Building Successful County Partnerships

Here at Unite Us, we’re proud to partner with counties doing incredible work for their constituents across the country. With rapidly growing partnerships in 44 states, we’ve driven change in all types of communities, from the smallest towns to the largest cities. Our policy team members, made up of former government employees with decades of experience in public service, serve as thought partners to county leaders looking for new, effective ways to get things done. Our cross-sector collaboration tools empower counties to leverage their full resources, understand community-level data, and transparently manage their funding. Our local, community engagement team members can amplify the work of public-sector and nonprofit employees. In the 10 years since Unite Us was founded, we’ve learned a lot about how county governments can best prepare county partnerships and programs for success. From community collaboration mechanisms to using data to measure success, here are our lessons learned on how Unite Us can best support county governments looking to get things done.  

1. Leveraging Community Partners to Ensure Collaboration

Local governments are home to incredible community-based organizations (CBOs) that support their constituents on a daily basis. From food pantries and transportation providers to housing shelters and workforce training programs, CBOs are trusted sources of support in the community. Too often, CBOs are underfunded and forced to operate in silos. As a result, the services they provide are fragmented and may fail to meet whole-person needs. Government can be the convenor, but often needs support with execution. That’s where we come in: Unite Us’ software bridges gaps by allowing CBOs, health systems, and governments to securely communicate and coordinate with each other to achieve shared goals. 

Community transformation is possible, but only when all parties are singing from the same sheet of music. While this is true for any type of health or social care transformation, it’s especially relevant for counties looking to shift toward a more holistic way to address residents’ needs. In those cases, it’s critical that local governments play a leading role in connecting health systems with social services providers to quickly and efficiently deliver services to constituents in need. 

2. Managing Federal, State, and Private Funding to Ease Administrative Burden

Local governments often manage complex, braided funding streams. From federal and state grants to philanthropy dollars to opioid abatement funds, managing the specific reporting and billing constraints that come along with these funds can place additional burdens on already overworked staff. Unite Us provides the technological infrastructure to manage different funding streams to ease the administrative burden and maximize impact. We facilitate social care funding through our platform by providing data and up-to-date reporting on where the funding is going and how it is being used. 

3. Driving Community Engagement Toward Better Health Outcomes

No matter the ZIP code, we know that providing children and families with the resources they need to succeed is critical to the overall health and well-being of any community. What sets Unite Us apart is that our team members aren’t just assigned to support counties from a remote office building somewhere—they live in the communities they serve and are deeply engaged in community work. 

When a local government joins a network of coordinated care, constituents of all backgrounds benefit from this local perspective. As a true partner to this work, Unite Us can help you: 

• Facilitate connections to a variety of healthcare and care coordination programs, including mobile clinics and health education programs. 
• Address rural transportation issues by establishing partnerships with transportation services such as taxi or bus services.
• Leverage paramedics and other community health workers to provide preventive services for those at risk of poorer health outcomes. 

4. Providing Data and Measurement Tools to Track the Success of Public-Private Partnerships

No partnership can be effective unless all parties involved agree on common goals and have access to the same data and measurement tools used to track progress. Often, government agencies track data differently than the CBOs they work with, or even other agencies in their state or county. As a result, it can be incredibly challenging—if not impossible—to measure the effectiveness of any intervention or program. 

When counties join a Unite Us network, they gain access to a data collection and tracking system that is responsive to their specific progress needs and allows all partners to evaluate outcomes the same way. Shared measurement and data is the key that gives leaders the information they need to tailor programs to maximize efficiency and amplify their impact. 

5. Enabling Whole-Person Service Delivery

Counties have the agility and flexibility to drive innovative solutions that are harder to achieve at state or federal levels. Increasingly, counties are adopting a whole-person model of health care that prioritizes social drivers of health (SDoH) just as much as the physical symptoms people experience. By connecting healthcare providers with government agencies and CBOs, Unite Us breaks down silos that threaten to derail whole-person care. And with our closed-loop referral system, leaders can have confidence that a patient’s SDoH needs are actually being addressed and treated. 

No matter what challenges you want to address in your county, Unite Us is ready to provide the technology and expertise to make it happen. Reach out to us today to learn more. 

Get in Touch

The post County Partnerships: Lessons Learned from Ten Years Working with County Governments appeared first on uniteus.com.

Our Power in Partnership series highlights our national and regional partners and the work they do to build healthier communities.

Tell us more about your organization.

San Joaquin County Public Health Services (PHS) is the local health jurisdiction for San Joaquin County. Through various health programs, our goal is to protect, promote, and improve health and the conditions that impact well-being for San Joaquin County residents.

What are the greatest needs of the individuals and families you serve?

Since we started using Unite Us, we have served over 300 constituents and have made over 620 referrals through our program. The greatest needs of the people we serve include benefits navigation, food assistance, housing and shelter, and individual and family support. Through our partnership with Unite Us, we are able to easily find these critical resources for clients and ensure their needs are met. 

What are the main programs or offerings that your organization provides?

In addition to our ongoing health offerings that primarily focus on encouraging healthy lifestyles and disease prevention, one of our newer initiatives is a Community Health Worker (CHW) program designed to address high risk residents’ vaccine and testing hesitancy, improve access to preventive health care services, increase management of underlying health conditions, and improve social determinants that serve as life barriers to care. To kick off this effort, PHS received a large grant from the CDC in 2021 to fund CHWs throughout the county. So far, 35 CHWs across 13 health and community-based organizations have been trained on the core competencies of this work. Another 35 will be trained in the third year of our program, as we continue to build our CHW network.

We have also worked closely with the Unite Us technical assistance team to train program staff. Many of the organizations in this program already utilize and are familiar with Unite Us. In addition, we have onboarded and trained six community and faith-based organizations to the network and continue to use the Unite Us dashboard daily to securely send and receive referrals. 

How has working with Unite Us impacted the work that you do?

Unite Us has become a one-stop shop for PHS and our sub-contracting organizations, as well as many other organizations in San Joaquin County. PHS is one of the first local health jurisdictions in California to become part of the Unite Us network. Because the platform is so user-friendly, our CHWs are able to send and receive referrals connecting clients to services in a timely manner. Thanks to Unite Us’ closed loop referral capability, we are able to track client progress and, ultimately, drive toward better population outcomes. 

“Unite Us provides client-centered care coordination and a quicker and more efficient connection to the services clients need. Their client-centered approach gives a sense of importance to the clients because organizations/agencies are reaching out to them, instead of them reaching or calling the organizations for their needs.” – Maria Argayosa, Community Health Worker at San Joaquin County Public Health Services

The Unite Us staff who we have worked with have been amazing. They are very attentive, responsive, and easy to work with. 

Our program CHWs continue to go above and beyond for their clients, ensuring their needs are being met. The best thing about Unite Us is that it makes it so much easier for our community health workers to do what they do best. 

How does collaborating with other community-based organizations play a role in your work?

