Upstream, Systems-Based Solutions to the Oral Health Epidemic
At the turn of this century, then Surgeon General Dr. David Satcher put out the first Surgeons’ General Report on oral health and declared that poor oral health was a “silent” epidemic that impacted much of the United States. That declaration was a pivotal moment that increased salience and spurred action around the issue.
Clean and Safe Drinking Water: A Cornerstone of Healthy Lives
In California, where our foundation is based, upwards of 1 million residents lack access to clean and safe drinking water in their homes. Their drinking water is contaminated by nitrates from fertilizer, industrial solvents, naturally-occurring arsenic, and other harmful elements.
Hospital Anchor Mission and Community Health: Implications for Health Funders
A group of funders, working in partnership with Grantmakers In Health developed a health funder learning journey to understand health care evolution and examine how hospitals and health systems can more effectively advance health equity in partnership with health funders.
Putting the ‘Community’ Back in Community Health
When the New York State Health Foundation (NYSHealth) launched the Healthy Neighborhoods Fund, we knew access to healthy and affordable food, opportunities for physical activity, and the overall built environment of neighborhoods greatly influenced health outcomes. But we also knew that community leaders were the key to making any real change.
Three Ways Foundations Can Navigate Changing Political Tides
In today’s turbulent climate, when shifting political winds and policy changes go hand-in-hand with ever-expanding health care needs across the country, how can health funders be strategically effective?
It Is Time to Place an Explicit Focus on Agency
There is a risk that initiatives resulting from the health sector’s growing enthusiasm for influencing social determinants will be too limited to meet the mark because they leave out the knowledge and power of those most affected by the very challenges they intend to address.
Understanding Community Engagement: An Outsider-Turned-Insider’s Perspective of Philanthropy
Community engagement has become a somewhat ubiquitous term within the social sector, which often oversimplifies a deep and complex process.
Measuring Health Outcomes: Philanthropy as Catalyst
As projects and cross-sector partnerships that integrate affordable housing, community development, and health begin to scale, documenting the associated health outcomes is essential to gain an understanding of how these efforts address the key social determinants of health and to build the body of evidence needed to tailor interventions in communities.
Lessons from Abroad: Investing in Youth Mental Health
Now, more than ever, America stands to gain important insights from other countries that have developed comprehensive and effective approaches to youth mental health.
Confronting a Public Health Crisis: Solitary Confinement in U.S. Prisons
A lack of quality care inside correctional facilities often results in damaging outcomes, including increased incidence of violence, mental health crises, and high rates of recidivism.