The Rapides Foundation’s Community Health Assessments show that among barriers to healthcare access, the cost of prescription medicines impacted the greatest number of adults. Because of this, the Foundation in 2001 began the Cenla Medication Access Program (CMAP) to improve people’s access to medications by offering free or reduced-cost prescriptions to eligible clients. CMAP also provides education on the importance of appropriate medication usage.
CMAP, which is now offered statewide, has helped approximately 20,000 people across Louisiana get the free prescriptions they need to maintain their health. More than 800 physicians refer their patients to the program.
CMAP also administers other projects for The Rapides Foundation: the Cancer Screening Project, which helps residents get access to free medical screenings for breast, colorectal and cervical cancers; CMAP Extra, a prescription card program that offers reduced rates on some medications; the Tobacco Cessation Program, which provides one-on-one and group cessation counseling; and the Healthy Lifestyle Program, which provides one-on-one nutrition and physical activity counseling to patients referred by their doctors.
Medication access services provided by CMAP are offered statewide. Other CMAP services – the Healthy Lifestyle Program, Cancer Screening Project and the Tobacco Cessation Program – are offered to people who reside in The Rapides Foundation’s nine-parish service area.