2024 Archives - Page 2 of 11 - New York Health Foundation

Luminas, LLC

Older adults are a rapidly growing population with complex health and nutritional needs. Between 2011 and 2021, New York’s older adult population increased by 31%, from 2.6 to 3.4 million, and the number of older adults from racial and ethnic minorities—groups with rates of higher food insecurity—has grown faster than the number of white older adults. Research shows that between 8% and 14% of older adults in New York are food insecure and that at least 200,000 are eligible for SNAP benefits but not enrolled. Little information is available about how older adults experience hunger and about their needs and preferences. Experts have expressed a need for better data on food-insecure older adults, especially for those not participating in food access programs (e.g., SNAP, home-delivered and congregate meals). In 2024, NYHealth awarded Luminas, LLC a grant to conduct statewide qualitative research on the needs and experiences of food-insecure older adults.

Under this grant, Luminas will design and execute a statewide qualitative research project to understand the needs and experiences of food-insecure older adults. NYHealth will partner with Luminas to publish a report that distills findings and recommends practical program and policy actions.

Council on the Environment, Inc. dba GrowNYC

At least 2.5 million New Yorkers face food insecurity, which disproportionately affects communities of color, immigrants, and non-English speaking populations. Many food-insecure New Yorkers with low income depend on farmers markets and farmstands—such as GrowNYC’s extensive network—for access to fresh food. But GrowNYC has experienced operational challenges, particularly related to a paper-based benefits system that has led to delays in reimbursement to farmers and administrative burdens for farmers and customers. Language barriers have also historically limited equitable participation. In 2022, NYHealth awarded GrowNYC a grant to develop a comprehensive language access plan to improve equitable access to healthy food. In 2024, NYHealth awarded GrowNYC a grant to expand access to fresh, healthy food in underserved communities by modernizing its digital systems and implementing its Phase 1 language access plan.

Under this grant, GrowNYC will enhance the administration, accessibility, and equity of its food programs. It plans to transition from a paper-based coupon system to a fully digital platform by the end of 2026; onboard and train farmers and staff on the new platform, including providing ongoing technical support; and evaluate the platform’s effectiveness through feedback from farmers, staff, and customers to assess key metrics. To implement its language access plan, GrowNYC will embed language justice into its operations, develop multilingual resources, and host quarterly meetings for Spanish-speaking farmers. Additionally, it will translate key materials into at least five languages, provide interpretation services, and expand language access across all GrowNYC education programs.

New York State Association of County Health Officials

New York’s rural counties face unique challenges: declining and aging populations; increasing hospital closures; shrinking labor forces and shortages of health care providers; and limited infrastructure. These issues are compounded by stagnant reimbursement rates, restrictive funding, and administrative barriers. County health departments play an essential role in addressing these challenges, but remain underfunded, understaffed, and burdened by leadership transitions. In 2024, NYHealth awarded a grant to the New York State Association of County Health Officials (NYSACHO) to equip rural county health departments with the tools and resources needed to address critical rural health challenges.

Under this grant, NYSACHO will help local leaders take action on a pressing issue of their choice. It will provide tailored technical assistance and communications training to engage local decisionmakers and convey their needs and requests effectively; develop an online repository of public health resources; provide technical assistance and coaching to support succession planning; and integrate annual “enumeration report” learnings into rural-focused recommendations. NYSACHO will also partner with the New York State Department of Health and the New York State Association of Counties to advance key recommendations.

New York State Association for Rural Health

Forty-four of New York State’s sixty-two counties are classified as fully or partially rural. Rural communities face unique challenges: declining and aging populations; increasing hospital closures; shrinking labor forces and shortages of health care providers; and limited infrastructure. Most recently, stagnant State reimbursement, funding eligibility restrictions, and administrative barriers have inhibited the growth of rural health infrastructure. Rural health networks play an essential role in addressing these challenges by leveraging community assets and tailoring responses to local needs. Despite their critical roles, these institutions are underfunded and are hampered by staff shortages and leadership transitions. In 2024, NYHealth awarded New York State Association for Rural Health (NYSARH) a grant to provide rural health networks with the tools and resources they need to respond to pressing rural health challenges.

Under this grant, NYSARH will organize activities around the pressing issue of mental health access in rural communities. First, NYSARH will compile a rural health needs assessment report,synthesizing mental health information from 44 rural counties to gain an understanding of rural needs, assets, and disparities. It will then collaborate with up to 12 rural health networks and community-based organizations to elicit feedback on the assessment findings and to inform a shared action plan and advocacy activities.

Center for Health Care Strategies

As frontline public health workers who are predominantly people of color, Community Health Workers (CHWs) serve as a critical bridge between patients from marginalized communities and the health care system. Recent policy changes have increased opportunities for CHW integration. Medicare now reimburses CHW services for older adults with health-related social needs nationwide, and New York State has joined 23 other states in initiating Medicaid reimbursement for CHW services for pregnant and postpartum women, children, adults with health-related social needs, and other high-risk populations. However, this potential remains largely untapped. In 2024, NYHealth awarded the Center for Health Care Strategies (CHCS) a grant to equip providers and policymakers with the tools to integrate CHWs into primary care and maximize Medicare and Medicaid reimbursements.

Under this grant, CHCS will launch and facilitate a learning collaborative with six clinical and community-based providers seeking to bill Medicare and Medicaid for CHW services. Participating organizations will identify barriers to reimbursement and design solutions to overcome them. CHCS will provide tailored technical assistance, host educational workshops, and support shared learning. It will develop and widely disseminate a toolkit to help New York providers navigate and braid Medicare and Medicaid reimbursement. Finally, it will make policy recommendations to improve Medicare and Medicaid CHW benefits or better coordinate their implementation.

The Headstrong Project

Two decades of major combat operations in Iraq and Afghanistan heightened awareness of the invisible injuries of war, including PTSD, depression, substance misuse, and traumatic brain injury. Recent events such as the COVID-19 pandemic, the 20th anniversary of 9/11, and the chaotic U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan further exacerbated these challenges. Public and private partners have mobilized to meet veterans’ mental health needs. The federal government recently implemented the PACT Act—the largest benefits expansion in the history of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA)—alongside a policy ensuring that every veteran can access VA or private care during acute suicidal crises. In 2024, NYHealth awarded The Headstrong Project a grant to provide high-quality, free, culturally competent mental health care to veterans statewide.

Under this grant, the Headstrong Project will use its trauma-informed model to provide services using evidence-based PTSD treatment. Headstrong will leverage technology to conduct outreach and increase awareness of services in high-need areas throughout the State, with a focus on rural areas and minority populations; provide approximately 300 clinical sessions to veterans statewide; work with the Steven A. Cohen Military Family Center and the VA to maintain a strong referral network; and share best practices and recommendations to support a sustainable mental health service network throughout the State.

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Year: 2024