Perinatal Safe Zone: Supporting Women-led Birth Equity Work
We believe that creating a Perinatal Safe Zone will require multisector mobilization at the regional level. A mobilization at this level will require participation from hospitals, legislators, and state agencies, while centering Black and Brown led organizations and leaders working to achieve stable and affordable quality housing; welcoming, flexible, and equitable workspaces, with paid parental leave and universal child care services; a just food system; safe and walkable neighborhoods; a caring and supportive network of community members; and access to holistic and culturally congruent wellness practices.
Less Criminalization = Better Health + More Justice
Last year, New York State passed the most sweeping parole reform measure in the country. The Less Is More Community Supervision Revocation Reform Act has far-reaching implications for the health and liberty of tens of thousands of people every year, by making critical changes in how the state handles noncriminal violations of parole conditions.
The Power of Partnerships in Improving Health Care Access and Outcomes
Partnerships are essential to improving health care access, and outcomes, and forming partnerships require listening, learning, transparency, and flexibility.
Resolutions for a Revolution in Philanthropy
Heading into the new year, we are now asking one another, “What risks did our foundations take during these past two years that we may want to continue? What has philanthropy done differently over the last two years that perhaps has made our sector more effective, inclusive, and responsive? We highlight three ways our foundations changed for the better during the pandemic, strategies funders are using to support building or shifting power to nonprofit partners.
Homelessness and Health Equity: Health Funders’ Alignment and California’s Next Medicaid Waiver
California has a new plan under its recently-approved Medicaid waiver that builds on innovations implemented in recent state programs and is centered on health equity, especially for people experiencing homelessness.
All Hands on Deck: The Importance of Pursuing Funder Partnerships to Address Perinatal Mental Health
Today, too many new mothers and birthing people are isolated and their well-being is overlooked, with severely negative consequences for maternal and child health and society.
Freedom to Thrive: How Health Funders Can Support Transgender Communities
Despite well-documented disparities in health and well-being, according to Funders for LGBTQ Issues, for every $100 awarded by U.S. foundations in 2018, only 4 cents directly supported transgender communities. GIH Program Director Ann Rodgers sat down with Kris Hayashi and Alexander Lee to learn more about how health funders can support transgender communities.
The Time is Now: A Call for Philanthropic Engagement in the Implementation of the New 988 Mental Health Crisis Hotline
The Sozosei Foundation believes that 988 provides a once in a lifetime philanthropic opportunity to create the mental health and crisis response services that, frankly, have never been properly resourced. We believe that this will help to decriminalize mental illness and significantly move the needle on our overarching goal of eliminating the use of jails and prisons for the diagnosis and treatment of mental illness.
Moving the Needle on Black Birth Equity – A Call to Action
Philanthropy has an urgent responsibility and opportunity to address the structural factors leading to birth inequities. Healthier pregnancies, labors, and postpartum recoveries not only benefit birthing individuals, but also result in healthier children and families. Focusing attention on those who need it most could have positive implications for entire communities harmed by systemic racism for future generations. There is much work to do, but not enough philanthropic organizations are supporting these issues to tackle them at scale. We need all hands-on deck to truly move the needle. We five funders— from different states and coming to this issue from different angles—are reaching out to our fellow funders with a call to action to join us to in this work.
Addressing Gaps in Firearm Violence Prevention Research – Lessons from a National Partnership
Whether by directly funding new research or calling on Congress to increase funding, philanthropic institutions can help build the evidence that leads to more effective gun policies and invest in initiatives for improved firearm data at the local, state, and federal levels.