What is the FIMR Community Action? Team
The FIMR Community Action Team develops an action plan based on case recommendations and implements the actions. The overall goal of the action plan should be to improve the health and wellbeing of women, infants, and families in your community by improving the resources and services systems available to them.
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Every year FIMR releases new recommendations based on what was learned from families’ stories and it is up to the Community Action Team to turn them into meaningful action. This can be done by redefining already available supports, creating new supports or advocating for policy changes. Below you can find out a little more about the current focuses FIMR is taking on.
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Current Focus
Community Focused Peer Support Groups
Developing Peer Led Virtual Pregnancy Support Groups focused on communities of high need in Chicago. Helping bring together neighbors to create a network of support.
Transportation
Working on health education effort surrounding Managed Healthcare benefits as well as exploring ways of making mass transit more accessible for birthing individuals and families.
Implicit Bias
Developing community focused townhalls on the topic of implicit bias as a means of developing strategies for community education and empowerment.
How is this work done?
The FIMR Community Action Team currently has three independent workgroups taking on these recommendations while also helping support our partners with their health equity/community improvement efforts. The FIMR CAT is a collaborative that hopes to create opportunities that live and breathe in the communities that need them the most.
Developed Actions
You can find in this section the resources, supports and activities being developed and carried out by the FIMR Community Action team
Transportation
Illinois MCO (Medicaid) Transportation Consumer Benefits Toolkit
Transportation Medicaid benefits in Illinois cover more than just visit for healthcare. FIMR in partnership with IAMHP have developed a toolkit, brochure and one-pagers (specific to each MCO plan) to give consumers an easier way of accessing this benefit.
IL MCO Member Transit Guide- Countycare
IL MCO Member Transit Guide- Tri-Fold Brochure
IL MCO Member Transit Guide- Aetna
IL MCO Member Transit Guide- Humana
IL MCO Member Transit Guide- BCBSIL
IL MCO Member Transit Guide- Meridian
IL MCO Member Transit Guide- Molina
Guía De Beneficios De Transporte Para Miembros De Seguros De Salud MCO (Medicaid) De Illinois
Los beneficios de Transporte de Medicaid en Illinois cubren más que solo visitas para atención médica. FIMR en asociación con IAMHP ha desarrollado un conjunto una guía, folleto y páginas individuales (específicas para cada plan MCO) para brindar a los consumidores una forma más fácil de acceder a este beneficio.
Peer Support Groups
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We collaborated with community partners and community members to create a project that aims to provide a space for pregnant and recently postpartum people (up to around 4 months) to support one another. This will be a space to talk about the good, bad, hard, and happy moments of pregnancy and early parenting journeys with others on the same path. Where participants can ask questions, learn something new, get connected with resources, and find support and friendship from peers!
This is not your standard childbirth education group or class led by a professional, this is a group guided by peers from the community that allows its participants to lead the direction of the conversation. This project was created in part from the FIMR recommendations coming from the review of stories of families who have experienced pregnancy or infant loss in the city of Chicago.
If you or someone you know is currently pregnant or recently postpartum, please share the following interest form with them or have them email FIMR@bsd.uchicago.edu for more information. This group starts this fall!
Link to Interest Form: https://bit.ly/peermeet
Call for Peer Support Leaders
We are currently looking for Volunteer Peer Support Group Leaders to help facilitate our community focused pregnancy and parenting peer support groups in the city of Chicago. Please send us an email at fimr@bsd.uchicago.edu if you are interested in more information.
Implicit Bias
The FIMR Community Action Team invites you to our upcoming event focused on continuing our community conversation on Implicit Bias scheduled for April 22, 2024 (12:30pm to 01:30PM).
Implicit bias affects us all in so many parts of our daily lives and sometimes it can have a real negative impact. It’s when we come together as a community to talk about it when real action can happen. We want to help create a safe environment where we can all come together, creating solutions that will help everyone’s quality of life.
Event details below and register to attend!
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Quarterly FIMR Community Action Team Meetings
The FIMR Community Action Team holds quarterly meetings via zoom open to the community where we we share resources, get the community updated on the progress of the FIMR study and open it up to comments, questions and suggestions. Please join us at one of our upcoming meetings or reach out to us to gain access to our previous recorded meetings.
FIMR Collaborations
The FIMR project is a collaborative that aims to work with different parts of the community to create opportunities. This space will highlight some of the collective work, resources, and tools coming from these partnerships.
Illinois MCO (Medicaid) Maternal Benefits Toolkit
This resource co-developed with IAMHP is meant to be a starting point for Medicaid MCO Expecting Members to better understand their benefits. Remember all Medicaid MCO plans in Illinois have dedicated Care Coordination teams available to help families navigate their healthcare and community needs. A well-informed community is an empowered community.
Click on the images above to access the toolkit in English or Spanish
Toolkit Features:
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Select the plan name on the cover page to jump to that plan page. Phone numbers autofill the dialer on your phone if you touch them from a smartphone
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Application/ Websites/ Documents open on your smart device if you touch them
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Each Plan’s info includes access to the current members' handbook with information on additional benefits
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Each Plan can be shared as individual toolkits
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Toolkit is available in both English and Spanish. A version for the visually impaired can be accessed in the table of contents page.
Illinois MCO (Medicaid) Maternal Mental Health Benefits Toolkit
We have partnered with IAMHP to produce a toolkit centered around understanding Medicaid Mental Health benefits for those who have been or are currently pregnant. We called for topics from those who serve, advocate, and support pregnant and postpartum families. We wanted to know what families want and need to know about their benefits to create this resource. As always each plan also has a care coordination team that will be able to help you every step of the way accessing these resources.
Click on the images above to access the toolkit in English or Spanish
Toolkit Features:​
• Scan the QR code and it automatically downloads to your device
• Phone numbers autofill the dialer on your phone if you touch them from a smartphone
• Application/ Websites/ Documents open on your smart device if you touch them
• Each Plan is featured as a one pager that can can be shared individually
• Toolkit is available in both English and Spanish
Join The FIMR Community Action Team
To join the group or if you have questions please complete the contact form