Collegian T he Cameron University
www.aggiecentral.com
Monday, March 25, 2024
Volume 110 Issue 7
Francesca Morris:
CU's community resource coordinator Brittney Payette Managing Editor
Cameron’s Community Resource Coordinator Francesca Morris is part of the Student Enrichment Center (SEC.) Morris said that the SEC helps with work, school, and life balance. “All of those three things have to stay in balance for students to be able to comfortably stay in school and devote a hundred percent of themselves to their academics," she said. "If one of those things gets out of balance, then you can come to the student enrichment center for that.” Morris can put students in touch with a variety of resources. “I actually have right now probably over 150 different resources, programs, (and) things in the community that I can connect students with,” she said. Morris said her overall goal is to support student’s journeys in pursuing and obtaining their degree. “I can help with health care/insurance, food, mental health, if you need help with your pets, professional networking, just community support, clothing, rent and utility assistance, housing, childcare, transportation,” she said. “Basically, I’m the link between the students and literally whatever exists in the community.” Morris said that there are other staff members in the SEC who can help out with other areas of student’s lives. “The school one, if you need help with that, you would see one of our coaches, like the student success coaches or (an) academic coach,” she said. “If your work gets out of balance, you can see our work-learning experience person.”
SoonerCare Changes
Morris said there are a variety of changes coming to SoonerCare that she wants students who have SoonerCare to be aware of. “Everyone on SoonerCare is going to be affected,” Morris said. “SoonerCare is becoming SoonerSelect, and it’s called SoonerSelect because you’re now going to be able to make selections with your care.” She said SoonerSelect allows people to choose between three different health plans that offer different benefit packages. “For example, one of them has like a monthly allowance for diapers,” Morris said. “But if you’re not planning on having children right now or whatever, maybe you don’t really care about that plan. Maybe you like the benefits of this other plan.” She said there are amazing options that SoonerSelect offers. “They’re (SoonerSelect enrollees) just going to be able to have more opportunities to get certain types of care, but also they will be able to … customize their care and choose what’s best for them.” She said that if people currently enrolled in SoonerCare do not make a selection for SoonerSelect, they will be automatically sorted into one of three health plans. She also said that she has two upcoming events related to the upcoming changes involved with SoonerCare
becoming Photo by Brittney Payette SoonerSelect. “What we are going to do is an informational session,” Morris said. “At that informational session, they will be able to look at the three plans and kind of get ideas. They can ask the community health worker, like, for clarification ... so they can really understand the plan. ” The informational session will take place from 5:30 - 6:30 p.m. on March 27 in the McCasland Ballroom in walk-in basis. the MCC, and there will be a healthcare worker “They’ll be able to sit down right there present to answer questions that students and their and enroll, make their selections, you know, beneficiaries have about SoonerSelect. everything,” Morris said. “The county health A second follow-up event will take place from 3 - care worker that will be there will have their own 7 p.m. on April 3 in the McCasland computer, and so the county Ballroom in the MCC. This second health care worker will sit down event is a walk-in session where with you and be like, ‘okay what “Basically, I’m students can meet with a county plan do you think that you want the link between health worker one-on-one to enroll and they’ll go in and do it right the students and in the benefits they want. then.” Moreover, Morris said Cameron literally whatever Morris said that the advantage students who are interested in of making the selection with a exists in the joining SoonerSelect for the first county health care worker is that community.” time can also attend the event. they take effect immediately. “You have a week to kind of … “The goal is to ensure that Francesca Morris go online, do some research, look Community Resource students are able to choose the at the handouts and everything,” Coordinator benefits that they want,” Morris she said. “And then, if the student said. “And just making sure that feels comfortable going online and the student takes advantage of making the selections themselves, that opportunity, but also the they totally can. They will be prepared to do that goal is to make sure that the students make their after this session.” selections before the end of what’s called open She said if the student is still confused after enrollment.” looking at the information after the initial Open enrollment for SoonerSelect ends on April informational session or if they have a complex 30, which means that is the final day that people can case, they are able to meet one-on-one with a make their selections for their health plan. community health worker and receive help at the For more information about community April 3 event, which is on a first come first serve resources contact Morris at fmorris@cameron.edu. Courtesy Graphic
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