For more than 20 years, Dignity Health, a health care provider in multiple states, has been investing in the health of the communities it serves through community benefit programs and community economic initiatives, including grants and low-interest loans to nonprofits addressing community needs. Investments are targeted to populations with disproportionate unmet health needs as identified through the community health needs assessment and a Community Need Index developed by Dignity Health. Since 1990, Dignity Health has awarded more than $51 million in areas such as prevention, HIV/AIDS services, behavioral health services, and improving access to care. The Dignity Health Community Investment Program has had a total loan volume of $143 million, benefiting the community-based health programs of California, Nevada, and Arizona including: providing affordable housing for seniors; access to shelters for the homeless discharged from community hospitals; and healthy food projects. To read more about this innovative program, see this brief summary [link].
Issue Category: Environmental Health
Dallas Information Exchange Portal
The Dallas Information Exchange Portal (IEP) is an electronic platform which enables health care providers, community based organizations, and social service agencies to share medical and social information via a secure network. Through patient-authorized, secure two-way exchange of information, IEP is improving care transitions and increasing coordination of care around both clinical and social issues like homelessness, hunger, and substance abuse. The ultimate goal of the program is not only to improve clinical outcomes and measures, but also generate significant cost savings to health systems. The initiative began in 2014 with a $12 million grant from the W.W. Caruth, Jr. Foundation at Communities Foundation of Texas. To read more about this innovative program, see this brief summary [link].
Cultivating Health for Success
Cultivating Health for Success (CHS) established in 2010, focuses on the inclusion of safe, affordable, and supportive housing to reduce unplanned care, improve adherence to recommended treatment, and improve health care cost and outcomes as well as quality of life for participants in greater Pittsburgh. CHS serves adults with one or more chronic illnesses and those with a history of at least one year of above average use of unplanned care, such as crisis services, Emergency Department visits, and the homeless. To deliver services, CHS partners with the Allegheny County Department of Human Services, Metro Family Practice, Community Human Services, UPMC for You, and the Community Care Behavioral Health Organization. Since CHS’s inception, per-member per-month (PMPM) medical costs have decreased 11.5 percent, the average PMPM for unplanned care has decreased by 19.2 percent, and the average prescription PMPM increased by 5.2 percent for participants with a meaningful tenure in the program. CHS is funded by UMPC for You contributions. To read more about this innovative program, see this brief summary [link].
Corporation for Supportive Housing
The Corporation for Supportive Housing (CSH) provides capital, expertise, information, and innovation to transform how communities use housing solutions to improve lives of vulnerable populations. Founded in 1991 and headquartered in New York City with staff stationed in more than 20 locations throughout the country, CSH’s work focuses on capacity-building, policy and advocacy, supportive housing technical assistance and housing development, and demonstrating pilot initiatives to build evidence. One of CSH’s most effective pilots is the Frequent Users of Health Services Initiative, a six-year, $10 million pilot that sought to deliver innovative, integrated approaches to meet the health, housing, and social service needs of frequent users of emergency departments and inpatient hospitalization. Program results included a 27 percent drop in inpatient hospitalization versus a 26 percent increase for those not connected to housing. In addition, those in supportive housing experienced a 34 percent drop in emergency room visits compared to only a 12 percent drop among those not in supportive housing. In 2011, CSH was awarded $2.3 million over two years by the federal Corporation for National and Community Service and is using these funds to invest in supportive housing models that provide cost-effective solutions for people with complex health needs and facing housing crises. CSH funding comes from a mix of roughly 150 foundations, corporations, public agencies, investment income, and gifts from individual donors. Read the summary brief to learn more about this innovative program.
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Community Benefit Web Tool Prototype
The Department of Health Policy in the Milken Institute School of Public Health at The George Washington University was awarded a contract by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation to develop a prototype Web Tool that provides easy access to the community benefit investment information that all nonprofit hospitals must submit annually to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). The Web Tool will make hospital community benefit investment information easily available to public health experts, community stakeholders, hospital, and policymakers, among others. The Web Tool (to be completed in 2015) will enable users to compare hospital investments in their communities on the basis of factors such as geographic location, community economic status, and hospital characteristics such as size. To read more about this innovative program, see this brief summary [link].
