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Patient Assistance Fund

Caring for our community often extends beyond just health care.

Health and Hardship Initiative

Caring for our community means looking beyond the clinical visit. Every day, we meet individuals navigating circumstances that make it difficult to focus on their health—transportation barriers, food insecurity, unstable housing, legal challenges, isolation, and more. Recognizing these realities, HealthFirst Bluegrass created the Health and Hardship Initiative to strengthen the supportive services that help people work through these obstacles.

Why It Exists

Since 2017, our Community Health Worker (CHW) Program has been at the heart of addressing non-medical needs that impact overall wellness. With roughly 81% of the population we serve living at or below the federal poverty level, the Initiative enhances our ability to coordinate community resources, partner with local organizations, and respond when critical gaps arise.

How It Helps

Through this initiative, our CHWs connect individuals to insurance options, food access, transportation solutions, educational resources, and community partners who help stabilize major life challenges. This strengthened network allows our team to act quickly when someone’s circumstances place their health at risk.

A Story of Impact

In 2017, our CHW Program and clinical team supported “Lee,” a community member facing multiple hardships and complex medical needs. Through coordinated care, behavioral health support, and strong partnerships across Fayette County, Lee regained stability, built confidence, and found a renewed sense of hope.

“On a scale of 1–10, the care and compassion I received from HFBG was a 200%. The team gave me courage, support, and reminded me I was worth it.”

Stories like this reflect the heart of the Health and Hardship Initiative—strengthening the services and collaborative systems that help community members move toward wellness.