Disclaimer: Moving Health Care Upstream is a collaborative effort originally co-led by Nemours Children’s Health System (Nemours) and the Center for Healthier Children, Families & Communities at the University of California- Los Angeles (UCLA). The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of Nemours, UCLA or the Moving Health Care Upstream initiative.

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Between January and September of 2020, nine population networks from across the country participated in Nemours’ Integrator Learning Lab; a learning-and-action collaborative in which multi-sector teams (including health care organizations) working on shared population health goals have an opportunity to receive self-directed resources, coaching, and technical assistance on issues presenting challenges to their network. The 2020 Integrator Learning Lab focused on strengthening use of integrative roles and functions within cross-sector networks. Since “Continuous Use of a Health Equity Lens” is a category within Nemours framework of essential integrative activities, it was a focal area for coaching and technical assistance in the Learning Lab.

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Disclaimer: Moving Health Care Upstream is a collaborative effort originally co-led by Nemours Children’s Health System (Nemours) and the Center for Healthier Children, Families & Communities at the University of California- Los Angeles (UCLA). The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of Nemours, UCLA or the Moving Health Care Upstream initiative.

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Community Health Improvement Week 2020 (June 6-12) is a time to celebrate and honor those working in partnership to improve the health and well-being of individuals and communities. This year, as our nation moves further toward recovery and rebuilding after the COVID-19 pandemic, the American Hospital Association is highlighting three themes during Community Health Improvement Week:

• Reflect on health disparities illuminated by the pandemic and consider further actions needed to improve the health and well-being of all people.
• Renew commitment to community health improvement, including working with cross-sector partners to better serve our communities.
• Rise Together to strengthen our communities through collaborative and creative work and investment in our neighborhoods and one another.

In this blog post, Nemours Children’s Health System offers reflections from participants in the Nemours 2020 Integrator Learning Lab on the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the focus, functioning, and sustainability of their population health networks. We share these responses as an example of the Rise Together theme; interview responses illustrate the ability of strong population health networks to pivot in times of emergency to meet new demands. We believe many of the lessons learned from our partners are valuable to the field as we collectively try to understand the urgency of this moment; and the opportunity it creates to change the conversation on social determinants of health and cross-sector networks that are working to change systems and advance racial and health equity on an on-going basis.

[Read more…]

Disclaimer: Moving Health Care Upstream is a collaborative effort originally co-led by Nemours Children’s Health System (Nemours) and the Center for Healthier Children, Families & Communities at the University of California- Los Angeles (UCLA). The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of Nemours, UCLA or the Moving Health Care Upstream initiative.

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Between January and September of 2020, nine population networks from across the country participated in Nemours’ Integrator Learning Lab, a learning-and-action collaborative in which multi-sector teams (including health care organizations) working on shared population health goals have an opportunity to receive self-directed resources, coaching, and technical assistance on issues presenting challenges to their network. The 2020 Integrator Learning Lab focused on strengthening use of integrative roles and functions within cross-sector networks.
[Read more…]

Disclaimer: Moving Health Care Upstream is a collaborative effort originally co-led by Nemours Children’s Health System (Nemours) and the Center for Healthier Children, Families & Communities at the University of California- Los Angeles (UCLA). The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of Nemours, UCLA or the Moving Health Care Upstream initiative.

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The COVID-19 pandemic has profound and likely long-lasting impacts on children, youth and families. It has created and exacerbated negative impacts across every aspect of life: mental and physical health, suicidal ideation, learning loss, food insecurity, poverty, a diminished childcare sector, housing insecurity and homelessness, skyrocketing youth unemployment, and growing racial and economic inequities. The American Rescue Plan (P.L. 117-2) makes critical down payments to address these deep challenges and support the resilience of children and youth. The American Families Plan proposes additional, once in a generation investments in children and youth. To most effectively implement the provisions in the American Rescue Plan and build out a bold agenda that can successfully optimize equity, health, and well-being for children and youth over time, we need coordinated, sustained federal leadership.

[Read more…]

Disclaimer: Moving Health Care Upstream is a collaborative effort originally co-led by Nemours Children’s Health System (Nemours) and the Center for Healthier Children, Families & Communities at the University of California- Los Angeles (UCLA). The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of Nemours, UCLA or the Moving Health Care Upstream initiative.

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Integrative Activities: What Are They & What Value Do They Bring to Population Health Networks?

Integrative Activities are the governance, oversight, and administrative functions that enable population health networks to carry out tasks and strategies related to the network’s shared population health goals. Like an engine, integrative activities propel networks forward.

Over the last two years, Nemours has been exploring the ways integrative activities can be used to strengthen population health networks. This has included revisiting the framework of integrative activities Nemours presented in 2012 and understanding the value of strategic use of integrative activities.

[Read more…]