The mission of this program reflects the overall mission of AICS: dedicated to the health and well-being of the communities around us with a focus on the under-served and more isolated populations. In the context of the declaration of the pandemic emergency our efforts are stepped up and approaches made adequate. This program will address a few of the consequences of the altered social determinants because of the Covid-19 emergency. Due to business closures or modifications, workforce has being furloughed, laid off, or on reduced income. The majority of businesses are the small business category which employ more minorities, a significant number of whom are more challenged than others economically, have language barriers, have lack of information due to lower health literacy, access to social media and more importantly lack of health insurance.

Montgomery County, MD is the most populous county in the State. Currently almost 10% of the workforce in the County is unemployed that is over 50,000 people and according to our estimates this results in over 60,000 people having lost their health insurance (considering 1/3rd of them had insurance through employment and an average family size of four). Data from telemedicine and hospitals and emergency phone calls suggest a high number of people with mental depression and people with chronic conditions with unattended flared up symptoms often life threatening.

These are some of the overall negative results that have emerged from the emergency lockdown.

The toll on mental health of our older population within the County is compounded by lack of access to or unfamiliarity with the health care system.  A second unanticipated consequences of social isolation and the fear of COVID-19 is the documented “excess deaths” associated with mismanagement or no management of chronic conditions, including nonadherence to medication regimens, reduced ability for physical activity, fear of going to doctors’ offices and doctors’ offices and clinics being closed.  Further, acute exacerbation of chronic conditions such as hypertension, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, kidney disease and mental illness often results in individuals presenting with more advanced stages of disease than previously reported.  Social isolation has had devastating effects on mental health treatments with patients who had earlier been recovering well with therapy and medication, relapsing to pre-treatment levels with the added stress, anxiety, and uncertainty of the pandemic.

AICS with its certified and specialized staff is prepared to address the following inter-twined issues: (i) (ACA) Health insurance enrollments, (ii) depression counseling, (iii) chronic disease symptoms management using the tele-health platform to which we are transitioning our programs.

AICS’ Program to Encourage Active, Rewarding Lives (PEARLS) is a national evidence-based program for late-life depression. PEARLS brings high quality mental health care into community-based settings that reach vulnerable older adults.