How to Communicate the Impact of Health Homes to Advocates

It’s said that nonprofits are only as impactful as the advocates supporting them, and that’s no different in Health Homes. 

Advocacy, after all, helps Health Homes demonstrate their value to the funders who help them stay viable. 

So it’s critical for Health Homes to get advocates on their side. Doing that requires a care management system with data to support a Health Homes’ mission and success. Let’s see why.

The Importance of Advocacy

Advocacy is a critical component of the non-profit sector; it allows organizations to advance their mission and goals, and promote positive social change. Being an advocate means speaking out and taking action on issues that affect the communities and causes that a non-profit serves. Done successfully, it can influence policy, public opinion, and resource allocation. 

By engaging in advocacy efforts, nonprofits can promote their values, advance their goals, and make a difference in the world.

How to Streamline Advocacy Efforts?

Advocacy starts and ends with data. When organizations can support their claims with evidence and facts, advocates are more likely to buy-in. 

That’s not to say anecdotal evidence isn’t effective either. Sharing personal stories and experiences can help spark conversations with advocates who share a similar position. But it is often not enough on its own. Use data to support those stories and provide a complete picture of the issues at hand. It only makes an organizations’ case much stronger. 

In other words, data can be key in an organization’s advocacy efforts. It provides evidence, enhances credibility, aids in persuasion, informs policy development, and promotes accountability.

Health Homes in Focus

Before seeing how advocacy can help, it’s important to understand what Health Homes do. 

In New York State, a Health Home is a care management service model that provides comprehensive and coordinated care for individuals with complex health needs. The goal is to improve health outcomes, reduce costs, and enhance the quality of care for individuals with chronic conditions, mental health needs, and substance use disorders.

Health Homes serve as a central point of coordination for a range of services, including medical, behavioral health, social, and community-based services. Many use a team-based approach to care management; a designated care manager works with each individual to develop and implement a comprehensive care plan based on their unique needs and preferences.

Overall, Health Homes focus on improving care coordination and quality for individuals with complex health needs, with the goal of reducing costs and improving outcomes over time.

Advocacy for Health Homes

The New York Health Home Coalition is a statewide organization that represents the interests of Health Home providers and stakeholders in New York State. The coalition was formed in 2012 in response to the implementation of the Health Home program in New York State. Its members include a range of organizations, including community-based organizations, health plans, hospitals, and other providers.

The primary mission of the New York Health Home Coalition is to promote and support the development of effective Health Homes in New York State. The coalition works to promote best practices, share information and resources, and advocate for policies that support the needs of Health Home providers and the individuals they serve.

Overall, advocacy efforts for Health Homes in New York State are driven by a range of factors, including high rates of chronic illness, a large Medicaid population, high healthcare costs, and state policy initiatives. Health Homes are seen as a promising approach to improving care coordination and reducing costs for individuals with complex health needs, and advocates, for their part, work to ensure Health Homes receive the resources and support they need to be successful.

How Foothold Care Management Supports Advocacy

Foothold Care Management is a web-based software platform designed to support care management and care coordination for individuals with complex health and social needs. The platform is specifically designed for Health Homes, Managed Care Organizations (MCOs), and other care management organizations. It includes a range of features to support care management workflows and data management.

Foothold Technology has played an important role in New York State’s Health Home program, providing technology solutions to support the work of Health Homes and other care management organizations. 

Specifically, Foothold Technology has worked with a number of Health Homes in New York State to implement its Foothold Care Management platform, which has helped to improve care coordination and data management for individuals with complex health and social needs.

When health homes have control over their data, like they do with Foothold Care management, they’re better equipped to tell their story and quantify the impact of their care — an ideal situation when communicating with advocacy groups.  

In addition to its work with individual Health Homes, Foothold Technology has also been involved in advocacy efforts to support the development and sustainability of Health Homes in New York State. The company has worked with a number of advocacy organizations, including the New York Health Home Coalition, to promote policies and funding initiatives that support the needs of Health Homes and other care management organizations.

Overall, Foothold Technology has played an important role in New York State’s Health Home program by providing technology solutions and advocating for policies and funding initiatives that support the work of Health Homes and other care management organizations.