Community and faith-based organizations play a huge role in the work PHS does. Over 80 organizations are using Unite Us in San Joaquin County. Each of our partners plays an essential role in connecting our most vulnerable community members to free services and resources via the platform. They are continually helping us reduce social and health disparities and address social determinants of health to improve our community members’ overall well-being. 

What’s next for PHS and Unite Us?

We are excited to continue onboarding the many different PHS programs and services onto Unite Us. As of right now, we have worked to onboard five different departments within PHS but will continue to add more in the near future. This will ultimately help raise awareness of PHS resources and connect residents to services.

Interested in learning more about how to bring Unite Us to your organization?

Get in Touch

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Our Power in Partnership series highlights our national and regional partners and the work they do to build healthier communities.

Tell us more about your organization.

The Catherine McAuley Center (CMC) is a nonprofit organization in Cedar Rapids, Iowa serving refugees and immigrants, adult learners, and women healing from trauma. CMC’s mission is to offer hope and opportunity through educational and supportive services that promote stability, skill-building, and connection. While CMC’s programs serve distinct populations, services are united by a common purpose of promoting the well-being and dignity of those in need and empowering individuals to achieve greater stability, self-sufficiency, community inclusion, and improved quality of life for themselves, their families, and the community as a whole.

What are the greatest needs of the individuals and families you serve?

CMC has been serving refugees and immigrants for more than two decades, and now serves more than 700 people from over 50 countries each year, including substantial populations from Central Africa, Latin America, East Asia, and Afghanistan. For newcomers seeking a better life for themselves and their families, some of the greatest obstacles involve unfamiliarity with complex U.S. systems; transportation constraints; difficulty finding housing, child care, and employment; and the ongoing complexities of cultural differences and learning to navigate a new community. Compounding all of this is the language barrier that makes it even more challenging to adjust to life in the United States and connect to community resources. Despite these obstacles, refugees and immigrants are resilient and resourceful, and the Catherine McAuley Center’s doors are always open to welcome newcomers and walk alongside them on their journey to a brighter future. 

What are the main programs or offerings that your organization provides?

For over 30 years, the Catherine McAuley Center has been a place of welcome where our neighbors find the safety and support to learn and grow. Consisting of several programs, CMC offers three core service areas: Education Services; Refugee & Immigrant Services; and Women’s Services. 

Through its Education Services and Refugee & Immigrant Services programming, CMC provides a wide range of services for refugees and immigrants, including refugee resettlement, English tutoring and group classes, employment and career readiness, child care business training, U.S. citizenship and civics classes, and cultural orientation. CMC also assists newcomers in navigating complex community resources such as housing, health care, transportation, public benefits, and financial services, ensuring that families can access the critical resources they need to make progress towards economic self-sufficiency.

Women’s Services provides transitional and supportive housing, aftercare, and a day center, all uniquely tailored to the needs of women experiencing homelessness, recovering from substance abuse, and healing from trauma. The goal of the program is to help women access safe housing, therapeutic services, basic needs, and to build the skills to maintain long-term mental health, housing, and financial stability. 

Initially founded in 1989 to provide education to women pursuing their general education diploma, CMC quickly incorporated transitional housing for women and later added on-site mental health and substance abuse services. A few years later, CMC expanded its education program to include English classes, English as a Second Language tutoring, and U.S. citizenship exam preparation. As the demand for services grew, CMC launched additional programs for immigrants and refugees in 2017, becoming an affiliate resettlement site of the U.S. Committee for Refugees and Immigrants (USCRI). By 2018, CMC was serving more than 600 clients in a building that had far exceeded its capacity, leading to the launch of A Place of Welcome: The Campaign to Expand the Catherine McAuley Center. 

Since moving into CMC’s current facility in 2020, offering four times the amount of space, CMC has introduced many new programs including the addition of online classes, an afterschool program for refugee and immigrant youth, onsite child care for clients accessing services, prenatal health classes, a supportive housing program and day center for women, and so much more.

How has working with Unite Us impacted the work that you do?

Unite Us provides an invaluable platform to securely receive and respond to referrals. It has greatly strengthened the way that community agencies and providers serve refugee and immigrant communities and non-native English speakers. With Unite Us, providers can utilize the Catherine McAuley Center as the go-to intermediary, facilitating communication and understanding between refugee and immigrant clients and other service providers. 

As the only agency providing resettlement services in Eastern Iowa and the largest provider of services specifically oriented to the needs of refugees and immigrants in Linn County, providers often refer their clients to our services through the Unite Us Platform because our staff is multilingual and some share similar stories as those we serve. Providers know language barriers often hinder a client’s ability to access or understand how to access those services directly. With our staff team speaking more than 20 languages, many who also arrived in the U.S. as refugees or immigrants, CMC has translators, interpreters, and case managers readily available with the cultural understanding to effectively communicate with clients, understand their needs, and guide them through the steps to access the appropriate services, both at CMC and in the wider community. As a result, CMC has been bridging the gap between these individuals and the services they need.

Through this streamlined process, case managers and resource navigators can act swiftly to connect with clients. Depending on their unique situations, they can enroll in CMC’s long-term supportive programs, healthcare navigation, employment services, English classes, or other appropriate services within the organization; and CMC can help them get connected to additional services in the community, ensuring that interpreters and transportation will be available. 

The Unite Us Platform has been instrumental in enhancing collaboration between CMC’s case managers and the community’s extensive network.

How does collaborating with other community-based organizations play a role in your work?

Nearly every aspect of the Catherine McAuley Center’s mission relies on strong collaboration with other community organizations and partners. To develop and improve programming, coordinate services, and identify and develop solutions for larger systemic issues faced by refugees, immigrants, and those living in poverty, CMC actively partners with a large network of partners, including other nonprofits and government agencies, community groups, employers, healthcare and mental health providers, social services agencies, public transportation providers, housing agencies, education programs, and many others.

CMC coordinates the Refugee Alliance of Linn County, which provides a forum for immigrants, refugees, service providers, health and human services agencies, and city government to meet regularly and collaborate to build a more welcoming, supportive community for refugees and immigrants. Additionally, CMC coordinates the monthly Immigrant Concerns Group that connects refugees and immigrants to a variety of social services, resources, and programs available throughout the community. 

For needs specific to women experiencing homelessness, CMC participates in the Iowa Council on Homelessness, the Linn County Continuum of Care (CoC), and in several CoC subcommittees—through which homeless service providers communicate, collaborate, and work cooperatively to meet the needs of the local homeless community, fill gaps in resources, and avoid duplication of services. 

What’s next for The Catherine McAuley Center?

The Catherine McAuley Center has experienced rapid growth and an increased demand for services in the last several years due to both global crises and local events. To meet this need, CMC seeks insight from the communities we serve about the challenges they’re facing and the types of solutions or support that would reduce those barriers. Current needs help shape new services, programs, and collaboration with other community providers. 

