Justify how these items may be considered barriers to the population selected. Examples of barriers may include: location/hours of operation; availability of providers; does not accept uninsured clients, clients with Medicare, or Medicaid; private or public funding constraints; clients’ care is uncoordinated, fragmented or has gaps; and lacks culturally sensitive care (i.e. serves Spanish-speaking community, but information is only published in English).

Select a vulnerable population and a community-based program developed for this population. (Note: You may use the same program you selected for week three’s discussion forum.) In a three to four page paper,

1. Describe the population and community-based program.
   • Intended population(s) served
   • Location of program (rural/urban)
   • Profit or non-for-profit
   • Services provided
2. Describe two organizational barriers that limit vulnerable populations’ access to the program.
3. Justify how these items may be considered barriers to the population selected.
   • Examples of barriers may include: location/hours of operation; availability of providers; does not accept uninsured clients, clients with Medicare, or Medicaid; private or public funding constraints; clients’ care is uncoordinated, fragmented or has gaps; and lacks culturally sensitive care (i.e. serves Spanish-speaking community, but information is only published in English).
4. Provide a strategy (one for each barrier) that could be used to reduce or eliminate the barriers. Strategies must address the barrier.
   • Example: Barrier- location/hours of operation Strategy: Move services or extend services to meet population’s needs (i.e. open on the evenings and weekends)
   • Example: Barrier- availability of providers Strategy: recruitment campaign to bring more providers to the area or work with universities graduating healthcare workers to provide internships
   • Example: Barrier- Does not accept uninsured clients, clients with Medicare, or Medicaid Strategy: Work with policy makers to improve conditions so accepting these clients would not place a financial burden on the community program (healthcare reform)
   • Example: Barrier- Private or public funding constraints Strategy: Explore new partnerships.
   • Example: Barrier- Clients’ care is uncoordinated, fragmented or has gaps Strategy: Pull together a group of representatives from various programs and develop strategies to improve the continuum of care
   • Example: Barrier- Lacking culturally sensitive care Strategy: Recruit healthcare workers/ volunteers from the population served; locate the program within the community, develop educational/informational materials that meet clients needs (language, reading level, culturally sensitive, etc.)

The paper must be a minimum of three pages in length (excluding the title and reference page) and utilize APA format. Include a minimum of 3 references, cited in APA format.