Maryland Health Equity Resource Act Pathways To Health Equity Program .

Maryland Health Equity Resource ActPathways to Health Equity ProgramOctober 14, 2021Mark Luckner, Executive DirectorMaryland Community Health Resources Commission

CHRC Background & Mission Created by Maryland General Assembly in 2005:1. Expand access to health care in underservedcommunities;2. Support projects that serve low-income Marylanders,regardless of insurance status; and3. Build capacity of safety net providers.2

CHRC Statutory Responsibilities3Traditional grantmaking activities(HB 627 of 2005)Council on Advancementof School-BasedHealth Centers(HB 221 of 2017)Health Equity ResourceCommunities(HB 643/SB 172 of 2021)Consortium onCoordinatedCommunity Supports(HB 1300 of 2020)

CHRC CommissionersEleven Commissioners, appointed by the GovernorEdward J. Kasemeyer, CHRC Chair, FormerSenator and Chair of the Maryland SenateBudget & Taxation CommitteeJ. Wayne Howard, CHRC Vice Chair, FormerPresident and CEO, Choptank Community HealthSystem, Inc.Scott T. Gibson, Chief Strategy Officer, MelwoodHorticultural Training Center, Inc.Karen-Ann Lichtenstein, Former Presidentand CEO, The Coordinating CenterCarol Masden, LCSW-C, Executive Director,Maryland Rural Health AssociationSadiya Muqueeth, Dr.PH, Director ofCommunity Health, National Programs,Trust for Public Lands Flor de Maria Giusti, LCSW-C, Social Worker,Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical CenterDestiny-Simone Ramjohn, PhD, VicePresident, Community Health and SocialImpact , CareFirstCeleste James, Executive Director of CommunityHealth and Benefit, Kaiser Permanente of theMid-Atlantic StatesCarol Ivy Simmons, PhD , Behavioral HealthOperations Manager, SuburbanMaryland, Kaiser PermanenteDavid Lehr, Chief Strategy Officer, Meritus Health4

Maryland Health EquityResource Act Pathways Call forProposals releasedOctober 12. RFP was informed byPublic CommentsPeriod. Applications dueDecember 7.5

Maryland Health EquityResource ActPathways to HealthEquity Program Two-year grants to beissued by CHRC. Applicants shoulddemonstrate selfsustainability as aHERC. Provides foundationand guidance tobecome a HERC.6Health Equity ResourceCommunities Five-year grants. Emphasizes longer terminterventions thataddress SDOH: Housing;Transportation;Employment;Food Security.

HERC Advisory CommitteeEleven members, appointed by the Governor and Presiding OfficersThe Honorable Edward J. Kasemeyer, Chair,Community Health Resources Commission andChair of the HERC Advisory CommitteeNoel Brathwaite, PhD, MSPH, Director, MinorityHealth and Health Disparities, MarylandDepartment of HealthAlyssa L. Brown, JD, Director, Innovation,Research, and Development, Office of HealthCare Financing, Maryland Department of HealthRebecca A. Altman, RN and MBA, Vice Presidentand Chief Integration Officer, LifeBridge HealthElizabeth L. Chung, Executive Director, AsianAmerican Center of FrederickMichelle Spencer, MS, Associate Chair, Inclusion,Diversity, Anti-Racism, and Equity, Department ofHealth Policy and Management, Johns HopkinsBloomberg School of Public Health7Maura Dwyer, DrPH and MPH, Former HealthEnterprise Zone ManagerJonathan Dayton, MS, NREMT, CommunityRelations and Population Health Supervisor,Mt. Laurel Medical CenterMikayla A. Walker, MPH, ManagementConsultant, ReefPoint GroupJacqueline J. Bradley, MSN, MSS, CRNP,Bradley Consulting, LLCThe Honorable John A. Hurson, Esq., formerChair, Maryland Community Health ResourcesCommission

Pathways to Health EquityCall for ProposalsPathways applicants need to demonstrate how:1. The program will address each of the following five policyobjectives:A. Reduce health disparities (see next slide);B. Improve health outcomes;C. Improve access to primary care;D. Promote primary and secondary prevention services;andE. Reduce health care costs and hospital admissions andre-admissions.2. Demonstrate how the proposed Pathways program couldbe “self-sustainable” as a Health Equity ResourceCommunity.8

MD Health Equity Resource ActDefinition of Health Disparity“HealthDisparity” means a particular type of healthdifference, such as a difference in rates of: HypertensionAsthmaSubstance AbuseMaternal and InfantMortality Heart Disease Diabetes Mental Health Disorders“Applicants will have the flexibility to tailor their focus to address theidentified needs of the proposed geographic area and target population.(page 8, of the Pathways to Health Equity Call for Proposals)9

Geographic Definition of HERCContiguous geographic area that:1. Measurable and documented disparities and poorhealth outcomes;2. Small enough to allow for incentives to have asignificant impact on improving health outcomes &reducing health disparities including:a. Racialb. Ethnicc. Geographic &d. Disability related disparities3. Has a minimum population of 5,000 residents10

Pathways /HERC Eligible EntitiesThe following entities are eligible to apply:1. Nonprofit, community-based organization;2. Nonprofit hospital;3. An institution of higher education;4. Federally Qualified Health Center; or5. Local Government Agency (i.e., Local HealthDepartment).The CHRC intends to use the HERC applicanteligibility requirements for the Pathways RFP11

Partner, Partner, Partner! Applicants are strongly encouraged to developcoalitions to achieve the objectives of the Act. Community-based organizations and othercommunity groups are encouraged to partner withan eligible entity as the lead applicant. Examples of entities that should be contacted:Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs)and Local Health Improvement Coalitions (LHICs).12

Key Dates October 12 – CHRC released Pathways to Health EquityCall for Proposals. October 14 – Statewide Virtual Meeting to briefstakeholders on aspects of the Pathways RFP. October 19 – First “Frequently Asked Questions” Virtualmeeting. FAQ document to be posted on CHRC website. Oct/Nov – Regional Forums to engage community (Inperson and virtual) See next slide. December 7 – Applications Due to CHRC. Early February 2022 – CHRC meeting to award Pathwaysgrants.13

Upcoming Events October 19 10:00 AM –Frequently Asked Question(Virtual). October 21 4:30 PM –Western MD Event at Meritus(In-Person). October 26 10:00 AM –Western MD Follow-up(Virtual). October 26 4:30 PM –Baltimore City Event atCoppin State (In-Person). October 28 10:00 AM –Baltimore City Follow-up(Virtual).14

Lessons Learned from Prior HealthEnterprise Zone Pilot Tackling health equity cannot be done on thecheap. Need to identify quantifiable goals and data metricsearly in the program. It’s never too early to plan for post-grantsustainability.15

Additional InformationPathways Call for notices.aspxRegional Forum s/herc.aspxContact:Mark Luckner, CHRC Executive Director:mark.luckner@maryland.govJen Thayer, CHRC Administratorjen.thayer@maryland.gov16

Maryland Health Equity Resource Act Pathways to Health Equity Program October 14, 2021 . Support projects that serve low-income Marylanders, regardless of insurance status; and . 3. Build capacity of . safety net providers. 2. CHRC Statutory Responsibilities. 3. Health Equity Resource Communities . Tackling health equity cannot be done .