Learning for Action’s Post

Very exciting to see this report on effective Community Engagement (CE) to advance patient-centered, equitable health care! Kudos to Camden Coalition for developing this report and funders RWJF, CHCF, and The Scan Foundation for supporting it. The overarching premise that CE is something with a lot of energy behind it, but is actually hard to do well, resonates with me. It makes me think about our work at Learning for Action with a St. Louis based organization Generate Health STL that very effectively creates spaces to engage community in advancing Black maternal and child health. We conducted interviews to learn more about what helps make CE effective and what it requires of health care systems and institutions to authentically invite and leverage community voice to advance health equity. Below are a few of the things we heard that align with findings in this report: - Leadership support is critical. And that support cannot be in name only. A real commitment and investment in CE from organizational leaders is key to ensuring that organizational staff are primed and able to listen, and act in response to community input. - CE is not a one and done. It requires relationship building, trust, and is not a one time thing. Building spaces where health care organizations can engage people most directly impacted in their efforts to enhance quality and access on an ongoing basis requires more than a survey or a one time input forum. - Effective community engagement requires some preparation for all involved. Organizations, leaders, and staff seeking community voice, and the community leaders and people with lived experience sharing their perspectives. Absent that preparation conversations can feel like two opposing sides that are not connecting on the same page. Some thoughtful facilitation, and preparation, with awareness and attention to identity and power dynamics can create spaces for more meaningful and non-harmful interactions between health care systems and community. Wonderful to see this roadmap laying out some strategies and best practices. I'm eager to hear what others are learning and seeing about what makes for effective community engagement in health equity work? In particular, I'm eager to learn more about the role that healthcare funding plays. Dollars drive many of the policies, practices, and decisions that impact care, and most of the healthcare dollars from in the form of reimbursable services. (One reason dedicated resources for CE work are so essential!!) What are levers that initatives, philanthropy, or local leaders are using to ensure that financial drivers are driving in the right way to help healthcare organizations better align services with the needs and priorities of community? ttps://

Community Engagement is vital for patient centered healthcare and has many additional benefits: 1. Increased visibility and understanding of issues 2. Empowerment of communities to have their say around issues that affect their lives 3. Improved quality and utilization of services 4. Increased accountability and transparency of healthcare services 5. Increased diversity and representation of communities in policy and practice design 6. Stronger relationships and TRUST Seek to meet new friends and colleagues who are outside of your normal circle. Get connected to the pulse of what the concerns are in your community-ask questions. Be proactive, change is inevitable. Be a part of shaping it for your organization and for your community. It is fun, it's informative and everyone benefits!

Community engagement is all the rage in healthcare, but do you know how to do it effectively? Learn how organizations can engage members of the communities they serve to build trust, advance health equity, and improve care outcomes in a new report from INSPIRE. It’s a roadmap for how organizations can go beyond inviting the community to the table toward learning how to build the table from the ground up together. Stay tuned for more tools coming out over the next year from the INSPIRE team, that will help translate the recommendations in this roadmap into action. https://lnkd.in/empWV4kt