Of the many new and upcoming initiatives we are excited about, CMC’s Education Services program has started to implement its Community Orientation & Engagement classes—a series of nine classes and community-based learning opportunities to deepen refugees’ and immigrants’ understanding of and connection to community and public services. Recognizing that newcomers often feel overwhelmed during their initial resettlement period, the program expands on CMC’s existing cultural orientation provided to refugees within their first 90 days of arrival.

Through interactive group learning sessions and off-site visits to community agencies—such as public safety departments, city offices, educational agencies, employment readiness programs, healthcare providers, and financial institutions—the goal is to foster stronger relationships between service providers and refugee and immigrant communities, promoting cross-cultural dialogue, building trust, increasing the utilization of essential services, and encouraging civic participation. 

Classes include Cultural Adjustment, Employment, Transportation, Parenting & Family, Education, Housing, Health & Hygiene, and U.S. Laws & Immigration. Developed based on client and partner feedback and extensive experience with refugee populations, this initiative hopes to empower newcomers to use their voices and experiences to shape decision-making processes and become actively engaged members of the Greater Cedar Rapids community.

What are some exciting achievements you’re proud of?

Since utilizing Unite Us to receive referrals, case managers can easily connect with clients to learn about their needs and develop a service plan outlining the supports they need to receive at the Center, and the resources to get connected to in the wider community. This typically involves a combination of services, though CMC’s English classes are consistently the most requested. We have enrolled many English language learners in our one-on-one tutoring and small group classes after receiving referrals through Unite Us. 

After increasing class offerings and adding more drop-in group English classes, CMC recently reached a historical milestone. More than 500 adult learners are currently enrolled in classes—the highest number of active students in CMC’s history! 

CMC is grateful for the support of our community, partners, volunteers, and staff who are always stepping up to ensure that our programs are easily accessible to the communities we serve.

Interested in learning more about how to bring Unite Us to your organization?

Get in Touch

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More than 600,000 people come home from prison every year. With a job and support, they have a chance to succeed. This is the mission of the Center for Employment Opportunities (CEO), a national partner of Unite Us. CEO provides immediate, effective, and comprehensive employment services to individuals who have recently returned home from incarceration.

Unite Us shares CEO’s vision that everyone, regardless of whether they have had involvement with the justice system, should have the preparation and support needed to find a job and stay connected to the labor force. We believe that all individuals deserve the chance to shape a stronger future for themselves, their family, and their communities.

The Unite Us partnership has greatly strengthened how CEO’s program has been able to assist their participants, including by successfully integrating our software with their Salesforce instance. This integration has enabled CEO to work more efficiently and connect program participants across the country to community partners seamlessly. These direct connections to community-based organizations, agencies, and programs have helped CEO better support participants in navigating the barriers they face during their reentry process.

For this series, we asked the CEO team about our work together and their vision of how cross-sector collaboration creates lasting change for justice-involved individuals.

As we reflect on a decade bringing sectors together through technology to ensure people’s needs are met, what do you think has changed the most for your organization since the start of our partnership?

Since the beginning of our partnership, CEO has continually appreciated how technology can help us more comprehensively support people returning home from incarceration. It is critical we provide returning citizens with digital skills training, facilitate housing support, make referrals to mental health professionals, and foster connections to other local supportive services. Our partnership with Unite Us has strengthened our ability to meet these needs at scale—which is no small feat given that CEO operates in 31 local communities.

How does CEO think about or approach collaboration with other sectors? What are the benefits to your participants?

Because CEO focuses on the intersection of economic mobility and criminal legal system reform, our work would not be possible without strong partnerships. First and foremost, we rely heavily on collaboration with community-based partners in all CEO locations, especially organizations led by BIPOC individuals and individuals impacted by the criminal legal system. This ensures our model complements and strengthens the network of support that has long helped people return home successfully to their local communities. We also work with local and national employers who value hiring people with convictions and investing in them as high-impact talent. And finally, we rely on government agencies. This includes probation and parole, who can identify people who might benefit from CEO’s services, as well as state departments of transportation, housing authorities, and other government stakeholders who collaborate with CEO to provide participants with transitional jobs. Partners like Unite Us allow us to focus on our strengths and work more efficiently to support CEO participants and advance our overall mission.

Are there any upcoming programs or initiatives related to drivers of health and community health at CEO that you are excited about?

Food security is absolutely essential to individual and community health. This is why we’re supporting the introduction of bipartisan federal legislation that ensures no one has to choose between job training and putting food on the table. Under current law, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) recipients risk losing their food security because of temporary wages they earn in job training or work-based learning programs. The newly introduced Training and Nutrition Stability Act (TNSA), H.R. 3087, aims to remedy this “catch-22.”  The bill would allow them to maintain their nutrition supports—leading to better training opportunities, permanent employment, and food security. CEO led the development of this 2023 legislation, which has the support of over 100 organizations. CEO has been proud to work alongside Reps. Adriano Espaillat (D-NY), Max Miller (R-OH), Alma Adams (D-NC), and Marcus Molinaro (R-NY) to make this change to the Farm Bill so that thousands of justice-impacted individuals get the support they need during their reentry journey. 

Looking another 10 years into the future, what is your biggest hope for cross-sector collaboration to improve community health?

Of the many risks revealed by the COVID crisis, we are hopeful that there is greater attention paid to the impact of financial well-being on community health. We know that returning home from incarceration presents a financial struggle to hundreds of thousands of people across the country. Typically, people are released from incarceration with almost nonexistent support: anywhere from $0 to a few hundred dollars in “gate money.” Most returning citizens are ineligible for many safety-net programs or face disparate barriers to accessing them. During COVID, these challenges were compounded by employer layoffs and strained social safety nets. 

CEO worked to meet the increased immediate needs for people returning home by setting up something new—an ambitious cash transfer program that ultimately distributed more than $24 million to over 10,000 people. Recipients received amounts ranging from $1,000 to $2,750 in their first few months post-release, which provided a substantially enhanced safety net to support their reentry. CEO envisions a future where this kind of cash assistance is a permanent feature of people’s reentry, and we are advocating for legislation toward that goal. We feel strongly that giving people the right resources promotes autonomy, economic resilience, and healthier communities.

What thoughts would you share with Unite Us leadership as they look out on the next 10 years?

As technology continues to advance and create economic growth, it’s important that disadvantaged community members are not excluded from these gains. Low-skilled workers often are less likely to prioritize building new skills and learning new technologies as they juggle other priorities with limited support– this is especially important given the rapid evolution of generative AI. It has been essential for CEO’s program to emphasize digital skills that help CEO participants catch up on the rapid technological changes that occurred during their incarceration. Even someone who serves a short sentence will come home to significant shifts in technology. And for those who serve longer sentences, these adjustments to technology can be even more jarring. We believe this is a signal and call to action to revitalize how we connect justice-impacted workers to the jobs of the future. We will also need to listen to directly impacted people about economic barriers they face due to automation, artificial intelligence, and other technological disruptions. We look forward to partnering with Unite Us in this mission over the next decade.

