CAN Services

CAN Services

Because CAN's clients represent a range of skills and challenges, their ability to navigate services and systems varies. CAN's support starts where the clients' abilities leave off, ranging from giving out resource phone numbers, to setting up appointments and providing transportation & translation services, and even advocating with and on behalf of a resident. Support includes:

Eviction and DTE shut off prevention
Referrals for counseling and substance abuse prevention
Referrals to Legal Services
Free eye exams and glasses
Warm the Children shopping vouchers
Food Gatherers distribution
ESL and literacy tutors
Day and overnight summer camp ccholarships
Gently used furniture and household goods
Advocacy in children's schools, including at IEPs
Advocacy at DHS, CPS and Family Court
Translation of school, DHS and INS paperwork
Head Start and all day kindergarden enrollment
Health Insurance (MICHILD, WHP and Medicaid) Enrollment
Accessing dental, and health care
Enrollment in Adult Education through GED programs or local colleges

Housing

Many of CAN's clients are considered precariously housed. At least 40 % of current Hikone families were at risk for homelessness within the past two years; at least 15% have been homeless within the past 5 years. Yet since 2002 to date, not a single family served by CAN has been evicted because of non-payment of rent.

CAN does not provide direct cash subsidies; we do help our families apply for the subsidies they are eligible for (e.g., Home Heating Credit).
When our clients fall short and receive eviction or DTE shut-off notices, we have carved out the path - or rather the maze - to access the different funding sources that help families with rent and DTE bills in a crisis.
Our clients' abilities to navigate systems vary widely, and CAN services pick up where their abilities leave off. Sometimes only a referral or a phone number is needed, often our staff assists in the completing of applications, compiling of documentation and provides transportation. Eviction and DTE shut off prevention, applying for Home Heating Credit and Thaw funds are often required services.
Because CAN is community-based, we have long-established relationships with our residents. Residents know to reach out to CAN when eviction or DTE shut-off's are imminent and do so regularly, at the rate of twice a month or 24 requests a year.
CAN also works to prevent evictions based on inappropriate or illegal conduct. Loud and late partying, instigating fights, public drunkenness, open drug use or drug trafficking, and harboring illegal residents (meaning, those not registered on the Housing Commission's lease) can lead to eviction for public housing residents.
When such behavior occurs, CAN is often asked by residents to help address the problems. CAN empowers neighbors to first address these issues themselves in legal, respectful and constructive ways. We believe that pressure from within the community sends the strongest message.
If this fails, CAN staff engages these "high maintenance" residents in frank conversation. We are aware of several instances where these interventions resulted in much improved behavior and likely evictions were avoided.

Food

Our families are never without food.

CAN provides at least 5000 free meals annually to the children and parents it serves.
CAN provides healthy, nutritious evening meals through its after-school program during the academic year four evenings a week at both centers. These meals are prepared by Food Gatherers, volunteer groups (e.g. Ann Arbor Hope Church), CAN staff, and Hikone parents.
When free and reduced school lunches are not available during the summer CAN provides two healthy meals a day during our 6-week summer camps.
CAN coordinates monthly (GBC) and twice monthly (Hikone) food distributions with Food Gatherers all year long.
CAN maintains well stocked (and often used) food pantries at both community centers, available to any resident, any time.
At Hikone an elaborate community garden allows families to grow fresh vegetables every summer - about a third of our families take advantage of this opportunity.
CAN coordinates with various community service groups to ensure our families have turkeys and fixings at Thanksgiving and ample food at other holiday times. Most recently this was accomplished by generous donations from the King School PTO, Allen School Teachers, Harvest Mission Community Church, New Grace Apostolic Temple and Food Gatherers.

Health Care

CAN does not provide direct primary health care but our staff acts as a crucial bridge between our residents, primary health care providers and health insurance programs. CAN is often able to fill the gaps when insurance coverage is not enough.

With few exceptions residents living in public housing qualify for government provided health insurance coverage, be it Medicaid, MiChild, Washtenaw Health Plan or Medicare.

Eligibility does not equate to enrollment. Limited literacy skills, ESL status and cognitive impairments can make completion of enrollment applications impossible, and annual renewals confound some people. Here at CAN we not only assist with health insurance applications and re-enrollment, we actively survey our families every year to ensure coverage has not lapsed.

Enrollment does not equate to access. Even when families are enrolled in health insurance programs, transportation and organizational challenges sometimes hamper the scheduling of regular physicals and vaccinations. We help our residents - adults and children alike, obtain glasses, access dental services and connect them with other needed medical community resources. When requested, CAN also serves as a liaison between health care providers and insurance agencies. For the past two years CAN has coordinated flu vaccination clinics at both sites.

General Health Care:

CAN conducts in-take visits with all new resident families - part of this intake includes verifying that every family member has health insurance coverage.
CAN performs annual check-ins with our residents to make certain health insurance coverage remains in place
If residents are not insured, CAN assists residents with their (re)enrollment and follows up until enrollment is confirmed.
When Hikone or GBC residents need advocacy with their health care provider (e.g. if prescriptions cause troublesome side effects or don't appear to help the problem) CAN staff, at residents' request, step in.
CAN coordinates annual flu vaccination clinics in collaboration with Harvest Mission Community Church.
CAN makes sure children eligible for Head Start receive their required physical, which includes a TB test and lead screening.
CAN takes part in county-wide Infant Mortality Reduction and Safer Sleep initiatives.
CAN advocates with county policy makers to promote recognition that health insurance is only a first (albeit important) step to accessing health care for families that experience multiple daily challenges (such as lack of transportation, chronic disorganization)
CAN takes part in the Success By Six "Access to Health Care" Action Group

Dental Care:

Children eligible for Head Start receive free dental screenings through a CAN/Hope Dental Clinic arrangement
Children in need of emergency dental services receive immediate care through a CAN/Hope Dental Clinic collaboration
Allen Elementary School and CAN collaborate together to maximize Hikone children's participation in the Mobile Dentists program at Allen School
CAN always disseminates free UM dental clinic information when clinics are scheduled.
CAN provides regular dental health care presentations during its after school programs in collaboration with the UM School of Nursing.
CAN refers adults with acute dental needs to the UM Dental Clinic and Hope Dental Clinic.
On an as-need basis, CAN secures free orthodontic care for youth with serious structural dental issues.
In the broader community, CAN raises awareness of the high incidence of caries (dental disease) among low income children and its correlation to school absenteeism, lack of proper nutrition, and poor general health.

Vision Care:

When residents' insurance coverage is not available, CAN partners with the Ann Arbor Thrift Shop and LensCrafters to make certain every resident in need of eye glasses receives a proper eye exam and glasses of the correct prescription.