Community-centered health initiatives offer a sustainable and effective approach to creating healthy, equitable communities where all people can reach their full potential.
Kathy Colville is Director of Healthy Communities for Cone Health. A $1.8 billion enterprise, it is one of North Carolina’s largest and most comprehensive health networks, serving communities in more than 100 locations, including six hospitals, 95 physician practice sites, and multiple centers of excellence. In this role, Kathy leads Cone Health’s efforts to improve […]
Why isn’t it considered an urgent problem that our health system pours so many resources into treating one symptom at a time rather than identifying and addressing the root causes of poor health outcomes for entire communities of people?
Why we changed our name, re-charted our path, and questioned our core values
In early October, I attended a Racial, Equity, and Inclusion training hosted by Blue Cross Blue Shield North Carolina Foundation and facilitated by the CommonHealth ACTION team. Among many valuable insights, I was most impacted by the training’s attention to language. Natalie Burke, CommonHealth ACTION’s President and CEO, worked with the rest of her team […]
Launched in 2009, County Health Rankings & Roadmaps (CHR&R) has become a game changer for communities across the country as they collaborate to build a culture of health. The University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute (UWPHI) and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) are partnering through CHR&R to provide data, evidence, guidance, and examples to […]
When asked about unexpected aspects of collaboration that they’ve learned, they discussed power and disruption, sustainability, collective impact, skill and capacity building, and trust.
Earlier this fall, on a whim, I emailed the families who live in the eight houses nearest to mine and invited them to an informal block party. My expectations were low (to match my planning). But what happened was a real-life version of the stone soup story, and I’m reflecting on the good that came […]
What happened when an organization’s values were tested just days before its signature annual conference.
Many of us working in nonprofits and government agencies wholeheartedly believe in residents’ inclusion in our work. However, we sometimes miss opportunities or shy away from using our influence in places where we are residents.