Learn more about the Center for Employment Opportunities (CEO).

Interested in learning more about how to bring Unite Us to your organization?

Get in Touch

The post Better Together: Center for Employment Opportunities (CEO) appeared first on uniteus.com.

Health Alliance for the Uninsured is a community collaborative that makes quality health care available to Oklahoma’s underserved, uninsured, and under-insured populations. Partners include physicians, safety-net clinics, hospitals, and other public and private partners. The HAU Healthcare Services Navigation Program uses Unite Us for patient referrals, both within their free and charitable clinic network and with other community agencies that meet basic needs. The Navigation Program has seen a significant increase in referrals over the past several months following a recent partnership with a local hospital system. They are leveraging these recent successes to expand partnerships with other local hospital systems.

One Client’s Story

Transportation is always a challenge for HAU’s patients, but the organization has found a great solution. The Navigation Team has recently started using Uber Health to ensure patients can get to partner clinics for their appointments. They now offer free rides for any new patients in need of transportation to access care. This transportation assistance removes a major barrier to health care for so many struggling Oklahomans.

The following patient story highlights how Unite Us is instrumental in all HAU programs, with every HAU client. The HAU Bi-Lingual Navigator, Diego, recently received a call from an individual who learned about HAU from their booth at a health fair. The patient needed primary care services and hadn’t seen a provider in a very long time.

After speaking to Diego and providing their consent, the patient was referred to a clinic through Unite Us. When the patient arrived at the clinic, Diego happened to be there assisting with HAU’s Prescription Assistance Program. The patient spoke only Spanish and didn’t have an interpreter, so they needed assistance communicating with the provider.

Diego quickly stepped up to translate the patient’s healthcare needs and, in turn, translate the provider’s findings, recommendations, and treatment plans. During the appointment, the provider recommended that the patient see a specialist. Diego helped the patient complete an application for a Care Connection specialty referral in Spanish.

Through the Unite Us Platform and Diego’s help, the patient got connected to the basic and specialty care they needed—what a success! This story shows the continuity of care HAU’s patients receive, and their dedication to closing the loop. They will always go above and beyond to help their patients.

For this series, we asked the HAU team about our work together and their vision of how cross-sector collaboration creates lasting change for pregnant and parenting people.

As we reflect on a decade bringing sectors together through technology to ensure people’s needs are met, what do you think has changed the most for your organization since the start of our partnership?

Unite Us has enabled HAU to track the outcomes and progress of patients receiving services from HAU and our free and charitable partner clinics. This has been a critical turning point for our Healthcare Services Navigation Program. Using the closed-loop referral system has allowed our navigators to ensure every individual who requests services is tracked until a successful outcome has been achieved.  We can also quickly provide comprehensive data reports and statistics to our supporters and financial partners.

How does HAU think about or approach collaboration with other sectors? What are the benefits to your patients?

At its core, HAU is a convener—connecting organizations, programs, and people with similar missions to maximize impact within central Oklahoma’s healthcare safety-net network. Our work creates opportunities for partnerships that benefit our entire community, especially those citizens who are most at risk and facing difficult circumstances. Most recently, we are working alongside the Regional Food Bank to help free and charitable clinics create food distribution programs so that no children go hungry during the summer months. Additionally, the Regional Food Bank is now including information about HAU and the services we offer in each of the food boxes they distribute, which increases awareness of HAU programs among the populations that need our services the most.

Are there any upcoming programs or initiatives related to drivers of health and community health at HAU that you are excited about?

This year, over 300,000 Oklahomans are expected to lose their Medicaid coverage (OHCA) due to the expiration of the COVID public health emergency (PHE). The increased burden on our healthcare safety net will be massive, and HAU is working closely with state and local healthcare leaders—and our clinic network—to prepare for the surge in demand. HAU Navigators have already seen a major uptick in calls from newly uninsured Oklahomans seeking healthcare services, and the Unite Us system is enabling us to ensure that every new client can find a new primary care home at one of our clinic partners.

Looking another 10 years into the future, what is your biggest hope for cross-sector collaboration to improve community health?

The challenges of our time—health care, education, poverty—are complex; each challenge impacts and intensifies the others. It is increasingly evident that these drivers of health are intertwined, and we need to address these challenges utilizing holistic strategies and solutions. Successfully meeting the needs of marginalized individuals will happen not with piecemeal solutions, but through a coordinated, intentional effort made by multiple stakeholders who share a common vision. Public-private partnerships will be critical to successfully relieving the suffering of those who are living on the edges of society and improving the health of the next generation of Oklahomans.  

A great example of this holistic approach is our effort to connect our clients with other services and organizations that address drivers of health. HAU currently has two embedded community health workers who use Unite Us to facilitate referrals for clients who need help with food, housing, child care, and other basic needs. Unite Us enables us to make these referrals seamlessly and track the outcomes of those referrals. For instance, we had one patient whose daughter and granddaughter had both recently moved in with her. After meeting our client’s healthcare needs, we were able to connect her daughter with a food pantry and secure a backpack and school supplies for her granddaughter. 

What thoughts would you share with Unite Us leadership as they look out on the next 10 years?

As alliances between nonprofit, government, philanthropic, and business sectors work together to address critical issues, we hope our shared approach upholds the dignity of the individuals we serve. We are proud to be a Unite Us champion, and we consistently encourage other organizations in our safety net community to join Unite Us so that we can achieve our shared goals.

“I believe we are setting a high standard nationally on how to utilize Unite Us for connecting individuals to healthcare first, and then other resources as needed. We are so grateful for our partnership with Unite Us as we work together to positively transform our community.” – Jeanean Yanish Jones, PhD(c), MA, CFRE Executive Director, HAU

Learn more about Health Alliance for the Uninsured.

Interested in learning more about how to bring Unite Us to your organization?

Get in Touch

The post Better Together: How Health Alliance for the Uninsured is Safeguarding the Health and Well-Being of Uninsured Patients appeared first on uniteus.com.

Our Power in Partnership series highlights our national and regional partners and the work they do to build healthier communities.

Tell us more about your organization.

SteppingStone is an adult day health program that provides health and social services to adults with chronic medical conditions and disabilities in California. Providing over 50,000 service days each year and serving over 350 clients, the program aims to improve participants’ quality of life by promoting health and wellness, providing individualized care, and creating a supportive community environment. SteppingStone offers a range of services, including nursing care, therapy, nutrition, and social activities and is a key part of the senior care infrastructure of San Francisco, working closely with many partner organizations and agencies. SteppingStone has been a Unite Us partner since 2022.

What are the greatest needs of the individuals and families you serve?

SteppingStone serves individuals who require ongoing medical care, socialization, and assistance with the activities of daily living. Some of the greatest needs of these individuals and their families include access to affordable healthcare services, social support networks, and caregiver respite. Additionally, they require specialized services to manage chronic conditions such as dementia or physical disabilities. 

