Improving Care and Reducing Costs for Frequent Users of Health Services [ December 10, 2008 ]

On this audioconference funders discussed two initiatives designed to improve the care and reduce the costs of frequent users of health services: chronically ill, underinsured or uninsured individuals who struggle with mental illness, alcohol or substance use disorders, and homelessness and repeatedly use emergency rooms and hospitals for medical crises that could be prevented with more appropriate ongoing care.

GIH Public Health Working Group Webinar: Workforce [ December 4, 2008 ]

Join your grantmaking colleagues to explore the workforce needs and challenges facing the public health system, as well as specific strategies funders may consider as they engage on this issue.

Post-Election Briefing for Grantmakers [ December 2, 2008 ]

Grantmakers Income Security Taskforce; Grantmakers for Children, Youth & Families; and GIH invite you to attend a Post-Election Briefing for Grantmakers. This timely briefing will inform grantmakers about the priorities of the new Administration and Congress and provide funders with an opportunity to help inform, shape, and influence agenda that advance philanthropic work. 

RWJF Healthy Kids, Healthy Communities Program Update [ November 24, 2008 ]

In this audioconference, the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) announced the latest developments in their Healthy Kids, Healthy Communities (HKHC) obesity prevention program. RWJF staff highlighted their progress to date with respect to the HKHC program; discussed the upcoming call for proposals for new HKHC sites; and outlined the overall vision and future of the program.

2008 Fall Forum: The Intersection of Health Policy and Philanthropy [ November 20, 2008 ]

Join Grantmakers In Health (GIH) for the 2008 Fall Forum, the time each year when we focus our energies on issues at the intersection of health policy and health philanthropy.

Improving Access to Healthy Foods [ November 18, 2008 ]

As the fight against obesity expands into issues of healthy food access and public policy, funders play a vital role in supporting local food organizations and building coalitions with community stakeholders. Drawing on the experiences of The Food Trust of Philadelphia and the Johns Hopkins Center for a Livable Future, this audioconference examined some programmatic elements and policy shifts required to change the food landscape as well as strategies grantmakers can utilize to support healthy foods and good nutrition within their communities.

Environmental Threats to Healthy Aging: With a Closer Look at Alzheimer's and Parkinson's Diseases [ November 12, 2008 ]

Sponsored by: Grantmakers In Aging, Grantmakers In Health, the Health and Environmental Funders Network, and the Funders’ Network for Smart Growth and Livable Communities. This November 12th funder-only call introduced the report Environmental Threats to Healthy Aging: With a Closer Look at Alzheimer's and Parkinson's Diseases.

Election Insights-- Health [ November 10, 2008 ]

Arabella Advisors and GIH will cosponsor the audioconference Election Insights- Health. The call is part of Arabella Advisors' Election Insights teleconference series, which will give family, institutional, and corporate philanthropists an understanding of how the new president's policies may impact philanthropic strategies.

Medical Homes for Children [ September 29, 2008 ]

The concept of “medical home” is gaining widespread recognition. Efforts are underway nationally and at the state level to develop feasible models that can improve clinical practice and achieve financial sustainability. Although originally conceived in the context of caring for children with special health care needs, the utility of medical homes as a model for all primary care services is receiving much attention. This audioconference will examine the current status and specific challenges of establishing medical homes for all children and will review how one state-level health funder is supporting the continuing development and dissemination of this promising clinical model. 

GIH Site Visit: Improving Children's Access in California [ September 25, 2008 ]

The GIH site visit The Children’s Health Initiative: A Replicable Model for Improving Children’s Access to Health Care, was held September 25-26, 2008, in Milpitas, California.   

Call for GIH Board Nominations [ September 12, 2008 ]

GIH is seeking nominations for its board of directors for terms beginning immediately following its annual meeting in March 2009. The board expects to add three to four additional members at this time.

