mothers and new parents.
“We need to protect these programs,” Arkoosh asserts, highlighting the importance of community engagement in ensuring these services remain viable.
Accessing health care often poses significant challenges for families, primarily due to the complexities of social services.
With many families lacking the time to navigate this intricate system, Fabric Health’s outreach workers step in, assisting individuals with Medicaid recertification—a crucial resource that covers 30% to 40% of all births across Pennsylvania.
In addition to Medicaid, experts help families enroll in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program and apply for energy bill assistance through the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program.
Education is a vital component of Fabric Health’s mission, as they seek to empower families to utilize their benefits effectively.
Pecora emphasizes the importance of preventative care, especially for expectant mothers.
“Something that we are really focused on is getting mom or expecting mom the care that she needs early and even when she’s not sick,” she said.
This commitment is part of a broader strategy by multiple Pennsylvania departments.
The Human Services, Health, Drug and Alcohol Programs, and Insurance departments collaborate on a Maternal Health Strategic Plan aimed at reducing maternal mortality rates and enhancing service access.
Listening sessions and roundtables are being held to gather insights from residents about their access to health services.
Arkoosh reported on families sharing their struggles at a recent event, noting their difficulties with long wait lists for doctors’ appointments and challenges in transportation.
“They really struggle to get to doctors’ appointments; they struggle to get to grocery stores that sell fresh fruits and fresh vegetables,” she said.
Transportation remains a significant hurdle, prompting state leaders to closely examine this issue as part of their outreach efforts.
Fabric Health is primarily active in laundromats throughout North Philadelphia, and Pecora mentioned plans for expansion into South Philly locations in the future.
“The bottom line is everybody, no matter what situation you’re in, needs support and needs to know more about what is available,” she concluded.
This initiative not only brings vital services to communities but also exemplifies innovative thinking in public health outreach.
image source from：https://whyy.org/articles/healthcare-outreach-services-pa-laundromats/
