Human service settings, especially those not specifically focused on supporting people who use drugs (PWUD), offer a unique opportunity to prevent overdose deaths. During the COVID-19 pandemic, building capacity for overdose prevention, harm reduction, and to address barriers to treatment, recovery, and support services required a virtual training format. Post-pandemic, virtual training remains a cost-effective and… Read more »
In 2022, two neighboring Massachusetts towns (Andover and North Andover) pursued a collaborative approach to community health assessment and improvement planning. Together with HRiA, the partners identified common needs and co-created clear, actionable plans to improve the health of both communities. Read the case study to learn more.
In the April 2022 issue of Nature Medicine, commentary co-authored by HRiA staff members, Kim Lezak and Lindsay Redman-Rivera, explores grantmaking practices to increase diversity, equity, and inclusion in the biomedical workforce. The collaborative team of authors from the Health Research Alliance offer recommendations in demographic data collection and use, increasing the diversity of the applicant and awardee… Read more »
HPHC Foundation Overview The Harvard Pilgrim Health Care Foundation was founded in 1980 by the Harvard Community Health Plan as the corporate philanthropy of the not-for-profit health plan. Since 2007, the Foundation’s focus has been on childhood obesity prevention and healthy food access for low income communities and older adults. Initially active in Massachusetts, Maine… Read more »
Overdose Prevention, Response, and Postvention: Promising Policies and Practices for Organizations aims to help organizations and agencies reduce fatal opioid overdoses in a variety of settings. This includes, but is not limited to: community corrections centers, family and individual shelters, and substance use treatment facilities. While these recommendations are focused on addressing opioid overdose, implementing… Read more »
Contemporary approaches to community health improvement involve partnerships working together to address shared community health, education, housing, and other needs. We evaluated 10 community health improvement processes varying in geography and population to understand the extent of shared community health improvement efforts. Using a variety of methods, we identified these sites from approximately 125 across… Read more »
During a day–long summit facilitated by HRiA and staff from University of Massachusetts Medical School, representatives from multiple disability serving agencies in Delaware met to develop a strategic plan to improve the education and employment outcomes of youth and young adults with serious mental health conditions. The planning session was based on a Strengths, Weaknesses,… Read more »
Physical education is an academic subject and is part of a well-rounded education. While many states require K-12 students to participate in some level of physical education, many physical education practices can be improved to help students meet the national recommendation of engaging in at least 60 minutes of physical activity daily. Physical education has… Read more »
Recess is an important part of an active school environment. It is a relatively easy and low cost way to get students moving, and contributes to the recommended 60 minutes of daily physical activity. Recess does not only help increase students’ physical activity, but also improves both social/emotional and educational outcomes. This data brief provides… Read more »
Public health approaches to supporting child and family development – and preventing abuse and neglect – now focus on supporting safe, stable, nurturing relationships and environments. At the same time, growing scientific evidence has drawn attention to the lifelong consequences of adverse childhood experiences. In this report, new evidence based on population surveys demonstrates the… Read more »
As nonprofit hospitals focus on meeting the triple aim of improving quality of care and population health while reducing costs, developing an implementation strategy to fulfill IRS requirements can achieve far more than simply “checking the box.” Rather, nonprofit hospitals can leverage the community benefit implementation strategy to advance both greater institutional alignment and health impact…. Read more »
Facilitating Alignment and Strategic Thinking (FASTTM) is an efficient and effective rapid strategic planning process for organizations or community partnerships that want to enhance performance, promote stakeholder engagement, and foster quality improvement. This Practice Brief outlines the benefits and key components of this FAST approach, and includes five tools: Stakeholder Engagement Tool Vision-Mission-Values Tool Prioritization… Read more »
http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/wol1/doi/10.1002/ncr.21150/references
A healthy communities approach breaks down silos and allows us to think about health and community in the broadest of terms through a social determinants lens. In order for communities to effect positive sustainable changes, a paradigm shift will be required where process is valued as highly as outcomes and communities have autonomy to determine their notion of health by engaging in… Read more »
This article presents qualitative research findings of Section 8 landlord perceptions regarding healthy housing practices to inform landlord-focused initiatives. Five focus groups were conducted with landlords in Boston, Massachusetts (n = 39) and transcripts were coded for key themes using a grounded theory approach. Results indicate that landlords’ primary challenges to creating a healthy housing… Read more »
There are stark gaps in life expectancy, disease incidence, and health status among different racial and ethnic groups in the United States. While social determinants of health play an undeniably large role in both race and class discrepancies, HRiA’s new Policy & Practice Report explores another contributing factor. Developing a Racially Diverse Biomedical Research Workforce… Read more »
Health Resources in Action, in collaboration with the Metropolitan Area Planning Council and the Massachusetts Department of Public Health (MDPH), conducted a health impact assessment (HIA) to inform the Massachusetts Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD) as it developed a new funding opportunity for community development corporations (CDCs): the Community Investment Tax Credit Grant… Read more »
In May 2013, Center for Disease Control and Prevention’s Office of the Associate Director for Policy commissioned the National Network of Public Health Institutes (NNPHI) to develop a case study of Chapter 58, the health reform law in Massachusetts that transformed the state’s health insurance landscape, expanded public programs, and impacted the public’s health through… Read more »
Embracing Equity in Community Health Improvement is one of HRiA’s featured Policy and Practice reports. Across America, many public and private sector organizations are committed to generating greater opportunities and resources for the nation’s most disadvantaged populations. These organizations are engaged in a wide range of strategies that are typically codified within their agencies’ strategic… Read more »
The Medical Foundation at HRiA publishes annual reviews to highlight our clients’ biomedical research grant programs, recognize research award recipients, and acknowledge the commitment of our distinguished scientific review committee members. In addition, each review features articles describing the current challenges and successes of the biomedical research field and workforce.
In May 2013, Center for Disease Control and Prevention’s Office of the Associate Director for Policy commissioned the National Network of Public Health Institutes (NNPHI) to develop a case study of Chapter 58, the health reform law in Massachusetts that transformed the state’s health insurance landscape, expanded public programs, and impacted the public’s health through… Read more »
Health Resources in Action conducted a health impact assessment (HIA) on Massachusetts House Bill 4026, otherwise known as the Massachusetts Domestic Worker’s Bill of Rights (BoR). This legislation, introduced in January 2013, would amend state labor law to guarantee domestic workers (including, but not limited to, nannies, caregivers, and housekeepers) basic work standards and protections…. Read more »
Reports listed below comprise a representative sample of Health Resources in Action’s assessment and planning processes and are organized by state and specialty area. Links to documents are provided where available. Connecticut Primary Care Action Group Community Health Needs Assessment and Strategic Implementation Plan – Bridgeport, CT Norwalk Hospital and Norwalk Health Department Community Health… Read more »
The economic and community development sectors share much in common with the public health and medical care sectors. While the focus of their approaches may somewhat differ, overall they mutually aspire to promote the vibrancy and well-being of vulnerable, at-risk communities. These sectors have all come to understand that affordable housing, access to educational opportunities,… Read more »
Motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of unintentional injury deaths in the United States each year. In 2011, vehicle speed played a role in nearly one in three crash deaths, about ninety percent of which took place on non-Interstate roads. High speeds are especially dangerous for pedestrians and cyclists, who are disproportionately threatened by… Read more »
