Health Working Group

>About the group (.pdf) To join the Health Working Group or learn more, e-mail WG Vice President Carolynn Mambu.

From WG Daily:

Uniting funders, providers, government officials and consumers to reform the safety net health care system in the National Capital Region, and building partnerships to push a common health agenda.

2010
The social and economic determinants of health--among them safe and supportive communities, affordable housing, educational achievement, available and affordable fresh food, poverty and structural racism--directly affect the physical and mental health of adults and children across all income levels. The Health Working Group believes that engaging "non-health" funders in understanding the interconnection of these issues lead to better outcomes for the region's residents. The group will continue building relationships with local public officials and engaging in policy activities as appropriate.

Chair: Pat Mathews, Northern Virginia Health Foundation
Vice Chair: Rachel Wick, Consumer Health Foundation

ONWARD!
The Health Working Group is approaching its 12th year with increased determination.

In recent months, its active membership has expanded with many new participants - and it continues to grow. The group continues its region-wide focus with informed perspectives of both regional and geographically-limited funders. And, HWG remains committed to working with “non-health” funders, public officials, and other stakeholders to foster health equity and address the social and economic determinants of health. Having completed its annual retreat in July, HWG is excited to share some of its priorities for 2010-2011, which include:

Looking at the approaches that the region’s jurisdictions are taking toward health reform - at implications for low-income residents and communities of color; at safety net providers and the needs of consumers and families; and, at opportunities for philanthropy.

Learning from member involvement in efforts around building healthy communities, workforce development, addressing critical health issues including obesity and integrating behavioral and physical health services.

Improving group understanding of the health status of communities and residents at a neighborhood level.

Working with the Washington Grantmakers community to identify collaborative opportunities around the Region Forward initiative.

Health Reform and Philanthropy
At the end of May, some 40 funders, public officials, health policy groups, and representatives of the health safety net system joined Alan Weil, executive director of the National Academy for State Health Policy (NASHP), for a cross-cutting conversation on the national health reform legislation. Weil discussed both the role played by states and the important role of philanthropy during the legislation's implementation.

His assessment of our country’s health care system was frank – both critical and optimistic. “We do some things very well. But we do lots of things very badly. We have an incredibly wasteful system and we provide services people don’t need,” he told the room. That said, with the new legislation, “we have a real opportunity.”

- Read the full event recap
- NASHP’s report: State Policy Makers' Priorities for Implementation

Health Impact Assessment
HWG convened members together with public officials and nonprofit leaders to learn more about using Health Impact Assessments (HIA). HIAs are positioned to inform policy makers across a variety of sectors (e.g. community development, transportation, land use) through considerations of health consequences in proposed policies. As a result, HWG is discussing opportunities for working with the Health Impact Project to further the use of HIAs in the region.

Read a full event recap here.