Hennepin
Health and Hennepin County had the privilege of participating in the National
Health Care for the Homeless Council’s 2018 National Health Care for the
Homeless Conference and Policy Symposium. The four-day conference was held on May
15-18 in Minneapolis, and presenters and attendees ranged from clinical staff
and researchers to policy and advocacy experts.
Ross Owen, Hennepin County Health Strategy Director, Dr. Danielle
Robertshaw, Hennepin Healthcare Senior Medical Director, and Marie Zimmerman, Minnesota’s Medicaid Director, presented on Hennepin Health’s Accountable Care
(ACO) structure (a partnership among Hennepin Health, Hennepin Healthcare
(formerly known as Hennepin County Medical Center), NorthPoint Health & Wellness
Center, and Hennepin County’s Human Services & Public Health Department),
and how together these ACO partner entities form a system of care that
coordinates members’ medical and behavioral health care, as well as addresses
social problems through a broad network of community providers and social
service agencies.
Owen,
Robertshaw and Zimmerman also led a session titled, “Expanding Access to Housing and Health Care through Policy and
Community Collaborations,” which focused on the need to identify and
address an individual’s homelessness, along with other pertinent social factors
such as housing, and connect them to resources that can provide additional
support. The presentation was well received and a subsequent case
study featuring Hennepin Health was published.
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Kaiser
Health News recently featured Hennepin Health and Minnesota Medicaid in an article that discusses the
Minnesota Department of Human Services’ efforts to ensure that all Minnesotans
receive high-quality, cost-effective health care. The article, “As Medicaid Costs Soar, States Try A New Approach,” was also
featured on CNN Money.
Two studies that found providing integrated medical care
and social support services led to increased use of primary care among very
low-income adults in Hennepin County, Minnesota who were enrolled in a Medicaid
accountable care organization between 2012 and 2014 were recently published in Medical Care Research & Review. The studies were conducted by researchers from the University of
Minnesota School of Public Health; the University of Minnesota Clinical and Translational
Science Institute; Hennepin Healthcare; Hennepin County; and the University of
Michigan.
Summer
has kept the Hennepin Health outreach team busy! Approximately 60,000 people
attended the Cinco de Mayo Festival on May 13, which meant a lot of table
traffic for Hennepin Health. The outreach team was able to connect with both
members and prospective members, answering questions, handing out incentive
vouchers and assisting with dental referrals. The event organizers gave
Hennepin Health a shout out on stage and encouraged those needing health
insurance to stop by the Hennepin Health table. (Right: Zam Zam Ali, Hennepin Health's community outreach coordinator)
Upcoming
events that the outreach team will be at include:
Somali Independence Day on June 30 –
Celebrate with music, food, games and free health screenings at this annual
family street festival! Festivities take place on Lake Street between Blaisdell
and Stevens Avenues, 1:30 p.m. to 8 p.m.
Twin Cities World Refugee Day on July 15 –
Immerses attendees in an artistic, culinary, and social experience that expands
intercultural understanding by building human connections, and improving
knowledge of immigrant and refugee issues. Local organizations dedicated to
providing opportunities and improving the quality of life for immigrant and
refugee communities will be onsite. Festivities take place in Loring Park
(Minneapolis), 12 p.m. to 6 p.m.
The 28th Annual Minnesota Festival for
Fathers & Families on August 11 – Celebrate father-child-family
relationships with food, families and fun! Information about family-oriented
community resources that provide services to fathers and families will also be
available. Festivities take place in North Commons Park (north Minneapolis), 12
p.m. to 4 p.m.
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