Helps people with Medicare quickly resolve a complaint or concern about medical care or services. Directly contacts a practitioner, healthcare provider, or facility on behalf of the patient. Resolves complaints that are not right for a medical record review. Takes care of a complaint faster Examples of Immediate Advocacy: - The hospital staff will not answer your questions. - Your doctor ordered a wheelchair, but you have not gotten it yet. - You need to refill my prescription but can’t get an appointment to see your doctor.

Offers assistance to patients with specific issues they are facing with their insurer, employer and/or creditor regarding insurance, job retention and/or debt crisis matters relative to their diagnosis of life threatening or debilitating diseases.   Professional case managers and attorneys specialize in mediation, negotiation, and arbitration to advocate on behalf of patients experiencing issues with access to care, job retention and debt crisis due to their illness.

Offer pregnancy, post-pregnancy, breast/chestfeeding, and parenting services at public health centers across King County. Not all services offered at all locations. Maternity Support Services (Part of First Steps): Helps people have healthy pregnancies and recover from pregnancy. Coordinates support until the baby is two months old, and provides breast/chestfeeding support by: - Health education and counseling. - Regular visits in the clinic, by phone or video, or in the client’s home or community setting. - Support beyond the doctor or midwife, including nurses, nutritionists, social workers and community health workers. - Referrals to OB care, WIC, health insurance and other community resources. Infant Case Management (Part of First Steps): - Provides support and guidance from the time the baby is 2-3 months old through baby’s first birthday (for those who qualify). - Helps clients become self-sufficient in gaining access to medical, social, educational and other services they might need. Nurse Family Partnership: Public health nurses provide care coordination services through home or community visits or on the telephone - Partners pregnant people with registered nurses from pregnancy through their child’s 2nd birthday - Delivers the support first-time parents need to have a healthy pregnancy, a healthy birth, and a healthy infancy for the baby. Children and Youth with Special Health Care Needs: Public health nurses provide care coordination services through home or community visits or on the telephone. Services include: - Developmental screenings and assessments - Help with concerns such as feeding, nutrition, growth, development and behavior. - Help connect CYSHCN families to the health and related services they need to thrive. Family Ways: - Provides culturally relevant peer support for three community groups: Native American/Alaska Natives, Pacific Islander/Native Hawaiian, and U.S. born Black/African Americans from pregnancy through age 5. - Supports clients with pregnancy, parenting, community-connections and resource navigation - Registered Dietitian, Social Worker, and Public Health Nurse available for consultation and coaching

Provides a wide range of services for youth 12-24 years of age. Services focus on housing support, mental health, education, parent support, healthcare, criminal/legal support, and advocacy services. - Advocates can help access services based on unique situation & need, such as transportation, phone cards, obtaining a State ID, food banks, DSHS benefit applications, and job search. - Housing support may include housing search, referral to a shelter, temporary housing, or rapid/immediate housing, depending on the client's circumstances. - Refers to Okanogan Behavioral Healthcare or online counseling for mental health support. - Connects clients to criminal/legal support and services, such as defense attorneys, Northwest Immigrant Rights Project, or Northwest Justice Project. - Parenting support includes baby items, free books, referrals to child services, and more. - Bilingual tutoring is available on site.

Provides crisis resolution through giving strategic advice and negotiating to resolve a dispute or obtain items or services for the client. Also assists with information and resources. Types of problems include: - Money/Benefits - Housing - Employment - Health care - Consumer - Relationships - Bureaucracy Cannot give legal advice or direct cash assistance and cannot promise a particular outcome.

Provides individuals to connect with representatives from community health plan agencies for enrollment services, coverage inquiries, and ordering replacement medical ID cards. Healthcare representatives are on-site at varying days and times. Please refer to the monthly Carnegie Resource Center calendar for provider times or call for additional information.

Offers specialized information and referral services, resource navigation assistance, and online support groups. Provides limited financial assistance to people with mesothelioma. Also assists veterans get VA Disability Compensation for asbestos-related illnesses.

Accredited, trained volunteers serve heart patients and their families, with the support of Confluence Health, by listening, sharing their experience, and empathizing with their anxieties and concerns. Visits are usually made while the patient is in the hospital, but visitors are also willing to talk to patients and family members by phone or at other locations. Also provides a packet with educational information provided by mended hearts (written material is available in Spanish). "Heart Beat" newsletter is available to anyone interested.