Emily Anders, MPH

The Moving Massachusetts Upstream (MassUP) investment program funds partnerships between health care providers and community organizations to address social determinants of health and root causes of health inequities. Recently, MassUP awardee Heywood Healthcare's partnership with HEAL Winchendon was featured on GBH’s All Things Considered. They discussed the HEAL Collaborative’s impactful initiatives to address inequities in food security and economic stability in Central Massachusetts. 📻Listen to the full GBH interview: https://lnkd.in/eQxphM6r 🎥Watch the HPC's latest video highlighting the work of HEAL Winchendon: https://lnkd.in/eW8PB2nd  #HealthEquity

13

Rural communities shouldn't be left behind when it comes to healthcare and social services. That's why New York State Office for the Aging (@nysaging) partnered with Blooming Health, to connect with constituents far and wide, including those in hard-to-reach rural areas. Through this partnership, we're breaking down barriers and bringing care closer to home. The results were amazing: ✅ 38% survey response rate ✅ 300% boost in social engagement ✅ 10% reduction in self-reported loneliness through NYSOFA programs ✅ 7% improvement in self-rated health ✅ Ability to send messages in over 80+ different languages 📊 Want to learn how your organization can achieve similar results? Link to case studies in our bio!

6

We are so proud to announce that Mae has partnered with EmblemHealth to bring our community-based doula network and digital support platform to their Medicaid members across New York. In a city and state where maternal health disparities take an enormous and disproportionate toll, this work is urgent. We know that the right support changes everything. By connecting expectant mothers with a trusted, local doula to prepare them, alongside real-time symptom tracking and education, we are actively working to improve outcomes. This partnership is about so much more than expanded access; it’s deeply personal to our team. Our CEO, Maya Hardigan, captured the heart of this milestone perfectly today: "Our collaboration will drive broader access to the clinically established interventions that have been shown to improve pregnancy experiences and outcomes, particularly for Black mothers. And as a resident of the city myself, this partnership has significant meaning." A huge thank you to the EmblemHealth team for sharing our vision for equitable care and trusting us with your members. Let's get to work, New York. Read the full announcement here: https://lnkd.in/ePGJxVHN #MaternalHealth #HealthEquity #Doula #NewYorkHealth

105

5 Comments

Are you ready for the future of value-based care in New York? 🏥📈 The state’s 1115 Medicaid waiver is more than just policy — it’s a game-changer for primary care providers. At the center of this shift? Social Care Networks (SCNs). SCNs connect providers with regional community-based organizations to deliver reimbursable services that tackle food insecurity, housing instability, transportation and more. It directly addresses health-related social needs (HRSNs) for Medicaid patients. 👉 Read the full blog to get your roadmap for SCN success and value-based care alignment under New York’s 1115 waiver. https://hubs.la/Q03n0fhD0 #Medicaid #ValueBasedCare #PrimaryCare #PCMH #HealthEquity #MedicaidWaiver #SCNs #HRSN #HealthcareInnovation #NewYorkHealthcare #DataGen

4

1 Comment

This Wednesday, the Massachusetts Health Policy Commission will convene its 2025 Health Cost Trends Hearing: Working Together to Safeguard the Commonwealth’s Commitment to Health Care Affordability, Access, and Equity. The Health Equity Compact will contribute to this important discussion, emphasizing the need to center health equity in efforts to strengthen affordability, access, and workforce stability. Featured speakers include Compact members Michael Curry, Esq., President and CEO of the Massachusetts League of Community Health Centers and Manny Lopes, President & CEO of Fallon Health - leaders advancing equity through both community and system-level change. To amplify last year’s call to action from Commissioner Alecia McGregor, PhD (she/her/hers), “We are at a critical juncture as a health system, as a state, and now politically as a nation… There’s tremendous opportunity to pivot. It’s important that we actually do pivot, and adopt changes that are a substantial departure from the status quo.” We thank HPC Chair Deborah Devaux and Director David Seltz and the HPC team for this thoughtful agenda and look forward to a meaningful conversation.