What are the main programs or offerings that your organization provides?

Some of the main programs and offerings that SteppingStone provides include medical and nursing care, physical and occupational therapy, social services, and recreational activities. Over time, these programs and offerings have expanded and evolved to better serve the needs of the individuals and families SteppingStone serves. For example, the organization has introduced new programs like the Alzheimer’s Day Care Resource Center, which provides specialized care and support for individuals with Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia. More recently, the organization has started the onboarding process of Enhanced Care Management (ECM)—which goes live on July 1, 2023. The ECM Project at SteppingStone Adult Day Health Care (ADHC) is a program designed to provide comprehensive care coordination and management services to individuals with complex medical and behavioral health needs. The program aims to improve the health outcomes and quality of life for participants, many of whom are elderly or disabled and require multiple services and treatments.

The program is staffed by a team of experienced care managers who work closely with participants and their families to assess their needs and develop individualized care plans. Care managers collaborate with medical providers, social workers, and other professionals to coordinate services such as medical care, behavioral health services, transportation, and housing assistance.

How has working with Unite Us impacted the work that you do?

Ongoing communication and follow-up are essential to ensure individuals and families can successfully navigate the healthcare system and access the care they need. SteppingStone decided to use Unite Us for referrals because it provides a secure, user-friendly platform for our care team to connect participants with community-based services and resources. With Unite Us, we can easily track referrals and monitor outcomes, which allows us to provide more comprehensive and coordinated care to our participants. Additionally, Unite Us offers a large network of community partners, which helps us ensure our participants are connected with the most appropriate resources to meet their needs.

“Working with Unite Us is a valuable asset for organizations seeking to improve care coordination and enhance the services they offer.”  – Jonathan Beavis, MPH Outreach Coordinator at SteppingStone

How does collaborating with other organizations play a role in your work?

Collaborating with other community-based and healthcare organizations is a critical aspect of the work we do at SteppingStone Adult Day Health Center. By working together, we can ensure our participants have access to a wide range of services and resources that can help them achieve better health outcomes and improve their overall well-being. This way, we can ensure our participants receive high-quality, coordinated care that meets their individual needs and preferences.

Through collaboration, we can streamline care delivery and avoid duplicating services and resources, which helps us use our resources more effectively. This ultimately improves the efficiency of our care model.

Additionally, collaborating with other organizations helps us stay up to date on best practices, emerging trends, and new developments in the healthcare field, which ultimately benefits our participants by helping us provide more comprehensive and effective care.

Why is collaboration important for your organization?

Overall, collaboration is an essential component of our approach to providing comprehensive, person-centered care to our participants, and we believe that it is a key factor in our success in achieving positive health outcomes for those we serve. 

Learn more about how to bring Unite Us to your organization: 

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Veterans Services of the Carolinas (VSC) is one of seven ministries within the Asheville Buncombe Community Christian Ministry (ABCCM). ABCCM, a faith-based nonprofit in Asheville, North Carolina, has been addressing poverty, hunger, homelessness, and access to healthcare for the underserved in Buncombe County for over 52 years. VSC currently employs seven major federal and state grants across all 100 counties in North Carolina and maintains four major offices in Asheville, Charlotte, Fayetteville, and Jacksonville. 

These grants include NCServes, the state’s first service coordination platform for veteran service members and their families—also funded by the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services. VSC’s mission is to assist our nation’s veterans and their families by identifying their needs and connecting them to community partners across North Carolina with a veteran-centric and whole-person approach to care.

One Client’s Story

A U.S. Navy Veteran fleeing domestic violence with her young children found herself in a community crisis ministry receiving much-needed supplies as she restarted her life. Through a community partner referral, she connected with the NCServes Coordination Center. VSC effectively and promptly utilized braided funding streams to address multiple areas of need using federal and state dollars. This client was enrolled in employment and housing programs that enabled her to continue her education and move into her own home with her children. By leveraging other community providers through the network, the client received support for additional needs, such as food, clothing, child care, and transportation.  

This was not the end of her story: Less than two years after the most life-changing crisis she had ever experienced, this same veteran obtained a job in veterans affairs and purchased her own home! Recently, this veteran recognized that she wanted to give back, and she accepted a position with Veterans Services of the Carolinas.

For this series, we asked Brandon Wilson, Director of Veterans Services of the Carolinas, about our work together and their vision of how cross-sector collaboration creates lasting change for veterans and their families.

As we reflect on a decade bringing sectors together through technology to ensure people’s needs are met, what do you think has changed the most for your organization since the start of our partnership in 2017?

The ability to see the landscape of care at macro levels, local, regional, and nationally. This lens has allowed us to become better leaders in the community and solidified some best practices for us, through us, and with the community at large.

Unite Us has been instrumental in our aptitude as a community-based organization to scale programs, build organizational capacity, and improve the overall efficiency and efficacy in which services are delivered to our military connected communities. I would describe our partnership as more like a family. Over the last seven years, Unite Us has not only offered state-of-the-art technology that has transformed the landscape of social services delivery, they have provided invaluable coaching, mentorship, and—at times—strategic direction. This type of partnership has afforded our team the ability to stretch at the individual, team, and community levels. At a macro level and in combination with these attributes, we have grown from a $750k-a-year organization to over a $9M-a-year portfolio of direct service programs that continues to grow and is working to bring other servant leaders together to improve the overall health of all North Carolinians.

How does VSC think about or approach collaboration with other sectors? What are the benefits to the veterans and families you serve and to your mission?

Veterans Services of the Carolinas uses deliberate strategies for community engagement through data-informed processes. VSC views data trends over time to determine not only the communities on which we focus engagement efforts, but particular service types as well. The data-reporting capabilities of Unite Us enable our organization to focus our outreach and community-building efforts on areas and services most needed while also being a good steward of our state and federal dollars. Being able to stretch and allocate resources based on real-time information has been key to our organizational growth. Integrating the Unite Us Platform with all of our direct service programs has assisted in procuring additional funding streams and opportunities for growth. With the approvals from U.S. Department of Labor and the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, this integration has now become a regular, standard operating procedure for all of our programs.

Are there any upcoming programs or initiatives related to drivers of health and community health at VSC that you are excited about?

With the launch of the joint analytics project, we are excited to explore innovative approaches to proactive outreach using Unite Us’ Social Connector. VSC is working diligently to change the entry point for individuals in need into health and human services systems. We are already seeing an overall cost reduction as we are able to address future hardships today; this methodology is proving to put less strain on case managers and grant programs alike. Through this project, we are building stronger assumption models and generating enhanced upstream strategies that are preventing homelessness, unemployment, and mental health challenges across the delta of care.

Looking another 10 years into the future, what is your biggest hope for cross-sector collaboration to improve community health?

