The Refuge Community Centre is one of several social service organizations operating in The Family Support Center facility at 1075 Blythe Ave. The support center is located in the former Blythe Avenue Elementary School and it is coordinated through the Family Resource Agency.
“We hope to bring understanding to those who have had issues with the health insurance industry and who have been unable to find proper answers,” Johns explained. “The seminars will provide knowledge of the vocabulary and bylaws of insurance, and will offer to attendees information that will help them find the health care needed for their specific physical and financial situations.”
The series of seminars will be offered in two cycles.
Participants may choose from either of two 4-part series, including:
- Tuesdays, from 5:30 to 7: 30 p.m., on April 5, April 12, April 19 and April 26; or
- Saturdays, from 2 to 4 p.m., on April 2, April 9, April 16 and April 23.
The scheduled sessions will concentrate on the following subjects:
- Session 1: Insurance as a Second Language
- Session 2: How to Handle a Health Crisis — Building a Healthcare Team
- Session 3: Should I Sign up for a Medicare Replacement Plan?
- Session 4: Should I Sign up for Medicare Part D (the prescription drug plan)?
“The seminar classes are open to anyone who desires to learn more about health insurance, but especially those who struggle to maintain healthcare coverage, are underinsured, uninsured or need help finding new and better ways to keep adequate and reliable health coverage,” The Refuge Community Centre director explained.
The seminars will be taught by Candi Dixon.
The agency is hosting the sessions as a part of its neighborhood and community outreach, Johns cited.
“A focus of The Refuge Community Centre is its commitment to literacy,” he said. “In particular, we focus on literacy programs that offer information and training that are necessary in everyday life.”
Such forums build public knowledge, another cornerstone in the agency’s foundation.
“We believe knowledge is power to people and that with the knowledge received through our literacy programs our constituents will be able to better their livelihoods,” Johns stressed.
The director said although program fliers depict the sessions as health insurance “information” seminars, they are as much “literacy” seminars aimed at helping attendees better understand insurance jargon, terms and processes.
“The seminar will provide answers to the whys, hows and whens of health and prescription insurance,” he said. “It will also be very informative about other avenues of healthcare for those who do not have personal health insurance.”
Although the seminars are free to the public, seating is limited so pre-registration is required.
Those wishing additional information or who want to register may call 584-5211 or stop by The Refuge Community Centre office in Suite 8 of The Family Support Center.
The seminars will be held at the center.
To those unfamiliar with its name, The Refuge Community Centre was recognized most recently for its work with the Refuge Community Christmas which brought the holidays to the children and families who live in the East Cleveland area.
The Refuge Community Centre is a family-friendly agency that provides an outreach and self-help service to families, predominately in the East Cleveland and Blythe Avenue neighborhoods. The Blythe community is considered the lowest-income neighborhood in Cleveland and one of the lowest income parts of any community across the state.
Some of the other organizations housed within The Family Support Center are New Hope Pregnancy Center, the Mosaic Center, the Bradley Initiative for Church & Community Credit Union, Head Start, a Boys & Girls Clubs of Cleveland satellite and Circuit Court offices for the 10th Judicial District. All are considered Support Center and Family Resource Agency partners.
According to Kelli Kyle, associate director of community involvement for the Refuge Community Centre, the agency provides “resources and life-building tools to individuals and families that, for various reasons, do not have access to life-sustaining necessities.”
The agency may also be contacted by sending an email to contact@therefugecommunity.org. The organization’s website may be accessed at www.therefugecommunity.org.