BARHII is thrilled to launch a new statewide community of practice for equity champions in local public health departments on fostering impactful community coalitions with the goal of catalyzing partnerships to drive community-led investments.   Our cohort structure will help your team develop pathways best suited to your department’s local context and coalition goals. There will be opportunities to test strategies in real-time and build a peer network to collectively work through challenges and solutions. Guest speakers are seasoned practitioners who will share their experiences and lessons learned.   We’ll explore cutting-edge models and actionable practice shifts that deepen your team’s collaborative work. Topics will include: - Leveraging the CHA/CHIP to drive equitable investments in community health, including navigating new CalAIM requirements. - Aligning governmental planning efforts to prevent resident burnout, lift up shared community priorities, and pursue new collective investment approaches. - Building collaborative governance strategies that activate community decision-making about the investments residents want to see to thrive.   We strongly encourage participation by local public health department staff who work with communities impacted by inequities (health equity, policy and planning, accreditation, etc.). We also welcome local government staff from related fields such as Maternal, Child, and Adolescent Health (MCAH), Mental Health Services Act (MHSA), and county or citywide offices of equity.   If you’re eager for your coalition work to be rooted in long-term, trusting partnerships that result in new strategies for transformative investments in health—this community of practice is for you! Session Dates: Thursday, August 1 Tuesday, August 13 Wednesday, August 28 Thursday, September 19 Tuesday, October 1 Thursday, October 17   Additional “water cooler” sessions: Thursday, August 22 Thursday, September 12 Wednesday, October 9 Thursday, October 24 (All sessions are from 10am-11:30am PST) Pricing Fees to participate in this community of practice are based on the size of your jurisdiction's population. This is a flat fee per jurisdiction, up to 5 participants per jurisdiction. Population of Jurisdiction    Fee 300,000 or fewer residents......$4,500 300,001 - 800,000....................$7,500 800,001 - 1,300,000..................$10,500 1,300,001 or greater...................$13,500 Register: https://lnkd.in/e_5uYWaV

Community Health Outreach and Engagement Program: A Blueprint for Healthier Communities 🌟 Health is not just an individual asset, but a collective one. The backbone of a thriving society lies in its ability to care for every member, especially those underserved. Enter the Community Health Outreach and Engagement Program—transformative, impactful, and essential. Key Elements of Successful Outreach: - **Accessibility:** Prioritize reaching people where they are. Mobile clinics, local health workshops, and telehealth services break down traditional barriers. - **Education:** Empower communities through knowledge. Health literacy programs can destigmatize conditions and promote proactive care. - **Partnerships:** Collaborate with local organizations, schools, and religious establishments. These relationships can magnify reach and effectiveness exponentially. The Benefits: - **Preventive Care:** Early detection and intervention can save lives and reduce healthcare costs. - **Trust Building:** Consistent presence in communities fosters trust and encourages individuals to seek care. - **Cultural Competency:** Tailoring health messages to reflect cultural nuances ensures better understanding and compliance. That said, successful engagement must be **continuous, inclusive, and adaptive.** Remember: - Real impact is seen when communities take ownership of their health. - Metrics matter. Utilize data to refine strategies and demonstrate the program's value. - Celebrate small victories to build momentum and sustain morale. Empowering our communities isn't just an initiative; it's a call to action. Let's champion health for all, one neighborhood at a time. 💪🌍 How is your organization contributing to community health outreach? Let's share strategies and stories in the comments below! 🤝👩⚕️👨⚕️

Did you know you can unlock your healthcare organization's value through the power of community partnerships? In today's rapidly evolving healthcare landscape, providers who prioritize community partnerships and engagement are poised to reap significant benefits. As healthcare leaders, it's crucial to recognize the transformative impact these relationships can have on your organization and the communities you serve. Why Community Engagement Matters Enhanced Patient Outcomes: By collaborating with local organizations, you will gain valuable insights into the social determinants of health affecting your patient population. This knowledge enables us to develop more targeted, effective interventions. Improved Resource Allocation: Community partnerships can help you leverage existing community resources by identifying gaps in care, leading to more efficient use of these resources and reducing your costs. Increased Trust and Loyalty: Engaging with the community builds trust, enhancing your reputation and fostering patient loyalty. This can translate into increased market share and improved patient retention. Innovation Catalyst: Partnerships with local businesses, universities, and other healthcare providers can spark innovation, leading to improved care delivery models and operational efficiencies. Talent Acquisition and Retention: Lastly, strong community ties make organizations more attractive to top talent, particularly among younger professionals who value corporate social responsibility. The Bottom Line: Investing in community partnerships is not just about corporate social responsibility—it's a strategic imperative. By spending time and fostering these important relationships, you will enhance your opportunity for sustainable growth, improved financial performance, and most importantly, better health outcomes for the community you serve. HealthcareLeadership #CommunityEngagement #PopulationHealth