The biggest hope is that our communities can work to cross-pollinate all services and resources through the Unite Us Platform. This hope will improve the overall health and care of our communities through improved access at both the individual and provider levels, a widened sense of transparency, and enhanced way of targeting the best first use of local resources.

What thoughts would you share with Unite Us leadership as they look out on the next 10 years?

The partnerships that Unite Us fosters and forms with its community stakeholders are imperative to community growth. Unite Us’ strategy of growing communities from within should continue to be a point of focus to ensure their teams are embedded in the communities they support. Unite Us should continue to keep in mind that each local community is different on many levels across the drivers-of-health spectrum and that the model and technology is just a tool. Real impact and change happen at the individual level. We believe that Unite Us’ incentivizing community partners and positive recognition of their adoption, resilience, and work can accelerate ambassadors for change. Another strategy is the integration of other data systems at a macro level, such as the Homeless Management Information System (HMIS), state data systems, and Veterans Affairs.

For more information about Veterans Services of the Carolinas, visit https://www.abccm-vsc.org/. 

Interested in learning more about how to bring Unite Us to your organization?

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The post Better Together: Uniting for Veterans Across the Carolinas appeared first on uniteus.com.

The first 1,000 days of life are a critical period of rapid brain development that can influence a baby’s health over a lifetime. Drivers of health such as poverty, homelessness, substance use disorders, and race- and place-based inequities place added stress on children that increase the risk for poor health outcomes. 

First 1,000 Days Suncoast, a regional initiative spearheaded by the Charles & Margery Barancik Foundation and led by Sarasota Memorial Health Care System (SMHCS), was launched in 2018 to reduce systemic barriers to health for young families. It includes over 80 organizations that work together to support family resilience through cross-sector collaboration. 

One Client’s Story

“Lana,” a mother of two from Manatee County, had reached her breaking point. With an unstable living situation, no job, and no support, she did not know where to seek help. Thankfully, Lana met Tina Wilson, First 1,000 Days Navigator who sent referrals to appropriate services through Unite Us.

In a matter of months, Lana secured a job and received essential baby items for her children; assistance with transportation to doctors’ appointments for herself and her children; food; parenting education and support; and after a long road of unstable housing and homelessness, Lana now has a safe place she and her children can call home. Lana was extremely grateful for how First 1,000 Days, SMHCS, and Unite Us changed her life.

“I could just cry. I have come a long way and now my children are happier and more joyful.” – Lana, Mother of Two

(SMHCS) is a public community healthcare system with multiple campuses, clinics, and outpatient centers. Magnet-designated for the fourth time and among America’s 50 Best Hospitals, Sarasota Memorial offers a comprehensive level of care. Women and children’s services include: 

• Childbirth education 
• Labor and delivery unit:
  • High-risk antepartum patients 
  • Mother and baby unit 
  • Level III neonatal intensive care unit 
  • Maternal-neonatal transport
  • Pediatric unit 

SMHCS employs a small team that leads the operations of a regional initiative called First 1,000 Days Suncoast. Since 2020, SMHCS has partnered with Unite Us to provide resources and enhance care coordination for the community, resulting in support for families who urgently need it. After the initial implementation of Unite Us, Women and Children’s Services case managers reported an average time savings of four hours per week in coordinating services for families. This new efficiency could potentially equate to $7,000 in cost savings per case manager per year. 

For this series, we asked Sarasota Memorial’s Chelsea Arnold about our work together and their vision of how cross-sector collaboration creates lasting change for pregnant and parenting people.

As we reflect on a decade bringing sectors together through technology to ensure people’s needs are met, what do you think has changed the most for your organization since the start of our partnership in 2020?

Unite Us implementation began in SMHCS Women and Children’s Services through the First 1,000 Days Suncoast initiative. The positive results for this population prompted expansion throughout the entire healthcare system. SMHCS is dedicated to supporting the health of its community by connecting every patient with nonprofit, government, and healthcare partners. 

How does Sarasota Memorial think about or approach collaboration with other sectors? What are the benefits to the parents and families you serve and to your mission?

Serving the largest volume of underserved families and pregnant individuals in the Suncoast region and acting as the only public community healthcare system, SMHCS has the unique opportunity to ensure no one falls through the cracks in getting connected with care. Dedicated to supporting these families, SMHCS is the backbone organization of First 1,000 Days Suncoast. A devoted team within the Women and Children’s Division leads the operations of the initiative, which comprises over 80 partner organizations within the tri-county area. First 1,000 Days works collaboratively with government, healthcare, and nonprofit partners to address complex systemic issues, reduce persistent and pervasive disparities, and enhance preventative measures. 

Since the local Unite Us launch, SMHCS has seamlessly connected pregnant and postpartum individuals and pediatric patients with nonprofit partner agencies who can address social, medical, and mental health needs. Using lived experience and Unite Us data, First 1,000 Days Suncoast is working collaboratively with foundations and local leaders to address complex barriers to health and social care. 

This cross-sector collaboration has been a powerful way to come up with innovative solutions.  Using individual stories and marrying in the voices of families with their own lived experiences ensures we are building something that is effective, sustainable, and valuable.

Are there any upcoming programs or initiatives related to drivers of health and community health at Sarasota Memorial that you are excited about?

Multi-sector data, including Unite Us Insights Dashboards, have been used to identify community barriers, capacity concerns, and gaps in services—all with an emphasis on health for all. Understanding these system-wide issues has assisted with the allocation of resources and the development of innovative programs and interventions to assist high-risk families. 

In addition to screening all pregnant patients for drivers of health needs and postpartum follow-up wellness calls, many innovative community programs have been created through First 1,000 Days Suncoast. This includes the development of a Perinatal Mental Health Coordination Hub and Family Navigation program. Both programs support families outside of the hospital walls, connecting parents and caregivers with resources and providing support prior to a crisis.

Looking another ten years into the future, what is your biggest hope for cross-sector collaboration to improve community health?

Our hope is that by using a solution like Unite Us, coupled with lived experience and our robust partnerships, we can build effective and innovative programs to address barriers and location-based service needs.

What thoughts would you share with Unite Us leadership as they look out on the next 10 years?

Your organization has started a movement which will transform the way we look at healthcare.

Our current evaluation of drivers or health referrals sent through the Unite Us Platform and its impact on healthcare utilization will help healthcare systems understand return on investment in placing time, effort, and funding towards social care coordination infrastructure as a standard of care. Using this valuable data, leadership can also better dissect inequitable health outcomes, identify shifts in social service needs, partner with community agencies to address capacity concerns, and develop innovative projects and programs to improve community health.

About Dr. Chelsea Arnold, DNP, APRN, FNP-bc
Dr. Chelsea Arnold is Manager of First 1,000 Days Suncoast at Sarasota Memorial Health Care System. Prior to her current role, Dr. Arnold worked as a nurse practitioner, where she saw firsthand the struggles families faced navigating services in the community. From her education and experience, she knows how important the early years are for a child’s development—and that connecting families with resources is key to foster resilience. She is currently conducting research with SMHCS and Unite Us leaders on the impact of social care coordination on healthcare utilization, parental stress, and familial protective factors. 

