People in need are often unable to access the health services they need due to economic, geographic and cultural barriers. The Foundation supports organizations working to break down these barriers.
Barriers include:

• Confusion about where to go for needed health care or about what resources may be available—a problem caused at least in part by the sheer complexity of the health care system.
• Lack of insurance or equivalent financial resources.
• Lack of finances to purse follow-up care, including prescriptions.
• Lack of adequate transportation, a common problem for older adults.
• Inflexible working hours and the unavailability of routine medical care outside of the normal work day.
• Loss of income when away from work while seeking health services.
• Perceptions on the part of the uninsured that they are not welcome or valued.

Guilford Community Care Network
A Comprehensive Access Strategy
The Foundation has embraced the concept of a Community Care Network (CCN) as a long-term and comprehensive access strategy. The CCN is a collaborative community approach to the care of indigent, uninsured, Medicaid and other underserved populations. At a minimum, essential elements of a CCN include:

• a network of providers with the capacity and willingness to manage the care of those populations referred to above
• comprehensive case management
• a comprehensive and accessible information and referral system
• a plan that includes the organization of the CCN and the means for financing the initiative