On December 8, 2021, teams from each of the six TACHI sites joined together with EHF staff, EHF’s team of TACHI technical assistance consultants, and others interested in supporting the TACHI initiative, for a day of learning and sharing, with a particular emphasis on financial sustainability. TACHI sites also had the opportunity to present updates and receive guidance on a particular challenge their site faced.
Presenters included:
- Elizabeth Lutz, MBA, Executive Director, Bexar County Community Health Collaborative. Elizabeth led the implementation of the Pathways Community Hub model in the San Antonio area.
- Hanna Jamal, MBA, Vice President of Social Finance, discussed the potential of using social impact bonds to collaborative finance upstream public health work.
- Katherine “Kitty” Bailey, MSW, Chief Executive Officer at San Diego Wellness Collaborative. Kitty led the ACH in San Diego and developed a social service independent practice association to sustain the work.
- Ken Janda, J.D., Principal of Wild Blue Health Solutions. Ken Janda has decades of executive leadership experience in managed care organizations and recently was the CEO of Community Health Choice for 11 years.
- Rosie Valadez-McStay, MPH, CEO of RVM Strategies, LLC. Rosie spent two decades leading government relations and community benefits at the nation’s largest children’s hospital system, Texas Children’s Hospital.
Presenters shared their organizational sustainability journeys and described strategies to create financial sustainability. Two key points that were covered:
- To be successful as an ACH, you must be a force for both collaboration and disruption:
- “what’s challenging about the ACH is that fundamentally we exist to disrupt a broken system and make it work better.” (Kitty Bailey)
- “Be ready to change the cycle, disrupt it; understand that sometimes your friends are not going to be your friends.” (Elizabeth Lutz)
- Health care systems and insurers have money to spend and goals to support population health but don’t know how to spend those dollars in order to achieve those goals. These facts create opportunities for ACHs, but they must think like entrepreneurs:
- “Think of yourselves as social entrepreneurs…sustainability is not how can I get another grant, but how do I develop a sustainable business model?” (Ken Janda)
Some key takeaways identified by TACHI sites through the post-meeting evaluation:
- “There are a lot of unique paths to an ACH.”
- “The convening built my confidence about the sustainability of the ACH long-term.”
- “Consider approaching other business leaders in the community that are not necessarily linked to healthcare who may have a vested business interest in improving overall community health.”
- “Learn to adapt and make sure my organization can adapt quickly.”
Participants from the TACHI sites reported finding great value in hearing from one another and getting input related to the challenge they brought to the group. Attendees also identified several topics of interest for future convenings, including community engagement strategies and how to define health equity improvements. Looking ahead to 2022, the TACHI is placing a greater emphasis on co-creating the learning sessions and giving sites more opportunities to learn from each other.