Promoting Responsive Health Policy
This 2012 - 2018 project was aimed at making public policy more responsive to the health and health care needs of the people of Kentucky, with a focus on four (4) policy priorities:
Increasing access to care
Strengthening local public health
Improving children’s health
Increasing the proportion of Kentuckians living in smoke-free jurisdictions
To advance these priorities, the Foundation made grants, invested in research and data efforts, convened stakeholder groups in forums and meetings to share information and work together, and supported relationship- and capacity-building activities.
Key activities included:
GRANTMAKING
The Foundation made multi-year funding commitments to support effective advocacy organizations working on specific policies that impact the health of Kentuckians. Grantees included: Kentucky Equal Justice Center, Kentucky Voices for Health, and Kentucky Youth Advocates.
Under the PRHP initiative, the Foundation supported KET’s health policy related programming, the Institute for Rural Journalism’s reporting on health issues impacting rural communities, funded a health reporter and data journalist at Louisville Public Media — with stories running on radio stations across Kentucky, and Public News Service - Kentucky News Connection, to amplify the Foundation's message.
DATA AND RESEARCH
The Foundation funded research studies to inform the Kentucky health policy decision-making process.
A study of Kentucky’s transition to Medicaid Managed Care and the impact of the Affordable Care Act and Medicaid expansion on several aspects of Kentuckians’ health
Analysis of the Kentucky Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance (KyBRFS) results, which provides county-level data on health status for each of Kentucky’s 120 counties.
The Kentucky Health Issues Poll (KHIP), an annual survey of 1,500 households sponsored by Interact for Health and the Foundation. The polling showed Kentuckians’ views on key health policy issues likely to come before the legislature or local policymaking bodies.
FORUMS AND MEETINGS
The Foundation convened the Howard L. Bost Memorial Health Policy Forum annually in memory of Dr. Howard L. Bost, notable health economist and founding member of the Foundation’s Board of Directors. The aim of the forum was to raise awareness of the health issues impacting Kentuckians and highlight model strategies and policy opportunities to improve Kentucky’s health.
Every other year, the Foundation and Interact for Health sponsored the Data! Forum: Fostering Health Innovation in Kentucky and Ohio. The event showcased novel and effective uses of health data in the Kentucky-Ohio region, and highlighted national and regional innovation and open-data efforts.
RELATIONSHIP AND CAPACITY BUILDING
The Health for a Change training series provided workshops and webinars to build the capacity of communities working together to address health needs. Sessions focused on best practices for everything from governance issues to communications to mobilizing staff and volunteers.
The Kentucky Health Coalition Directory was also created. This compilation of community based groups throughout the state working to improve the health of their local communities fostered networking among communities and provided a resource for individuals and organizations looking to get involved in local community health efforts.