Community Assessment Project
The Community Assessment Project (CAP) is a broad-based collaborative of the United Way of Santa Cruz County, California that jointly conducts community health needs assessments and publishes an annual countywide community indicators report. The report, first introduced 20 years ago, serves as the community health needs assessment for local nonprofit hospitals and includes indicators in six domains: economy, education, health, public safety, natural environment, and social environment. The CAP also conducts a bi-annual quality-of-life survey of the County’s households. A sampling of the goals in 2015 include: improvement in access to primary care; comprehensive health care coverage for children; and a decrease in the prevalence of childhood obesity. Annually, CAP measures and reports progress toward its goals. For example, in 2007, the Healthy Kids Insurance Program achieved 98 percent insurance coverage for children in Santa Cruz County. CAP is funded by local hospitals, city and county governments, utility companies, colleges, and non-profit organizations. To read more about this innovative program, see this brief summary [link].
Common Table Health Alliance: Backbone for the Healthy Shelby Partnership
The Common Table Health Alliance is a regional health improvement collaborative and an Aligning Forces for Quality Community. In 2011, the Shelby County Mayor, Memphis City Mayor, and the four major health systems engaged the Common Table Health Alliance as the backbone organization for the Healthy Shelby Partnership, which is one of the key pillars of Memphis Fast Forward, a broad-based collective impact initiative. Healthy Shelby connects social service agencies with the health care system to jointly address the social determinants of health. Common Table Health Alliance has implemented evidence-based and best practices, used social media, employed education programs, coordinated partner engagement, and is tracking 12 measures. Successful programs include a safe sleep campaign and a community hypertension registry. The goal is to improve the health rankings of Memphis and Shelby County. Healthy Shelby has received core funding from the Baptist Memorial Health Care, Methodist LeBonheur Healthcare, Region One Health and Saint Francis Hospital, city and county governments, and grants from the United Way and Medtronic. To read more about this innovative program, see this brief summary [link].
Changing the Narrative About What Creates Health—Essential Steps in Improving Population Health in Minnesota
The goal of Changing the Narrative about What Creates Health— Essential Steps in Improving Population Health is to bring about critical change to effectively address the social determinants of health and achieve health equity. Launched in 2011 by the Minnesota Health Department, this initiative shifts the responsibility for health to a community level to address the conditions in which all people can be healthy through policy, systems, and environmental changes. Key strategies include: the creation of a Healthy Minnesota 2020 framework that engages partners in all sectors; community engagement via the Healthy Minnesota Partnership, establishment of cabinet-level committee on Health in All Policies; a State Health Improvement Program that outlines policy, systems, and environmental changes; and creation of Accountable Communities for Health. By focusing the narrative on what creates health (beyond the health system), community agencies and groups have become involved in health policies contributing to policy changes including: anti-bullying law; minimum wage increase; smoke-free campuses and apartments; and complete street ordinances. Minnesota has also shown decreasing rates of childhood obesity and youth tobacco use, and increasing rates of breastfeeding. This initiative is funded by State Health Department grants. To read more about this innovative program, see this brief summary [link].
Women-Inspired Neighborhood Network (WIN Network): Detroit
In 2008, the CEOs of Detroit Medical Center, Henry Ford Health System, Oakwood Healthcare System, and St. John Providence Health System commissioned the Detroit Regional Infant Mortality Reduction Task Force to develop a plan of action to help more babies reach their first birthdays. The Task Force addresses Detroit’s infant mortality rate, which is nearly 15/1000 live births, among the highest in the nation. Working through a public-private partnership of Detroit’s major health systems, public health, academic, and community partners, the Task Force seeks to tighten the disconnected medical and social services for women. The Task Force and its WIN Network have realized a number of accomplishments as of August 2014 including zero infant deaths among more than 200 babies born to date and the enrollment of 364 pregnant women in the program. Funding for this project comes from a variety of foundations, organizations, and institutions. To read more about this innovative program, see this brief summary [link].
Communities That Care Coalition
The Communities That Care Coalition began in 2000 in Western Massachusetts to reduce youth substance abuse and improve youth health. The program brought together and coordinated the efforts of various local stakeholders including schools, youth and parent groups, law enforcement, health care providers, and the local hospitals. By implementing its Community Action Plan—which includes an annual Teen Health Survey, anti-substance curricula in local schools, social marketing, and forming strategic partnerships within the community—the Coalition has been successful in identifying several underlying risk factors of youth substance use in the area and priorities for improvement. During the 12 years of its work, the Coalition has measured substantial improvements in youth substance abuse, as well as a reduction in the underlying factors causing it. The Coalition is supported by state and federal grants. To read more about this innovative program, see this brief summary [link].