Sanilac County Community Foundation

RURAL HEALTH NETWORK DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM - SANILAC COUNTY COMMUNITY FOUNDATION, 47 AUSTIN ST., SANDUSKY, MI 48471 501 C3 NON-PROFIT COMMUNITY FOUNDATION; HTTPS://SANILACCOUNTYCOMMUNITYFOUNDATION.ORG/ PROJECT DIRECTOR: KAROLYN MCENTEE, 5598 UNION STREET, LEXINGTON, MI 48450; 810-434-4774; KAROLYNMCENTEE@GMAIL.COM PROGRAM COORDINATOR: KARI GRANZ, KG CONSULTING, 2499 BAY CITY FORESTVILLE ROAD, UBLY, MI 48475; 810-895-2918; TCHPINFO@GMAIL.COM NETWORK DIRECTOR: KAY BALCER, BALCER CONSULTING & PREVENTION SERVICES, 6152 DUDA ROAD, HARBOR BEACH, MI 48441, 989-553-2927; THUMBHEALTH@GMAIL.COM THE PURPOSE OF THE CARE CONNECT PROJECT IS TO IMPROVE COMMUNITY AND POPULATION HEALTH THROUGH CROSS-SECTOR SOLUTIONS THAT ADDRESS HEALTH RELATED SOCIAL DETERMINANTS OF HEALTH (SDOH). TARGET POPULATION: 152,000 RURAL RESIDENTS WHO LIVE IN HURON, LAPEER, SANILAC, AND TUSCOLA COUNTIES; THE AREA OF MICHIGAN COMMONLY REFERRED TO AS THE THUMB. THE TARGET POPULATION INCLUDES MARGINALIZED GROUPS WHO HAVE HISTORICALLY EXPERIENCED HEALTH DISPARTIES INCLUDING MINORITY AND ETHNIC GROUPS, VETERANS, AGING RESIDENTS, INDIVIDUALS WITH A DISABILITY, PEOPLE WITH A SUBSTANCE USE DISORDER, LOW INCOME INDIVIDUALS, UNINSURED, HOMELESS, VICTIMS OF VIOLENCE, AND LGBTQ+ POPULATIONS. NETWORK NAME: THUMB COMMUNITY HEALTH PARTNERSHIP THE PARTNERSHIP HAS 29 MEMBERS INCLUDING 8 CRITICAL ACCESS HOSPITALS, 1 RURAL HOSPITAL, 4 PUBLIC HEALTH DEPARTMENTS, 4 PUBLIC COMMUNITY MENTAL HEALTH AGENCIES, 3 INTERMEDIATE SCHOOL DISTRICTS, 4 LOCAL OFFICES OF THE MICHIGAN DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES, 1 COMMUNITY ACTION AGENCY, 1 FEDERALLY QUALIFIED HEALTH CENTER, 1 PRIVATE BEHAVIORAL HEALTH AGENCY, 1 REGIONAL 2-1-1 CALL CENTER, 1 COMMUNITY FOUNDATION THE NETWORK IS ACTIVELY INVOLVED IN CONDUCTING NEEDS ASSESSMENTS, REGIONAL PLANNING, AND PROGRAMS TO IMPROVE COMMUNITY HEALTH. IN SPRING 2022, PARTNERS IDENTIFIED SDOH NEEDS AS A MAJOR BARRIER TO ACHIEVING COMMUNITY AND POPULATION HEALTH GOALS. THE CARE CONNECT PROJECT ADDRESSES ALL THREE LEGISLATIVE AIMS. 1) THE PROJECT WILL CREATE EFFICIENCIES BY ALIGNING SYSTEMS OF SOCIAL DETERMINANTS OF HEALTH (SDOH) SUPPORTS. 2) THIS PROJECT WILL LEVERAGE THE COMMITMENT OF GRASSROOTS ORGANIZATIONS AND SERVICE PROVIDERS AND INCREASE EFFECTIVENESS OF ADDRESSING SDOH NEEDS USING FOUR PROMISING APPROACHES: CLINICAL COMMUNITY LINKAGES, COMMUNITY INFORMATION EXCHANGES, POVERTY REDUCTION MODELS, AND RESIDENT EMPOWERMENT. 3) IT IS DIFFICULT FOR INDIVIDUALS TO IMPROVE A CHRONIC HEALTH CONDITION OR MANAGE A BEHAVIORAL HEALTH DIAGNOSIS WHEN THEY ARE WORRIED ABOUT BASIC NEEDS SUCH AS HOUSING, TRANSPORTATION, AND FOOD. THIS PROJECT WILL STRENGTHEN THE HEALTH CARE SYSTEM AS A WHOLE BY CREATING A “NO WRONG DOOR” SYSTEM WHERE SDOH ARE COMPREHENSIVELY AND SYSTEMATICALLY ADDRESSED IN ALL SETTINGS. THE THREE PROJECT GOALS ARE ALIGNED WITH THE GRANT PROGRAM DOMAINS. GOAL 1: IMPROVE ACCESS (DOMAIN 1) AND EXPAND CAPACITY AND SERVICES (DOMAIN 2) FOR SDOH SUPPORTS. GOAL 2: DEMONSTRATE THE IMPACT OF SDOH SERVICES ON ENHANCING NETWORK AND COMMUNITY HEALTH OUTCOMES (DOMAIN 3). GOAL 3: THE THUMB COMMUNITY HEALTH PARTNERSHIP AND CARE CONNECT PROJECT IS POSITIONED FOR SUSTAINABILITY (DOMAIN 4) BEYOND THE GRANT FUNDED PERIOD. PROJECT ACTIVITIES INCLUDE RESOURCE MAPPING; WORKFORCE ASSESSMENTS AND SOLUTIONS; GAPS/NEEDS ANALYSIS; SDOH PROJECTS; COORDINATING A RESIDENT EMPOWERMENT TASK FORCE (TASK FORCE), SDOH WORKGROUP, AND BRIDGES OUT OF POVERTY COMMUNITY TEAM; POLICY AND SYSTEM CHANGE; ENHANCING THE 2-1-1 INFORMATION AND REFERRAL SYSTEM; PROVIDER TRAINING, BRIDGES OUT OF POVERTY PROGRAMS; GETTING AHEAD CLASSES TO THE TARGET POPULATION; OUTREACH CAMPAIGN; AND CREATION OF STRATEGIC, BUSINESS, AND SUSTAINABILITY PLANS. THE THUMB COMMUNITY HEALTH PARTNERSHIP AS A CROSS-SECTOR NETWORK HAS THE RELATIONSHIPS, QUALIFIED STAFF, AND EXPERIENCE TO ADDRESS COMPLEX, INTEGRATED HEALTH ISSUES LIKE SOCIAL DETERMINANTS OF HEALTH. WE REQUEST A FUNDING PREFERENCE-QUALIFICATION 1: HEALTH PROFESSIONA L SHORTAGE AREAS.