Five-year-old Jacob Simson didn’t know the world was supposed to look different until a vision screening identified he needed glasses. Soon after, everything came into focus for him. 

As a pre-school student at Roosevelt Children Center, Jacob is one of nearly 700 children since 2022 who have had vision, hearing, speech, dental, height, weight, and motor screenings performed through the Get Ready to GROW program, which works with 18 childcare centers and six school districts in Wayne County. 

“If it wasn’t for this program doing the exams right at the school, I wouldn’t have known that my son had a stigmatism in both eyes and needed glasses,” his mother MiKailarae Simson says. “Being able to see is so crucial in a child’s development - even doing simple things like playing with friends is impacted. How do you interact with your peers if you can’t fully see them and it’s all blur?”

That focus on early detection and access to care has earned the program, through Finger Lakes Community Action, an Excellus BlueCross BlueShield Health Equity Innovation Award (HEIA).  

“Access to care and affordability are major barriers for people in Wayne County,” says Jill Harper, a registered nurse and optimal health director for Wayne County Community Schools. “Our goal is to meet children and their families where they are … In the case of Jacob, that meant going to his daycare and providing the screenings he needed and deserved right there.” 

Through the HEIA funding, Get Ready to Grow will expand services, resources, and programs to reach and, ultimately, screen more children throughout Wayne County. 
“The free screenings ensure any potential developmental issues are detected early and that appropriate support and interventions are provided during the critical years of growth,” Jill adds. 

For children like Jacob, hearing, experiencing, and seeing the world will be that much better and clearer thanks to these community partners.

Health Equity Innovation Awards  

Excellus BlueCross BlueShield Health Equity Innovation Awards are one-time funding for a program with the goal of advancing health equity using measurable outcomes and, where possible, aligning with data sources. 

Visit Excellus BlueCross BlueShield’s Community Investments and Partnerships to learn more. 

Wayne County GROW is supported through Finger Lakes Community Action. Learn more at Get Ready to GROW Finger Lakes or reach out directly to Jill Harper. 

Hear more about how MiKailarae’s 5-year-old son Jacob is seeing his full potential in the story below.

Learn more about Jacob's experience with the Get Ready to GROW program.