Joan | Bethel, AK
“Medicaid helps families in rural Alaska access basic human needs.”
For 23 years, Joan has lived in Bethel, and works intimately with Medicaid patients in Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta. As a social worker, she provides therapy and care coordination for many rural Alaskan families. Over two-thirds of her patients are located in remote villages covering a region the size of the state of Oregon. Air travel is critical for services, costing from $80 to $600 just to fly into Bethel. Frequently, she works with clients who struggle with hunger on a regular basis.
For Joan, managing their traumatic health issues is critical to prevent their diagnoses from manifesting into serious physical, psychiatric, and emotional symptoms. With Medicaid covering air travel for many rural Alaskans, families in the Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta can access their basic human needs.
