Advancing Maternal Health Equity Through Primary Care 

In 2024, NYHealth refined our racial health equity strategy in our Primary Care program to address disparities in health care and outcomes. Recognizing that Black women and birthing people are 4 times more likely to die and 2.5 times more likely to experience serious pregnancy complications than their white counterparts, we focused on advancing maternal health equity through primary care. We collaborated with experts and formed an advisory board to inform these efforts; we also published a data brief highlighting statewide maternal health disparities. Finally, recognizing primary care as a vital but underused entry point for equitable birthing outcomes, we issued a Request for Proposals to fund projects that address preventable causes of maternal death and severe complications among women and birthing people of color; grants will be awarded in the first half of 2025.  

Learn more about our work to advance maternal health through primary care.

Strengthening New York’s Food Systems

Mapping out ways for cities, communities, and regions to have accessible, fresh, affordable, and healthy foods—known as food systems planning—requires significant coordination, partnership, and community engagement. NYHealth is supporting food planning efforts in eight regions across the State to address food insecurity and strengthen local economies. This year, the Syracuse Onondaga Food Systems Alliance leveraged NYHealth funding to issue mini-grants supporting a local program that teaches young people how to grow fresh foods and enabling infrastructure investments in the CNY Regional Farmers Market. The Broome County Food Council recently coordinated with service organizations to create a centralized online resource to help community members find pantry and community meals hours during the holiday season. Additionally, the Good Food Buffalo Coalition will soon implement the Good Food Purchasing Project in partnership with Buffalo Public Schools, which will improve meal quality, reduce costs, and support local agriculture.

Watch a video series highlighting food planning work in action.

Creating a Roadmap to Improve Veterans’ Health

In 2024, NYHealth released New York’s first statewide veterans’ needs assessment in nearly 14 years. While many veterans return to civilian life without major issues, this survey of more than 1,100 veterans, conducted by RAND, found challenges related to disability, depression, PTSD, food insecurity, and access to health care and behavioral health services. The study also found that New York veterans report positive experiences in both U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) facilities and those in the community paid for by VA.  

The report will serve as a “north star” to guide the Foundation’s efforts to support veterans’ health—and we expect it to shape the broader field of veterans’ services in New York State. 

Read the full report and related materials. 

Watch the report release event.  

Addressing Young New Yorkers’ Mental Health Needs

Recognizing the mental health crisis among youth and young adults, NYHealth developed a complementary set of projects to assess mental health coverage gaps, inform statewide advocacy, and expand evidence-based programs in high-need communities of color and rural communities across New York State. Organización Latino Americana (OLA) of Eastern Long Island’s Youth Connect program has provided confidential support to nearly 7,000 young people in rural and immigrant communities. Across the State, 10 YMCAs are introducing Youth Mental Health First Aid and other social emotional learning curricula into their programming. A related project, Delphi Rise, is expanding Youth Mental Health First Aid to meet the needs of young people of color in and around rural Wayne County. And the Citizens’ Committee for Children of New York is assessing health plan coverage of youth mental health services and making recommendations to improve access, affordability, and quality. 

Learn more about OLA’s impact.