Watch our webinar, Meeting Mothers Where They Are: A Community and Person-Centered Approach to Care, to hear more from Dr. Chelsea Arnold on how Sarasota Memorial Health Care System and Unite Us are working together to meet mothers where they are when they need it most.

Interested in learning more about how to bring Unite Us to your organization?

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Our Power in Partnership series highlights our national and regional partners and the work they do to build healthier communities.

Tell us about your organization.

Through the Trees is a nonprofit that was founded in 2020 to bridge the digital divide in Transylvania County, North Carolina. The pandemic affected our community significantly. Families with children enrolled in school suddenly had to pivot and educate their children at home virtually. With only limited access to technology and the Internet, many families struggled.

How would you explain the digital divide and why bridging it should be a top priority for state, local, and federal governments?

The digital divide disproportionately affects low-income families, rural communities, and marginalized groups, and it has become increasingly pronounced during the pandemic as more aspects of daily life move online.

Lack of access has significant ramifications on health and education. It is crucial that funding and resources help close this gap and ensure all members of society have equal access. Doing so will not only benefit individuals and families, but also lead to stronger and more prosperous communities and economies.

What are the main programs or offerings that Through the Trees provides? How has this expanded or evolved over time?

Our main focus is on providing Internet connectivity and devices to low-income households. We assess their current Internet options and what devices they are using. We help households apply to the Affordable Connectivity Program, which can provide a $30 discount on their monthly Internet bill. Our electronic refurbishing program allows us to match donated devices to individuals as needed.

As our organization has evolved, we have expanded our offerings to include ongoing support through digital literacy programs. We recognize that access to technology is just the first step in bridging the digital divide, and that ongoing education and support is critical to ensuring individuals and families can fully utilize the technology available to them. Through digital literacy programs, we provide training on topics such as online safety, basic computer skills, and job search and resume building. Our goal is to empower individuals with the skills and knowledge they need to fully participate in our increasingly digital world.

What was your experience like getting funding for Internet subsidies for the people that you serve? Were there any challenges or lessons learned that you could share?

The very first services we offered were Internet subsidies. Our program eased the burden of paying for the Internet at home. Through private donations and funding from Lake Toxaway Charities and Smart Start of Transylvania County, we paid $35 for six months.

Before the pandemic, many folks were getting by with free Internet access in town and did not have the financial resources to pay for it at home. In our county, the main Internet provider cost $75 a month. In our first year of operation, the only Internet subsidy program was Lifeline. This federal government program paid $9 a month directly to the service provider. Individuals had to get approved and apply this discount by going to the provider’s office in person. Having no way to do it online, this benefit was not used much at all.

We coupled our subsidy program with Lifeline to help bring their monthly bill down by nearly $45 per month.

When the government offered the Emergency Broadband Benefit in spring of 2021, our local provider was not a participant. They ended up applying and by September of that year, we were able to pivot and help folks apply to that service before offering ours. The EBB paid $50 a month towards Internet bills, allowing us to reserve our Internet subsidy funding for people who still could not be approved. This mainly affected households where the adults were not U.S. citizens. Providing a Social Security Number was a requirement for the EBB. Being able to pivot and staying up to date with the Broadband expansion community helped us support many households on a shoestring budget in our first year.

Through the Trees recently started working with formerly incarcerated people who are reentering society. Can you tell us more about this program?

A woman that we helped in our first year of operation has become a change agent for United Way. This year, she started referring reentry clients to us. Through Internet subsidies and donated devices, we are giving these individuals the tools they need to be successful. It’s a full-circle moment and we love seeing those ripple effects of support.

How does collaborating with community-based organizations play a role in your work?

The Unite Us Platform allows us to receive referrals from other agencies in and out of the country. The Emergency Broadband Benefit transitioned to the Affordable Connectivity Program in spring of 2022. We have been a part of this great platform for a year now. What we love about these out-of-town referrals and the federal Internet subsidy program is that we are no longer restricted by the boundaries of Transylvania County. We have officially changed our mission statement to “Connecting the Community through Technology,” and we can accept referrals from anywhere.

Why did you choose to partner with Unite Us? How has working with Unite Us impacted the work that you do?

Through the Trees chose to partner with Unite Us because they have a platform that helps streamline the referral process for social services in our community. We recognized that many of the people we serve may need additional support beyond Internet access and devices, and Unite Us provides a way for us to easily refer individuals to other organizations for services such as healthcare, food assistance, and housing.

Working with Unite Us has allowed us to provide a more comprehensive approach to helping people in our community. By collaborating with other organizations, we can ensure that the people we serve are getting the support they need to thrive. Unite Us has also provided us with a way to track our referrals and see the impact of our work in real time.

What’s next for Through the Trees?

Through the Trees has a number of exciting initiatives planned for the future. We are thrilled to be opening our Upcycle Tech thrift store, which will be a valuable resource for our community. With the thrift store, we aim to help people refurbish their devices and make technology more accessible to those who might not be able to afford it otherwise. This will allow us to continue providing devices to more people in our community and reduce the number of electronics that end up in landfills.

We are also considering hosting a conference that will focus on helping educators in our area learn about ways that AI can impact their teaching. The conference will provide an opportunity for educators to learn about new tools and techniques they can use to enhance their students’ learning experiences.

Lastly, we are looking to expand our work in the community, which includes exploring new partnerships with local organizations and expanding the services we offer. Our goal is to continue to bridge the digital divide in Transylvania County and ensure everyone has access to the technology they need to thrive in the digital age.

For more information about Through the Trees, follow us on Facebook, Instagram, or visit our website. You can also come to our shop, Upcycle Tech, located at 470 Asheville Hwy, Suite B, Brevard, NC 28712. We look forward to meeting you.

Collaborative Partnership

It is partnerships like these that enable Unite Us to work collaboratively with community partners across the country to connect individuals to the services they need when they need them most. Our national network includes a wide range of utilities organizations and programs that can offer support for home energy, Internet access, and utility bill payment. To learn more about how Unite Us can help organizations proactively identify and address their community’s needs with a data-driven approach, read our blog on connecting utility customers to social care.

Learn more about how to bring Unite Us to your organization: 

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Health disparities among New Yorkers are significant, persistent, and increasing. Public Health Solutions (PHS) works to change that trajectory and supports New York City families to achieve optimal health and build pathways to reach their potential. PHS provides direct services to families, supports community-based organizations through our long-standing public-private partnerships, and bridges the gap between healthcare and community services. PHS and Unite Us partner on WholeYouNYC, a city-wide, trustworthy, and reliable community resource network that connects healthcare and social services.

One Client’s Story

When we hear the phrase “food insecurity,” we don’t immediately connect it to cancer. “Hector’s” story, however, illuminates a common scenario that many community members face when receiving treatment for cancer. Through our partnership with PHS, New York City’s largest public health nonprofit, Hector (not his real name), along with thousands of others, are receiving the services they need through a difficult period in their lives.

