Foundation for Healthy Communities

Founded in 1968 as an education and research organization for the New Hampshire Hospital Association (NHHA), the Foundation was reorganized in 1995 to meet the needs of a changing healthcare system. The Foundation for Healthy Communities is led by a board of directors with a broad range of expertise which guides its strategic and programmatic efforts. Today, the Foundation is a partnership between New Hampshire hospitals, health plans, home care agencies, community organizations and other healthcare stakeholders that focuses on quality of care, access to health services, and prevention as the major priorities of work, in alignment with the Foundation's mission of improving total population health for all communities.The Foundation for Healthy Communities is renowned on a state and national level for its ability to engage diverse partners in new, innovative collaborations and to serve as the backbone support for a variety of initiatives that address the health and healthcare needs of our state. The organization's programs focus on quality improvement initiatives, health promotion, and access to affordable health care, as well as patient and family engagement strategies, health equity and health disparities of care, behavioral health and substance use disorders and many more.In its work with partners statewide, the Foundation's key objectives are to improve total population health by promoting innovative, high value quality practices within organizations and communities; to lead change strategies that educate, create and sustain healthier communities and make the healthy choice the easy choice; and to promote access to affordable health care and resources that support the well-being of all people. One of the Foundation's strengths is to engage and lead diverse partners in new forms of collaboration and facilitates program integration for the benefit of the communities served by housing its diverse group of programs and staff in one location, streamlining processes, and opening pathways for collaborations.To promote a healthier state, the Foundation's initiatives focus on health prevention and education, access to affordable health care as well as insurance coverage, patient safety and quality improvement initiatives, patient and family engagement strategies, health equity and health disparities of care, emergency preparedness and response, behavioral health and the opioid crisis, among many other areas of priority. Descriptions of the programs currently running under the Foundation for Healthy Communities below:Behavioral Health Clinical Learning CollaborativeThe Behavioral Health Clinical Learning Collaborative is designed to address the management and treatment of patients experiencing mental health crises in the emergency department (ED) setting. The Collaborative brings together frontline ED and Community Mental Health Center professionals alongside other interested stakeholders to work in partnership on clinical improvement initiatives for these patients. The Foundation for Healthy Communities 02-0275078 goal of the program is to develop a well-integrated service system that provides the most suitable care for patients experiencing a psychiatric emergency and presenting at the ED.COVID-19 Vaccination ProjectThe COVID-19 Vaccination Project aims to increase vaccination status among New Hampshire residents 65+ in age by supporting hospitals, their primary care practices and pharmacies in promoting evidence and science-backed data relative to the safety and efficacy of COVID-19 vaccines, as well as the importance of adhering to state and federal guidance to ensure individual health and well-being.Community BenefitsHospitals support their communities by delivering high quality healthcare, serving as economic engines, and providing health education, resources and programs to keep their communities healthy. To do this successfully, hospitals work collaboratively with a variety of partners to assess the health of their community, identify the most pressing health needs, and develop community benefit implementation plans to address those needs. The Foundation for Healthy Communities creates a statewide summary of the community benefit activities conducted by New Hampshire hospitals through their uncompensated care, health education and community programs and services.Granite State Health Care CoalitionThe Granite State Health Care Coalition is a network of key representatives from public and private health and safety organizations that help communities prepare, respond, and recover from catastrophic events and disasters impacting New Hampshire. The Coalition provides the opportunity for providers, healthcare and community stakeholders to plan, prepare and train for catastrophic events through collaboration essential to integrated disaster response.Healthcare Decisions CoalitionThe Healthcare Decisions Coalition is a volunteer steering committee composed of experts and stakeholders in the legal and health care sectors that aims to provide the tools available for individuals to express wishes and preferences with regard to end of life medical care, and to have those preferences honored by the health care system.NH Health Care Quality & Safety CommissionThe NH Health Care Quality & Safety Commission enables health care providers to share information about adverse outcomes and prevention strategies in learning environments which foster candor and self-critical analysis while maintaining the confidentiality of the information submitted to the commission, the proceedings of the commission, and the results of the commission's deliberations.Health Insurance NavigationThe Health Insurance Navigation project provides free health insurance education and navigation services to New Hampshire residents who need to apply for and enroll, or redetermine eligibility, in health insurance through Medicaid, the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) or the Health Insurance Marketplace.Eastern US Quality Improvement CollaborativeThe Eastern US Quality Improvement Collaborative (EQIC) is a regional initiative under which acute care hospitals in New Hampshire engage in initiatives that improve patient safety and quality of care throughout the care continuum. EQIC is an initiative of the Healthcare Association of New York State in partnership with the Connecticut Hospital Association, Foundation for Healthy Communities/New Hampshire Hospital Association, North Carolina Healthcare Foundation, Vermont Association of Hospitals and Health Systems, Vermont Program for Quality in Health Care, Inc. and West Virginia Hospital Association.Patient & Family EngagementThe Patient & Family Engagement initiative offers tools and resources to hospitals and community organizations that help them create a culture of patient and family engagement and establish collaborative partnerships between hospital staff, patient and family advisors to enhance the delivery of patient and family-centered care throughout the continuum.Population HealthThe Total Population Health Initiative aims to improve the health and well-being of NH residents by fostering connections between healthcare, public health, and the social determinants of health while advancing health equity. Population Health is both a goal and a strategy to foster healthy, equitable populations through linking clinical and community-based approaches supported by delivery system innovations and investments.Rural Health Quality Improvement NetworkThe Rural Health Quality Improvement Network coordinates resources promoting efficiency and high value quality practices in the network of Critical Access Hospitals serving rural New Hampshire.Substance Use Disorder Treatment ProjectThe Substance Use Disorder Treatment Project supports New Hampshire hospitals in improving access to addiction treatment for people with Substance Use Disorders (SUD) by establishing Emergency Department Bridge to Treatment and Medication Assisted Treatment (MAT) programs for emergency department, primary care and hospital inpatient populations while engaging people living with, or who are in recovery from, a substance use disorder in identifying and testing solution and engagement strategies. In addition, FHC works with providers statewide on raising awareness around unhealthy alcohol use and the health conditions it can create for patients.