It’s only when life seems darkest that sometimes change begins to dawn.

Consider the case of Toledoan Andrea Vasquez, 48, a single mother and grandmother who credits her life and well-being to CareNet, the Toledo/Lucas County nonprofit agency founded to provide health care to residents not under public or private coverage.

Several years ago Ms. Vasquez was in declining health and without any health coverage. Medicaid removed her and her son, the younger of her two adult children, when he turned 18. 

It was a difficult time, as Ms. Vasquez had been diagnosed with cancer, high blood pressure, severe allergies, and prediabetes.

Although she has a history of chemical dependency, she “got clean in 2003,” she said. The agency where she sought successful treatment helped her to become certified to work as a counselor assistant.

Though that job didn’t provide health insurance, she was on Medicaid — but then her son came of age. What looked as if it could be a long nightmare of sickness and no health insurance took a turn that benefited her on more than one level.

“When I got terminated from Medicaid I went to CareNet,” Ms. Vasquez said. “A little before that, I had stage one of cervical cancer. I had treatments, but I still needed screenings. I was going to the doctor every three months.”

She obtained screenings through CareNet, a health-care safety net started specifically for the uninsured in 2002 by the late Mayor Jack Ford.

“I’m very grateful that CareNet was available for me. I don’t know what I would have done without it. I’m doing great now. God’s been good in my life and things have been falling into place,” said Ms. Vasquez, a grandmother to youngsters ages 9, 7, and 1. “They keep me young.”

Without that protection, Ms. Vasquez said, “I wouldn’t have been able to get the screenings and I wouldn’t have been able to monitor my health.”

Indeed, she credits CareNet with helping to save her life, and today Ms. Vasquez works for the agency: Since 2014, she has been an insurance navigator and community health worker there.

Now, when clients need help getting health-care coverage, she’s not only able to give her professional insight, but also the benefit of her experience as a patient. 

As a navigator, she helps people obtain Medicaid or other coverage through the insurance marketplace. As a certified community health worker, she links low-income adults to medical care and social services. 

“Having knowledge of the services, I can let people know they can still get their screenings and see their doctor. People fear that because they don’t have insurance they cannot see the doctor and they go without seeing the doctor because they don’t have the money,” Ms. Vasquez said. “I can sign them up for health insurance and in the meantime, if they need to see the doctor, we can get them on CareNet so they can see the doctor.”

CareNet has provided services to some 28,000 Lucas County residents since it began operating in 2003. The agency contracts with the Hospital Council of Northwest Ohio for administration and staffing.

“I’m grateful for the opportunity to work for them, not just in the navigator position but also as a community health worker,” Ms. Vasquez said.

Julie Grasson, assistant director of CareNet, said that as a result of the Affordable Care Act, fewer people need CareNet because they now qualify either for Medicaid expansion or Marketplace insurance.

“Those who have coverage through Medicaid expansion or Marketplace insurance have a wider range of options and are not limited to services only in Lucas County,” Ms. Grasson said.

She added that CareNet has partnered with the Ohio Association of Foodbanks for the past three years to provide navigators in northwest Ohio. “Navigators assist individuals in signing up for Marketplace or Medicaid coverage, renewals into either program, and with filing for exemptions. Currently, CareNet covers 21 counties and utilizes areyoucoveredohio.org, which is an online tool for individuals to schedule appointments with navigators.”

As a community health worker, Ms. Vasquez assists people with chronic diseases such as high blood pressure, diabetes, and heart disease obtain other services for their overall well-being. If they need help with nutrition or with smoking cessation, she points them in the right direction.

“CareNet has a lot of programs that are here to help the community,” Ms. Vasquez said. “I try an promote as much as I can because I feel that there’s not a lot of knowledge about the program. I'm grateful that they are there and let clients know about the available services.”

CareNet operates with funds from ProMedica, Mercy Health, the University of Toledo Medical Center — formerly the Medical College of Ohio — the City of Toledo, Lucas County, the Academy of Medicine of Toledo & Lucas County, Signature Bank, and individual donors. Additionally, there is some grant funding.

Medical services are provided by eight hospitals, 15 primary care clinics, and more than 200 specialty care doctors who take referrals from CareNet.

Contact Rose Russell at: rrussell@theblade.com or 419-724-6178.

First Published February 1, 2016, 5:00 a.m.