47

Every birthing person deserves support. But in rural Massachusetts, that support is often out of reach. Doulas provide critical care during pregnancy, birth, and postpartum, improving outcomes and reducing risks. When MassHealth began reimbursing doula services in 2023, access expanded—but rural communities still face barriers like long travel distances, low awareness, and limited culturally responsive care. Through HRiA’s Innovation Incubator, the Rural Doula MassHealth Registration Initiative is working to change that. We’re listening to doulas, advocates, and families to understand challenges and shape solutions that are equitable and community-driven. Our goal: increase doula enrollment, strengthen policy and advocacy, and ensure families in rural Massachusetts have the support they need. Read on: https://lnkd.in/eU5X6rtr #MaternalHealth #HealthEquity #DoulaCare #PublicHealth This post is a part of our series on HRiA's Innovation Incubator initiative. Learn more here: https://lnkd.in/eynS3Qki

14

The Power of Partnership: Uniting Health Homes and Social Care Networks for Whole-Person Support Nearly 400 attendees joined the NY Health Home Coalition’s recent webinar exploring how collaboration between Health Homes and Social Care Networks (SCNs) can better support Medicaid members’ whole-person needs. Led by Amie Parikh, CEO of Hudson Valley Care Coalition and Vice-Chair of the Coalition Board; Laurie Lanpher, Executive Director of the Health Home Coalition; and Janelle Shultz, Regional Director of Healthy Alliance and Board Member, the panel discussion featured real stories of impact and practical workflow suggestions for SCN navigators and Health Home care managers. Stay tuned for upcoming learning collaborative opportunities designed to build on this important conversation. And learn more about the intersection of Health Homes and the SCN here: https://bit.ly/3Irutqc #HVCC #HomeHealth #SCN #SocialCareNetwork #HudsonValleyCareCoalition #HudsonValleyCares

14

Community health centers (FQHCs) operate on razor-thin margins, and now they face the prospect of sweeping Medicaid reductions. Their survival may depend less on new funding than on smarter digital strategy. At Community Health Programs, Berkshire County Massachusetts a multi-site FQHC, staff have leaned heavily on connectivity and care coordination tools to tie disparate services together from OB‑GYN to dental to behavioral health. The result: better data flow, more effective population management, and a shot at efficiency in a time of constrained resources. Value-based care models (Medicaid and Medicare ACOs) give FQHCs a pathway to diversify revenue. But to succeed, analytics, interoperability, and standardized workflows are non-negotiable. If we believe access to care should not depend on ZIP codes, then we must invest in the digital foundations that let underserved providers thrive. Read the full article → https://hubs.ly/Q03ScHM70 #digitalhealth #communityhealth #valuebasedcare

3

In the face of federal rollbacks on DEI initiatives, Philadelphia-area health leaders remain steadfast in their commitment to addressing health disparities. https://hubs.ly/Q03pG-_J0 At the Population Health Colloquium, Independence Blue Cross recently highlighted the ongoing success of Accelerate Health Equity and the Regional Coalition to Eliminate Race-Based Medicine. Despite challenges, these programs continue to thrive, underscoring a collective resolve to advance public health equity. “Things can obviously really change,” Erica Dixon, Ph.D., the project director for Accelerate Health Equity, told AIS Health, a division of MMIT. “There’s a lot of health equity that’s baked into things like Medicaid, Medicare, the grants we’re all receiving, funding to health systems. We’ll take it as it comes. But right now, our plan is to keep doing the work, and I would be very surprised if that changes.” Read more at https://hubs.ly/Q03pH41J0 #HealthEquity #PublicHealth #DEI #PhiladelphiaHealth

8

A new op-ed from NJ Spotlight makes a clear economic and human argument: without bold investments in behavioral health infrastructure now, costs will only grow. Workforce strain, service backlogs, and rising need are strategic risks for leaders and organizations. When access falters, disability rises, productivity dips, and communities struggle to sustain momentum. Stronger services today reduce acute demand tomorrow. As leaders, our job is preparation. 🔗 https://lnkd.in/gcqNsEqv #leadership #behavioralhealth #healthpolicy #workplacementalhealth #systemschange

14

2 Comments

Two New England states are calling for more support for primary care. On May 12, the Rhode Island Cost Trends Steering Committee and of the Health Insurance Commissioner (OHIC) hosted their annual public forum on health care affordability and quality. The forum highlighted the latest data on health care spending trends and care quality and compared statewide spending performance to the 2023 cost growth target. This year, the forum also highlighted the critical role that primary care can play in managing the state’s health care spending while improving health and wellness. On the same day, the Massachusetts Senate held a hearing for Senate Bill 867, which would establish a primary care spending target.

