Case 1: This involves a 5-year-old patient with Chronic Kidney Disease Stage 5 who is also g-tube dependent. Due to the patient’s age, the caregiver is responsible for managing their care. This is a catastrophic illness, as it is a chronic, severe condition requiring ongoing medical attention. The caregiver, a single parent, manages the patient’s daily needs. The family has another child with specific care needs. As a result, the caregiver cannot work, and the family lacks reliable transportation and cannot afford childcare, especially during summer. They already rely on community resources like food banks and Medicaid transportation. The caregiver hopes to find employment once the children are back in school. With only a small income from child support and disability benefits, they have fallen behind on their electric bill. The electric company will not set up a payment plan until a “good faith” payment is made, and they risk losing electricity if this isn't arranged soon. We are requesting $1,605.00 for the electric bill. Total request: $1,605. The full amount has been approved.
Case 2: These are two-month-old triplets born prematurely. The siblings spent many weeks in the NICU at another hospital before transferring to ACH. Two of the three have been discharged, but the remaining sibling is expected to stay for several weeks to months due to diagnosis of Group B Streptococcus (GBS) infection, anemia, apnea, and possible intracranial hemorrhage, among other issues. This family is a single-parent household that has always dreamed of having children. Besides the high-risk medical needs of the patients, the caregiver also faces their own medical challenges, including the possibility of kidney removal. The caregiver has some support from family members; however, as time has gone on, those family members have had to return home or to work. The caregiver is currently employed but has already used up their leave and FMLA benefits. They have ongoing monthly expenses and need to purchase a new vehicle, as the current one cannot safely transport or hold three babies. Currently, the caregiver requires assistance with paying rent. Therefore, we are submitting a request for three months’ rent to help the caregiver get back on their feet. Their current rent is $ 998.31 per month. The total request is $ 2,994 for three months. The committee approved two months' rent, granting $1995.62.
Case 3: This involves a 2-year-old patient who has been at ACH for over a month following decannulation of his tracheostomy and a tracheal resection. However, his course was complicated by failed extubation attempts, so he is now back on a tracheostomy. Without the trach, the patient could not breathe independently. This unexpected admission has affected the caregiver’s ability to manage their business and care for the patient and another sibling at home. The family must travel to and from ACH each day since the sibling cannot stay in the hospital. Due to the caregivers’ reduced ability to sustain a steady income, they have fallen behind on rent and electric bills. Additionally, because of the patient’s high medical supply costs and reliance on electricity for ventilator needs after discharge, we are requesting assistance to cover this bill. Therefore, we are submitting a request for $3,090.00 for rent and $278.82 for electricity. Total requested: $3,368.82. The committee agreed to assist with two months' rent and the electricity bill, totaling $2678.82.
Case 4: This case involves a 2-year-old patient admitted to ACH in June due to acute respiratory failure. The patient is medically complex with a high risk for adverse outcomes. Because of ongoing respiratory failure and multiple failed attempts to extubate, caregivers have proceeded with getting a tracheostomy. Without this procedure, the patient would have died due to an inability to oxygenate properly. Since at least one caregiver must be at the bedside, the other caregiver has had to forgo work opportunities to care for siblings at home. This has resulted in a decrease in income, causing the family to fall behind on their electric and water bills. When the patient is ready to be discharged home, due to medical needs for the trach/humidifier, they will need a new bed that is raised higher than their current sleeping arrangements. Therefore, we request your consideration for assistance with their electric bill ($620.55), water bill ($179.84), and a crib ($140). Total requested amount: $940.39. The full amount was approved for $940.39.
Case 5: This involves a 7-month-old patient with Sickle Cell disease. The patient requires frequent appointments and often faces unexpected hospitalizations. They have already been admitted twice during their short life. The patient has struggled with weight gain, which has been clearly linked to their family’s food insecurity. The family is supposed to receive monthly SNAP benefits; however, their SNAP account was hacked in February, July, and again in August this year. The caregiver reported these issues each time, but the agency stated that they cannot refund the family the funds. This has significantly impacted the family, especially with the caregiver’s loss of income during the patient’s hospital stays. Since the disease can affect a child’s growth, food insecurity should not be a contributing factor. Therefore, we are submitting a request for $1010 toward food gift cards from Kroger (including a $10 surcharge). Total request: $1010.00. The committee decided this case did not qualify for assistance due to the absence of a catastrophic illness. DENIED.
Case 6: This involves a 5-day-old premature patient transferred to ACH due to concerns about bilious emesis, as well as urinary and feeding issues. Bilious emesis is a serious sign of potential intestinal obstruction and needs immediate medical attention. Currently, the patient is not expected to have a prolonged stay; however, this is still undetermined and depends on the results of their medical evaluations. The family situation has changed recently, as one of the caregivers is no longer a consistent presence, which has affected the other caregiver’s ability to work regularly. This has caused the family to fall behind on bills. The caregiver is concerned about how to support the patient and their sibling on a limited income, and they are seeking assistance with their rent. Therefore, we are requesting your assistance with three months’ rent ($543 per month) to help the caregiver get back on their feet. Total request: $1,629.00. This application was denied because the patient had already been discharged. DENIED.
Case 7: This case involves a 15-month-old patient with complex care needs who has frequent appointments due to Andersen-Tawil syndrome, among other diagnoses. The family lives over two hours away and must travel often for the patient’s appointments. Recently, they welcomed a newborn sibling and also have an older sibling. The family vehicle’s air conditioning is not working, and they are requesting it be repaired. The high heat can cause the patient distress and respiratory problems. When traveling to Little Rock for appointments, they must stop several times to find places with air conditioning to give the patient and siblings some relief from the heat. Therefore, we respectfully request payment of $904.05 for car repairs. Total request: $904.05. Due to the air conditioning season nearing its end, and the diagnosis being chronic but not catastrophic, the committee denied the request. DENIED.
Case 8: This case involves a family that recently had triplets prematurely. One of the triplets has been diagnosed with a heart condition, which may require the family to relocate for specialized care. Along with caring for their three preterm infants, they are also looking after their toddler at home. The caregivers have expressed serious concern about their current and future financial stability. They shared that their household income has been significantly affected, with one caregiver currently on 12 weeks of unpaid leave, receiving only a small percentage of their income through short-term disability benefits. The other may have to leave their job to care for the newborns, which would further decrease the family’s income. Additionally, the family has faced unexpected expenses, including extending their temporary Airbnb stay to stay close to the hospital. These issues have caused worry about upcoming bills. The combined challenges have placed considerable emotional and financial stress on the family during an already difficult and uncertain time. Given these circumstances, they would greatly benefit from any additional financial support or resources available to help ease some of their burdens. Therefore, we are requesting assistance with the following expenses: water bill ($50.45), mortgage ($2,320.38), car payment ($292.04), car insurance ($192.88), and internet ($76.90). Total request: $2,932.65. The committee declined to help with the mortgage payment, pending more information. The remaining request was approved for $612.27.
The total amount of funds awarded came to $7,833.10.