The medical provider that treated Hector’s cancer referred Hector and his partner to PHS’s WholeYouNYC. Because Hector was the primary earner in the household and was unable to work while recovering, he and his partner were hoping they could receive supplemental food and nutrition benefits to help tide them over during this time.

During the screening conversation with Hector, one of PHS’ Food Navigators determined that the couple was eligible to receive medically tailored, home-delivered meals and SNAP benefits. A PHS network partner confirmed through Unite Us that he was eligible and enrolled Hector to receive their services. The following week, during his first rounds of chemotherapy, three nutritious meals a day were delivered to their home.

PHS’ SNAP enrollment program was also busy at work on the couple’s SNAP benefits application. Thanks to a quick turnaround and thorough application completion, Hector and his partner were rapidly approved to receive monthly SNAP benefits.

Going through a health crisis like cancer is extremely difficult, and when clients and families are concerned about paying rent and putting food on the table, the stress escalates. Being able to lift the family’s burden and improve Hector’s health was enormously gratifying for PHS’ team.

Last year, because of hundreds of new enrollments in SNAP benefits, Home Delivered Meals, and Diabetes Self-Management programs, PHS estimates that WholeYouNYC achieved $2.8M in healthcare savings through its network of food and nutrition services providers.

Cross-Sector Collaboration Across New York City

WholeYouNYC has the potential to revolutionize community health and improve the lives of millions of New Yorkers. This diverse network creates new healthcare, community, and public access points to community-based resources across the city that help New Yorkers resolve their unmet, health-related social needs. WholeYouNYC couples the power of Unite Us’ dynamic, collaborative software with PHS’ team of multilingual, culturally relevant community resource navigators to ensure people receive the right resources in the right place at the right time. Together, PHS and Unite Us partner with community-based organizations to build their capacity and secure new revenue streams for their work from healthcare providers, government, and philanthropy. 

For this series, we asked PHS about our work together and their vision of cross-sector collaboration to create lasting change across our country.

As we reflect on a decade bringing sectors together through technology to ensure people’s needs are met, what do you think has changed the most for your organization since the start of our partnership?

In recent years, COVID-19, inflation and migration have strained the capacity of nonprofit, community-based organizations and resulted in an unprecedented need for services. Simultaneously, how community services are provided has been radically transformed with the introduction of virtual services and the remote issuance of benefits. In this new environment, efficient coordination and real-time communication across sectors and partners is more essential than ever before. As a result, a PHS/Unite Us partnership that started out as a quality improvement project to better coordinate access to a narrowly prescribed set of resources has grown into a more comprehensive public health infrastructure development project.

How does PHS think about or approach collaboration with other sectors?

Since the launch of WholeYouNYC, we have fostered a collaborative design approach across sectors, ensuring that the people participating in the system have strong input into how it is developed and implemented and that they form the human connections that contribute to optimal success. Systems transformation cannot be successful without a focus on human-centered design. To set the table for success, PHS has convened collaborative design sessions at multiple levels, from small, neighborhood-level partnerships to citywide, policy-oriented convenings. As NYC’s public health anchor institution, PHS has the influence that is needed to bring together stakeholders from the community, healthcare, government, philanthropy, and the private sector to advance the work and ensure it contributes to a shared vision of health equity for NYC. 

What are the benefits of cross-sector collaboration to the individuals and families you serve?

The challenge to living a long and healthy life in NYC too often depends on whether a person lives in a safe neighborhood; experiences racism or discrimination; has access to medical care, food, and stable housing; or has adequate income, knowledge, and opportunities to make healthy choices. Additionally, despite spending $10,000 per person on healthcare for New York residents annually, our healthcare system fails to support a person’s health and well-being outside the four walls of medical care organizations.

This is in part because, when people are referred from healthcare organizations to social services providers, there is minimal follow-up to ensure they receive the help they need. Additionally,  thousands of social services and community resources are available throughout New York City; however, poor coordination between providers results in New Yorkers being unable to access the help they need—even when it exists in their own backyard. These disjointed systems burden people with locating their own care, engaging with multiple agencies, and enduring a time-consuming process of coordinating various resources. As a result, New Yorkers continue to experience some of the worst health outcomes in the United States, despite numerous systems already in place to support good health.

WholeYouNYC aims to solve these problems and improve health equity by placing people at the center of care and connecting them with a network of resources to address their unmet needs. We have connected over 500 organizations that offer more than 800 programs across all New York City boroughs, including food, housing, employment, legal aid, youth training and development, health insurance, maternal support, sexual health services, and more.

Are there any upcoming programs or initiatives related to drivers of health and community health at PHS that you are excited about?

We are excited about adding the city’s new “Groceries to Go” initiative to our portfolio addressing food insecurity. Groceries to Go provides eligible New Yorkers with monthly credits to purchase groceries for delivery or pickup. Credits can be used to purchase SNAP-eligible foods and beverages through an online platform that links to hundreds of grocery stores in New York City. The credits can also be used to pay for service fees, tips, and delivery. Groceries to Go participants also receive a 50-percent discount on purchases of fresh fruits and vegetables using their credits. Participants can save up to $30 per month with this discount. There is tremendous potential to impact food insecurity when we combine this offering alongside SNAP enrollment and other food and nutrition services.

Looking another 10 years into the future, what is your biggest hope for cross-sector collaboration to improve community health?

Our biggest hope is that New Yorkers feel they have a health and human services system that recognizes their unique challenges—one they can trust in times of need. This is foundational to health equity. We hope that WholeYouNYC at scale results in a more accessible, coordinated, and accountable system of community care. We are committed to successfully leveraging what we learn in the data-driven insights provided by Unite Us to fill critical gaps in services and advocate for service expansions, enhancements, and improvements that will be essential to ongoing sustainability and success.  

What thoughts would you share with the Unite Us team as they look out on the next 10 years?

A network is only as good as its people, and the nonprofit sector is increasingly strained. Unite Us leadership can help by providing secure insights and technical support to organizations as they grow their capacity and work to secure meaningful new sources of revenue. The platform can be a powerful tool in addressing the “wrong pocket” problem, where large healthcare providers reap healthcare quality incentive payments based on outcomes achieved by community-based organizations and low-cost community healthcare providers. Unite Us can support organizations to apply these insights to more effectively prove their value and achieve a greater share of value-based care incentives. The Unite Us Platform can be used to make a compelling case when it identifies unmet needs in the community and barriers to care for populations of interest to policymakers. This data can be amplified to secure policy wins and drive investment to where it is most needed. 

For more information about Public Health Solutions, follow @wearephsny on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram; or visit HealthSolutions.org.

Learn more about how to bring Unite Us to your organization: 

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The post Better Together: Uniting NYC to Address Nutrition and Beyond appeared first on uniteus.com.