Consumer Health Foundation is a young “health conversion” foundation in metropolitan Washington, D.C. It has provided over $3.3 million in grants to community-based groups through its “improving access to care” initiative that emphasizes consumer education and empowerment, provider education and training, as well as advocacy aimed at reforming institutional policies and programs that inhibit access to quality health care. CHF has opened pathways for empowering some of the area’s most vulnerable consumers to access critical services and managed care. It has done this through its grant making initiatives, its work to strengthen the internal capacity of its grantees, and through building strategic alliances to promote community health. CHF works in communities where disparities in health outcomes are the greatest. Much of CHF’s work has been in the area of improving the health status of cultural and linguistic minorities, focusing on health, wellness, and improving access to quality care, using a number of different strategies. Work has occurred with members of the Latino and Asian American communities, as well as African-born residents. Drawing upon CHF’s work in the DC metropolitan area, this presentation concentrates on the roles local foundations can play in addressing the health issues of cultural and linguistic minorities, particularly in terms of improving access to care and enabling consumers in these communities to have greater involvement in decisions affecting their own health and the health of their communities. The presentation will also offer practical suggestions on how local groups can engage local foundations in this process.
See www.consumerhealthfdn.org (under construction; should be up in several months)
Learning Objectives: At the conclusion of the presentation, the participant (learner) will be able to: 1) Understand and articulate the potential, multi-faceted roles local foundations -- particularly health conversion foundations -- can play in working with community-based organizations, alliances and other activists engaged in improving access to health care and the overall health status of cultural and linguistic minority consumers; 2) recognize the range of resources that local foundations can offer to those engaged in this work; 3) recognize which of these local foundation roles and resources will advance the work participants are trying to accomplish in this area in their respective communities; 4) develop strategies for effectively engaging local foundations in their communities in the process of supporting and promoting activities that lead to community wellness, particuarly among members of cultural and linguistic minority communities.
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
Organization/institution whose products or services will be discussed: Part of this presentation will draw upon the philanthropic work of the Consumer Health Foundation, of which I am the chief executive officer
I have a significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.
Relationship: Part of this presentation will draw upon the philanthropic work of the Consumer Health Foundation, of which I am the chief executive officer