Successful Service Providers do these 6 things: Conduct Comprehensive Needs Assessments: Understand Community Needs: Collect data and engage with the community to identify specific health needs and priorities. Tailor Programs: Design interventions that are culturally and contextually appropriate. Develop Clear and Achievable Goals: Set SMART Goals: Ensure that goals are Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound. Create a Detailed Plan: Outline clear steps, responsibilities, and timelines for achieving program objectives. Engage Stakeholders: Build Partnerships: Collaborate with local organizations, healthcare providers, and community leaders. Foster Community Involvement: Encourage active participation from community members to build trust and ownership. Ensure Effective Communication: Develop a Communication Strategy: Use various channels to disseminate information and updates. Maintain Transparency: Keep stakeholders and the community informed about progress, challenges, and successes. Monitor and Evaluate Progress: Track Key Metrics: Regularly assess program activities and outcomes against set goals. Adapt and Improve: Use feedback and evaluation results to make necessary adjustments and improvements to the program. Provide Ongoing Training and Support: Equip Staff: Ensure program staff and volunteers receive proper training and resources. Sustain Efforts: Plan for long-term sustainability by securing funding and maintaining community engagement. #PublicHealth #HealthPrograms #CommunityHealth #ProgramImplementation

I will collapse on this hill, then probably revive myself and do it again: if you aren't collaborating with others, you're either growing obsolete in place OR ultimately harming the people you're supposed to be serving (albeit passively and slowly over time). I see larger scale cross-entity collaboration as the next gate to true advancement. Under the right circumstances + leadership, collaboration helps us go farther, faster, and smarter. We dream up better, more sound ideas. One entity alone likely can't bend the curve as much as a coalition or collaboration that sources + pools knowledge and expertise from many. The tide we are working against (major upstream barriers and legacy systems) is just too strong. I know many health entities already do this in a major way (especially with so many being a key pillar of their city or in some cases, entire regions), but I particularly like how Massachusetts General Hospital lays out all their collaborative initiatives here: - United Against Racism system-wide initiative - Data-driven, community-informed (ding ding!) approach - $67 million+ investment in housing, mental health, economic mobility, and food insecurity through 2 different Impact Funds - Supporting the Kraft Center for Community Health Innovation, which seeks "innovative solutions to the most vexing problems faced by the communities [served]." And on and on. I'm particularly intrigued by their Innovation Center support! It sounds similar to the Innovation Hub we're working on here in NM at HealthTech Rx—we're building a collaborative ecosystem to work on initiatives that grow the health tech workforce + economic opportunities in the sector, and to provide infrastructure/expertise to bring more data and tech-enabled innovation to the New Mexico + Borderplex region through programs like pilots and hackathons. As with anything, what we see in the public eye on sites like this don't tell the whole story, but It's nice to see more communities (and cornerstone incumbents) coming together for investment on things that impact everyone uniquely on the downstream—especially in new ways. This is especially critical in smaller catchment areas, like cities or in my home state of New Mexico where we have limited resources—clamoring for already-scarce resources is such a challenge and breeds competitiveness. Beyond small wins, we'll achieve more together, leveraging each other's unique strengths and expertise. Without a centralized authority orchestrating it (or requiring it), it's up to us to form these collaborations based on good will. Luckily New Mexico is full of amazing folks who believe in the power of community (and we are now being dubbed the Relationship State by the NMSU Global Campus, which I rather like), so this is pretty feasible for us and we have some great public-private collabs in tow. Love to hear some examples of innovative collaborations tested in your region; I'm always interested in new ideas and learning from you! More:

The intersection of healthcare services and community health is profound, impacting societal well-being far beyond individual patient outcomes. Central to this discourse is the concept of social determinants of health, which underscores how socioeconomic factors, environment, and education influence health disparities. Recognizing these elements is the first step towards holistic community development.

The future of healthcare is holistic. Enroll in my social work CEU course at Fordham University and learn how identifying and addressing social drivers is the gateway to delivering comprehensive care. Elevate your practice, elevate patient care! #healthcare #socialwork #HRSN #CEU #wholepersoncare