How Health Centers Build Cross-Sector Partnerships to Address Social Needs

How can Community Health Centers build cross-sector partnerships to address specific social needs of their patients and communities? That is the question NACHC is aiming to answer through a multi-year project run by our Social Drivers of Health (SDOH) Team.

Over the past several months, the SDOH team has had the privilege of visiting the following health centers: Sun River Health, Hope Clinic, Community Clinic, Aaron E. Henry Community Health Services Center, and The Wright Center (Figure 1). During the site visits, the SDOH Team delved into conversations about how initial participation in NACHC-facilitated Design Sprints (2020-2022) has spurred innovative community projects and partnerships.

With the support from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF), the design sprints were launched in 2020. Originating from the Stanford d.school, the Design Sprint framework employs a human-centered design process that facilitates rapid problem exploration, solution ideation, and actionable planning. This framework encompasses five key concepts: Empathize, Define, Ideate, Prototype, and Test.

By integrating this method, our goal was straightforward: to foster collaborative efforts that effectively address specific social needs within their communities by building and strengthening cross-sector partnerships between Community Health Centers and their social service or community-based organization (CBO) partners.

Sun River, established in the concrete jungle of New York City, New York, participated in the 2022 Design Sprint with a focus on improving health outcomes for Caribbean women in their community. Two years later, Sun River continues to proudly collaborate with the Caribbean Women's Health Association (CWHA) to improve health access for the Caribbean community. By hosting events and engaging the community through Community Health Worker outreach, they emphasize the importance of health and inform community members about the services that are available. Sun River is looking forward to future opportunities to expand their services and connect with new community partners to support additional programs to ensure their patients receive well-rounded care.

Hope Clinic, centered in bustling Houston, Texas, participated in the 2021 Design Sprint focused on addressing food insecurity and reducing diabetes risk in their patient population. They continue to serve their community by hosting cooking classes with Chef Chris that focus on how to make nutritious, affordable, and culturally appropriate meals using ingredients from their own gardens or from the local farmer's market. Hope Clinic partnered with Jefferson Early Learning Center to support families in learning more about how to grow vegetables and incorporate healthier options at mealtimes. Additionally, Hope Clinic has also partnered with Alief ISD to host healthy cooking events that encourage families to cook nutritious meals together. These events also celebrate the community's diversity in food and culture. Hope Clinic is already planning their next event with their local partners to support and uplift their community around nutritious food.

Community Clinic, located in flourishing Springdale, Arkansas, participated in the 2021 Design Sprint with a focus on health education for Marshallese patients due to the identified health disparities among Marshallese women. Community Clinic partnered with the Marshallese Education Initiative (MEI) to better understand the Marshallese culture and healthcare needs. Through this partnership, they have been able to host joint educational sessions and community discussions on topics such as how to cook healthy, culturally appropriate meals with available ingredients. Community Clinic and MEI expressed how the Design Sprint strengthened their relationship and they are excited to continue to work together to provide education and other health related resources to the Marshallese community.

Aaron E. Henry Community Health Services Center (AEHCHS), situated in the historic Blues city of Clarksdale, Mississippi, participated in the 2022 Design Sprint with a focus on health literacy. Through the Design Sprint, AEHCHS partnered with several organizations, including local schools, and utilized resources such as the mobile care unit. This collaborative effort allowed AEHCHS and partners to provide healthcare resources to students while also teaching about health literacy. AEHCHS continues to build robust collaborations with their community partners by sharing their social drivers of health data to better understand the needs of their community such as transportation barriers. Aaron E. Henry looks forward to their multi-level collaborations with partners from government, technology, and financial organizations to develop a new community park.

The Wright Center for Community Health, rooted in the Electric City and home of The Office series, Scranton, Pennsylvania, participated in the 2021 Design Sprint with a focus on combatting senior loneliness. Through partnerships with local organizations such as Telespond and the Lackawanna County Area Agency on Aging they used the design sprint to address root issues of senior loneliness and ensure equal decision-making power amongst the partners. Through their joint efforts, they conceived the idea of the Senior Advocacy Center that would enhance senior care through collaborative partnerships while preserving the legacy of organizations like Telespond, which has been around since 1974. Fast forward to 2024, their partnership remains robust, meeting weekly to seek joint funding opportunities and to provide updates to each other. The Senior Advocacy Center is also now operational, offering programs such as on-site adult day care, Senior

The Wright Center for Community Health, rooted in the Electric City and home of The Office series, Scranton, Pennsylvania, participated in the 2021 Design Sprint with a focus on combatting senior loneliness. Through partnerships with local organizations such as Telespond and the Lackawanna County Area Agency on Aging they used the design sprint to address root issues of senior loneliness and ensure equal decision-making power amongst the partners.

Through their joint efforts, they conceived the idea of the Senior Advocacy Center that would enhance senior care through collaborative partnerships while preserving the legacy of organizations like Telespond, which has been around since 1974. Fast forward to 2024, their partnership remains robust, meeting weekly to seek joint funding opportunities and to provide updates to each other. The Senior Advocacy Center is also now operational, offering programs such as on-site adult day care, Senior companion program and a foster grandparent program.

The NACHC SDOH team is grateful for the opportunity to gain insights into how five community health centers across the nation are making an impact in their community, including how they are applying the Design Sprint framework to innovative community projects and partnerships. With over 1,400 Community Health Centers serving more than 31.5 million patients annually, these centers are vital to supporting, educating, and reinforcing health equity and access.

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Acknowledgements:

Sun River Health: Wanda Mitchell, Pheona Grant
Community Partners: Caribbean Women's Health Association (CWHA) - Kimberly Mathurin

Hope Clinic: Andrea Caracostis, Shane Chen, Anila Khan, Concepcion Camarillo, Christopher Lott, Gina Lulu Toumajian, Tabbie Saenz, Johannah Abraham

Community Clinic: Judd Semingson, Abbie Sudduth

• Community Partners: Marshallese Education Initiative (MEI) - Richard Laraya, Trina Marty

Aaron E. Henry Community Health Services Center: Dr. Will Carter, Tana Vassel, Mahalia Jackson, Nikki Williams, Richard Sheriff, Aurelia Jones-Taylor

• Community Partners: Clarksdale Collegiate Public Charter School - Amanda Johnson; New York Institute of Technology (NYIT)

The Wright Center: Shannon Osborne, Linda Thomas-Hemak, Jennifer Walsh, Nicole Lipinski, Allison LaRussa, Sheridan Kaschak, Kathleen Barry

• Community Partners: Telespond - Helen Schmid, Theresa Osborne, Mary Carroll Donohue, Sara McDonald, Chelsea Wolff, Jennifer Passaniti

Filed under topic(s): Social Drivers of Health

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