Compassionate Connections: Community Health Worker Joins New Neighborhood Health Center

Sky Ramos, CHW, is blazing new trails for Cook Children’s Health Plan. As the organization’s first-ever clinic-based community health worker (CHW), Ramos will provide in-person guidance at the new neighborhood health center serving the Las Vegas Trail area, helping visitors navigate the health care system, connect with community resources and access Medicaid services.

About 7,000 Cook Children’s Health Plan members reside in the Las Vegas Trail corridor. Until the establishment of this new role, most of their interactions with the health plan were over the phone. Now, they’ll have someone to visit with in-person. Guests can access this service through the health education center at the new facility.

“Having a community health worker on-site at a health center is a brand new role for the health plan,” said Kathy Schwab, MSN, RN, director of STAR/CHIP Service Coordination and Population Health at Cook Children’s Health Plan. “The vision is that the community health worker will be available for anyone visiting the center who might need linkages to other kinds of resources.”

For example, a student in the center’s job training program may also need food assistance, and can receive help getting connected to the West Aid Food Pantry located just steps away from where they are learning. Or, a patient receiving health services may need assistance with setting up transportation to another medical visit.

“They may even need someone to just sit down with them and go through an assessment of the big picture of what's going on in their life medically or socially, or what's going on with their kids,  and what resources they are needing,” Schwab said. “Sky can do that, and then put together a plan and some resources to help them with whatever it is that they might be struggling with.”

Assistance from the community health worker is not limited to health plan members. Anyone from the community visiting the center can access this service, which includes help completing Medicaid and SNAP applications.

In addition to being a community health worker, Ramos holds a degree in social work. While earning her degree, she completed an internship with the Boys and Girls Club, where she worked with at-risk youth and their parents. Ramos is also a member of the board of directors for a support group for moms of children with autism.

But her qualifications for this role go far beyond her professional credentials and education. Ramos’ connection with those living in the Las Vegas Trial community and the challenges they face is much more personal. She is the daughter of immigrants and, like many of those who reside in the Las Vegas Trail corridor, English is her second language. She is also a single mom who once called Las Vegas Trail home. 

“I’ve been through the struggles of being a single mom, so I really understand our moms and can connect with them on that level,” Ramos said “I know what it feels like to come from a family who's struggling with low income, and also coming from an immigrant family and having that language barrier because I didn't always speak English. So I’m really excited to be able to relate to them and empathize with them because I understand where they are coming from. I think it takes somebody who knows the struggles to really understand what help is needed.”

Schwab is confident Ramos is the right person for this pioneering role, too.

“I see this role as one that can help empower people and help them really rise up,” Schwab said. “That is what I love about Cook Children’s Health Plan, because it’s not just about providing health care coverage. It’s about providing things that help people rise up out of their circumstances and empower them to have better health and a better life. Sky is the perfect fit for actually doing that.”

To access services provided by the community health worker, call 682-303-8319 or visit the neighborhood health center’s website.