15 States Striving to Become “States of Solutions” in Addressing Health Equity

Governmental and private groups to partner on population health challenges

BOSTON--()--With generous funding from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, the 100 Million Healthier Lives initiative, convened by the Institute for Healthcare Improvement (IHI), is pleased to announce that networks in 15 states across the country have stepped forward to improve health equity as “States of Solutions.” Partners across these states will seek to apply a health equity lens as they improve a range of population health challenges from chronic disease to birth outcomes to mental health to economic disparities.

The 100 Million Healthier Lives States of Solutions program brings together governmental and nongovernmental partners, including those most affected by health inequity. In Phase I of the initiative, these states and partners will lay a foundation to advance equity by instituting improvement strategies and pursuing system change within their organizations. States that make substantial progress during Phase I will move into Phase II of the initiative, where partners will engage in equity action labs and pursue initiatives to advance strategic and coordinated actions across sectors and communities to improve health equity.

“States operate at a level that makes both innovation and system change possible, with shared governance, policy, and payment systems. We look forward to working with and learning alongside these motivated partners on the journey to achieving meaningful, measurable results in health equity,” said Somava Stout, MD, MS, Vice President, IHI, and Executive Lead of 100 Million Healthier Lives. “We encourage like-minded organizations in these states to join the journey by reaching out to the lead applicants, who are serving as facilitators in bringing together an unprecedented collaboration within their states to advance equity.”

Stout said that a number of 100 Million Healthier Lives partners across the country with deep experience in policy reform, system change, and equity will support states by sharing their expertise. They include the Association of State and Territorial Health Officials, PolicyLink, the Georgia Health Policy Center, Frontline Solutions, and Heluna Health, as well as IHI.

“States across the country are innovating in important ways to transform health systems and improve well-being for their residents,” said Hilary Heishman, MPH, Senior Program Officer, Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. “We are eager to learn through States of Solutions how public and private partners within different states collaborate and align with one another to advance health equity.”

States of Solutions is a signature program of the 100 Million Healthier Lives movement’s SCALE initiative. The 100 Million Healthier Lives initiative accompanies change makers at every level to develop unprecedented collaboration, innovative improvement, and system transformation to achieve breakthrough results in health, well-being, and equity.

States of Solutions participating states and lead applicant organizations include:

Colorado
Colorado Department of Health and Environment

Delaware
Delaware Division of Substance Abuse and Mental Health

Illinois
Illinois Department of Public Health Center for Minority Health Services
Illinois Public Health Institute

Kentucky
Kentucky Department for Public Health Office of Health Equity

Louisiana
Louisiana Department of Health - Office of Public Health

Maine
Daniel Hanley Center for Health Leadership

Massachusetts
Massachusetts Department of Public Health
Massachusetts Asthma Action Partnership (MAAP) at Health Resources in Action

Michigan
Michigan Department of Civil Rights

Minnesota
Minnesota Department of Health
Minnesota Breastfeeding Coalition

New York
Health Research Incorporated/NYSDOH

North Carolina
North Carolina Alliance for Health

Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania Department of Health

Rhode Island
Rhode Island Department of Health

South Carolina
South Carolina Hospital Research and Education Foundation

Wisconsin
healthTIDE Network
Waisman Center University Center for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities, UW-Madison

About the Institute for Healthcare Improvement (IHI)
IHI is a leader in health and health care improvement worldwide. For more than 25 years, IHI has partnered with visionaries, leaders, and frontline practitioners around the globe to spark bold, inventive ways to improve the health of individuals and populations. Recognized as an innovator, convener, trustworthy partner, and driver of results, IHI is the first place to turn for expertise, help, and encouragement for anyone, anywhere who wants to change health and health care profoundly for the better. Learn more at ihi.org.

Contacts

CXO Communication
Joanna Clark, 207-712-1404
joanna@cxocommunication.com

Release Summary

100 Million Healthier Lives, convened by IHI, announces networks in 15 states addressing health equity as part of the States of Solutions initiative.

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Contacts

CXO Communication
Joanna Clark, 207-712-1404
joanna@cxocommunication.com