Dear Community Partners,
Thank you! All of us at The Health Trust appreciate the many folks who were able to attend the learning sessions that we hosted earlier this month. The learning sessions provided us the opportunity to share the work we seek to accomplish as a funder. But, more importantly, these sessions provided us the opportunity to hear from you, our valued and trusted community partners.
The Health Trust’s mission is to build health equity in Silicon Valley. To more effectively advance our mission, we are aligning our roles as a funder, provider, and advocate on three agency-wide focus areas. These focus areas also serve as our funding strategies for our Health Partnership Grants.
The feedback you’re providing is shaping our more detailed funding priorities. Although we cannot pursue every suggestion shared, please be assured that your expertise and wisdom is influencing where we’re heading. We plan to publicly share our funding priorities in January 2019.
Below please find a summary of common themes and takeaways from the learning sessions.
We appreciate your candor, time, and the great work you do to build health equity in our community.
Sincerely,
Michele Lew
Chief Executive Officer
The Health Trust
Learning Session Summary
Improving Health Through Food:
- Food access for our most vulnerable is key.
- Healthy food supports better health.
- Good opportunities for policy, system, practice change that could have lasting change.
- Interest to support programs that meet the cultural needs of diverse populations – from offering culturally appropriate food/or culturally specific programming.
- The target populations should be better defined and broadened.
- Interest to learn more about prevention priorities.
- Need for strong referral systems, program sustainability, transportation, food affordability, collaborations among partners, and issues around current proposed policies that will prevent individuals from accessing services (e.g., Public Charge).
Making Chronic Conditions More Preventable & Manageable:
- Referral linkages are important.
- Need to develop/strengthen connections and relationships between providers/community-based organizations.
- The target populations should be better defined and broadened.
- The four identified chronic conditions are too narrow. Mental health and substance abuse are critical areas.
- Questions around support for prevention efforts, including physical activity and the built environment.
Prioritizing Health In Housing:
- Wraparound case management support is critical.
- Broad-based collaboration, including non-traditional partners, is important.
- Ensure that there is cultural competence and language access in supportive housing.
- Facilities need to be conducive to the health service needs of the residents.