3

📢 Introducing the Impact Hub — A New Home for Public Health Capacity-Building The Penn Center for Public Health is proud to partner with the Scattergood Foundation to launch of our flagship initiative, The Public Health Impact Hub - designed to strengthen and scale the work of public health and community-based organizations across Philadelphia and beyond. Built in direct response to what public health leaders and practitioners say they need most, the Impact Hub provides targeted technical assistance, hands-on training, and collaborative support to help organizations implement effective programs, secure sustainable funding, and expand community impact. Through the Impact Hub, local and regional partners can access: 🔹 Customized capacity-building and technical assistance 🔹 Grant writing and funder engagement support 🔹 Workforce development and professional training 🔹 Applied research and evaluation guidance 🔹 In-person and virtual learning opportunities The Impact Hub reflects our core commitment: equipping public health organizations not only to deliver services, but to thrive, grow, and lead long-term change. We look forward to partnering with practitioners, nonprofits, government agencies, and community leaders as we continue to build a stronger, more equitable public health ecosystem together. 🔗 Learn more in the full announcement from Penn Medicine News: https://lnkd.in/eZkwjtWd #ImpactHub #PublicHealth #HealthEquity #CommunityPartnership #CapacityBuilding #PennCPH

38

1 Comment

What does primary care access really look like in your community? Our Policy and Research Associate, Camille Okonkwo, breaks down NYHealth’s updated Care Across Communities Dashboard — a ZIP code-level deep dive into how primary care access and health outcomes vary across New York. We know that where you live shouldn’t determine the care you get, but too often, it does. This dashboard helps shine a light on those gaps, so policymakers, advocates, and communities can push for change. With detailed ZIP code-level data, the dashboard allows users to explore: ✅ Primary Care Access & Provider Availability ✅ Preventive Care Measures ✅ Health Outcomes ✅ Socio-Demographic Factors 👉 Explore the dashboard: https://lnkd.in/eeKqAuES

17

Taking a moment to re-share the official announcement of The Public Health Impact Hub, launched in partnership with Penn's Center for Public Health. We believe innovation has its greatest impact when it responds directly to the challenges communities face, and that principle is at the heart of the Impact Hub. “We created the Impact Hub to meet the needs of public health practitioners who are doing critical work every day but frequently don’t have access to the tools, resources, or training they want,” said Samantha Matlin, PhD, director of Workforce Education at Penn’s CPH and associate professor of Clinical Psychiatry at Penn Medicine. “This initiative is about offering real-world solutions.” #ImpactHub #PublicHealth #HealthEquity #CommunityPartnership Samantha Matlin Joe Pyle Alyson Ferguson, MPH

9

A lively exchange of ideas in pursuit of positive change was the goal of the Summit on the Future of Health Policy in Rhode Island. Hosted on Wednesday, Feb. 11, by the Center for Advancing Health Policy Through Research at Brown’s School of Public Health, the daylong summit brought together policymakers, researchers, health care leaders, students and community stakeholders to discuss pressing health policy issues. The event included moderated discussions about access to primary care, the affordability of health care and navigating Medicaid cuts. It also featured a presentation of findings from the R.I. Life Index, a survey conducted by Blue Cross and Blue Shield and the School of Public Health that measured local perceptions of well-being. Speaker of the Rhode Island House of Representatives Joseph Shekarchi and Rhode Island Health Insurance Commissioner Cory King were among the leaders who shared their insights and experiences. In each of three topical discussions, the key takeaway was that health care in the U.S. is expensive, interconnected and complicated, and each proposed solution often requires a trade-off in another area. The room was packed with engaged attendees, which made for lively Q&A sessions about how the state can navigate ongoing and future changes in federal health policy.

43

2 Comments

WMCHealth is proud to announce a new systemwide partnership with the Hudson Valley Care Coalition (HVCC) to advance whole person healthcare across the Hudson Valley. Through integrated health related social needs screenings, #WMCHealth will help identify Medicaid members at risk of food insecurity, housing instability, or transportation barriers and connect them to critical community-based supports throughout the care continuum. We thank HVCC and our community partners for their collaboration and shared commitment to improving care coordination and the patient experience. 🔗 Read the press release: https://bit.ly/4uqBef5 🔊 Watch the press conference: https://bit.ly/3NhMtWa

135

4 Comments

EngageWell IPA, an Independent Provider Association and Behavioral Health Care Collaborative, is scaling its innovative digital food as medicine program across New York City through the NYS 1115 Medicaid Waiver. The program builds on early support from the Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield Foundation, which funded an initial pilot through Housing Works Health Services, a Federally Qualified Health Center and IPA founding member. EngageWell facilitated implementation and evaluation, and early successes led to the opportunity to expand the model under the state’s 1115 Waiver. Today, EngageWell’s digital food as medicine program is addressing food and nutrition insecurity and chronic illness in historically underserved communities by bringing healthy food directly to people’s homes. To learn more: https://engagewellipa.com/

6

Data sharing and reporting does not have to be a burden for providers, as long as doctors and medical specialists know how to appropriately use technology. Aly Mitchell understands this. Very well. Arcadia

8