NFF Launches Major Health Outcomes Initiative
NEW YORK, September 27, 2016—Nonprofit Finance Fund (NFF) has launched a multi-year initiative exploring how new collaborations can drive large-scale improvements in the health of America’s communities. The "Healthy Outcomes" initiative is supported by a $1.7 million grant from The Kresge Foundation and prioritizes the needs and preparedness of organizations that serve low-income communities.
With healthcare reform’s “Triple Aim” focus on quality, cost, and population health, large healthcare organizations, governments, and other stakeholders are increasingly invested in demonstrating broad and measurable health improvements. Community-based providers of human services – such as housing, food security, transportation, and other so-called “social determinants of health” – can be key allies in these efforts.
“The growing shift from fee-for-service to outcomes-based payment models, accelerated by the Affordable Care Act, presents urgent and compelling opportunities for all stakeholders to re-orient together around building healthier communities,” said Antony Bugg-Levine, CEO of NFF. “Bridging the on-the-ground knowledge of community-based providers with the population expertise of healthcare organizations will be critical to realizing the promise of healthcare reform.”
In the Healthy Outcomes initiative, NFF will provide advice, financial support, tools, convenings, knowledge-sharing, and other assistance to help human services providers understand and build the capabilities and capacity to work with healthcare organizations in new ways. This initiative builds on NFF's decades of experience financing and advising community-based and other health- and nonprofit organizations, to help drive the country’s broader shift toward an outcomes-oriented social sector.
“NFF’s leadership will assist human services organizations with proven track records in addressing the social determinants of health to become key partners for healthcare organizations,” said David Fukuzawa, managing director of The Kresge Foundation’s Health and Human Services Programs. “Seamless coordination between human services and healthcare organizations could greatly increase both well-being and opportunity for people with low-income.”
In preparation for launching Healthy Outcomes, NFF and Kresge convened more than 60 health-sector leaders at the Clinton Global Initiative America meeting in Atlanta in June, to discuss the opportunities and barriers to partnership in the age of value-based payments. The initiative will continue to draw upon these leaders’ expertise and experience.
Organizations and networks interested in contributing to this dialogue and/or working with NFF can contact [email protected] for further information.