Polakowski and her co-worker developed a network of social services in the metro area to get referrals for the program. Children of the working poor fall through the cracks in the health-care system when their family income is too high to qualify for Medicaid, and yet their families cannot afford to purchase health insurance. It's a large crack, according to Polakowski, who laments the fact that parents have to choose between going to the grocery store and paying the rent or taking their child to the doctor. Getting care for 3,000 children So far, the program has been the safety net for more than 3,000 children in Georgia, giving them access to services ranging from preventive care and immunizations to emergency medical and accident care. The average length of coverage provided a child under the program is 18 months.
Policies are in effect for one year, with an option to apply for renewal when the year is up.
Polakowski's office is filled with reminders of the children who have been helped by the program. School pictures, letters and crayon drawings cover the walls. She remembers many of their names and stories. Most of all, she remembers the frantic calls from mothers in search of help and the words of thanks from parents who had gotten back on their feet and no longer needed the help of the Caring Program. The state will have greater difficulty finding eligible kids when they start from scratch.