Call for Terrance Keenan Award Nominations [ September 12, 2008 ]

GIH is seeking nominations for The Terrance Keenan Leadership Award in Health Philanthropy, awarded annually to an outstanding grantmaker whose leadership and thoughtful application of philanthropic resources have forged permanent improvements in health through innovation, risk taking, and boldness. Nominations must be received by Friday, September 12, 2008.

GIH Public Health Working Group Audioconference: Public Health Messaging [ July 25, 2008 ]

Join your grantmaking colleagues for a conversation on how ordinary people perceive public health and strategies to stimulate public discussion, identify the public’s health priorities, and advocate for policies that move the public health system closer to its stated vision.  

2009 Annual Meeting Call for Sessions [ July 11, 2008 ]

GIH is seeking session proposals for our 2009 Annual Meeting on Health Philanthropy Seeing the Future with 20/20 Vision, which will explore societal trends projected to dominate our future such as population changes, increasing economic inequalities, climate change, and growing health care expenditures. We will focus on how foundations can help alter, respond to, and mitigate the effects of these trends at 2020 and beyond, especially for vulnerable populations. Proposals must be received by 5:00PM EST, Friday, July 11, 2008.

Access and Personal Responsibility [ July 7, 2008 ]

This fall, Howard County, Maryland, will launch the Healthy Howard Access Plan to bring affordable health care access to uninsured county residents. The plan will offer primary care services, discounted prescription drugs, hospital care, dental access, and specialty care services for 2,000 county residents. One of the most innovative elements of the plan is that it takes the personal responsibility debate head on by assigning a health coach to each of the plan’s participants. On this audioconference funders discussed a new local access model with the potential to be replicated elsewhere and to influence the national health reform debate.

Connecting the Dots: Developing a Holistic Picture of Children's Health [ June 12, 2008 ]

Grantmakers In Health’s upcoming Issue Dialogue Connecting the Dots: Developing a Holistic Picture of Children’s Health, to be held on June 12, 2008, will explore the numerous community- and government-based resources that influence child health and development. Participants will discuss promising approaches to integrating services for children, and explore how these efforts both contribute to children’s health improvements and serve as the foundation for broader health system reform. Particular attention will be given to innovative models that encourage cross-sectoral collaboration.

HRSA Web-Based HIT Tool Kit for the Safety Net Community [ June 11, 2008 ]

The Health Resources and Services Administration’s (HRSA) health information technology (HIT) Web portal, developed in collaboration with the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality’s National Resource Center for Health Information Technology, is designed to provide news, tools, and access to research on HIT for safety net providers.  The Web site is a central resource for the safety net community on HIT planning, implementation, and evaluation.  

State Progress on Children's Coverage [ June 3, 2008 ]

With states leading the charge on several new efforts to meet the remaining need for children’s health insurance, grantmakers across the country are working to stay up-to-date on state action and share information on innovative policy proposals. On this audioconference grantmakers participated in a discussion of the GIH Funders Network on Expanding Access for Kids, an informal collaborative of foundations supporting work related to children’s coverage and care. We reviewed advances and cutbacks in recent state legislative sessions and discussed where local, state, and national funders can best target their resources.

Equity in State Health Care Reform [ May 15, 2008 ]

States are becoming practical and political testing grounds for new strategies to cover the uninsured and expand access. But as momentum builds toward health care reform, how equipped are states at addressing health equity? How can we ensure that efforts to address racial and ethnic health disparities are included in proposals to expand access? What specific policies and practices have been shown to improve health care access for communities of color? On this audioconference we heard about a new set of health equity benchmarks, discussed what states are doing to expand coverage and address equity, and explored opportunities for grantmakers. A summary of this call will be available shortly.

On the Front Lines of Public Health: A Meeting at the CDC [ May 14, 2008 ]

This special GIH meeting at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), cosponsored by the CDC Foundation, will highlight the CDC’s work on critical public health issues important to grantmakers, including overweight and obesity, health disparities, leadership development, and environmental health.