The Intersections Initiative brings together partnerships from the seven California communities served by St. Joseph Health System Hospitals with the goal of advancing health equity by addressing the community conditions that shape health, safety, and wellbeing. Guided by input from local residents and key stakeholders, the seven Intersections community partnerships are taking on issues as diverse as affordable housing, education, economic and workforce development, immigration, community trauma, and civic engagement. The initiative, which is funded by the St. Joseph Health Community Partnership Fund and facilitated by Prevention Institute, will take place from 2018 through 2020.
Through the Intersections Initiative, partnerships are:
- Improving community health and advancing health equity
- Engaging residents and stakeholders from multiple sectors, including healthcare, public health, community-based organizations, and more
- Focusing on the community determinants that impact health and wellbeing at the population level
- Building toward long-term policy and organizational practice change
Key tools and frameworks guiding the Intersections Initiative:
All seven partnerships will work upstream to address the community determinants of health, using Prevention Institute’s Adverse Community Experiences and Resilience (ACE|R) and Tool for Health and Resilience in Vulnerable Environments (THRIVE) frameworks as guides. Partnerships will advance strategies across all six levels of the Spectrum of Prevention, with a particular emphasis on changing organizational practices and Influencing policy and legislation.
“The Intersections Initiative creates space for a diverse cross section of partners to come together, connect the dots around the determinants of health, and create impact at policy and organizational practice levels. Through learning and practice, we’ll inform how hospitals and health systems can play meaningful roles in community partnerships designed to reduce the need for services in the first place."
- Jason Lacsamana, senior program officer at the St. Joseph Health Community Partnership Fund
Intersections Initiative Community Partnerships
|
HIGH DESERT Geographic community: The High Desert region, with a specific focus on Adelanto and Victorville Approach: The Healthy High Desert Intersections Initiative is focused on building and strengthening opportunities for upstream community health in the areas of K-12 education and regional economic development. The Partnership will identify and pursue policy and organizational practice changes in the Local Control and Accountability Plans (LCAPs) of two High Desert communities to improve health and health equity. It will also focus on integrating health principles and strengthening community engagement in regional economic development efforts. Backbone organization/hospital ministry: Providence - St. Joseph Health, St. Mary Medical Center |
ANAHEIM Geographic community: 92801 ZIP code of Anaheim Approach: The Anaheim Intersections Initiative seeks to strengthen community, parent, and student engagement in local school systems to ensure improved education outcomes for Anaheim students and support equitable resource distribution to Anaheim’s schools. Backbone organization: Western Youth Services Hospital ministry: Providence - St. Joseph Health, St. Jude Medical Center |
|
NAPA Geographic community: Napa County Approach: The Community Leaders Coalition advocates for local, state, and federal policies and legislation that meet the needs of Napa County’s most vulnerable community members. Key strategies include enhancing resident engagement and defining a formal structure for choosing policy platforms, with a particular emphasis on city and countywide policy. Backbone organization: Cope Family Center Hospital ministry: Queen of the Valley Medical Center, St. Joseph Health |
SONOMA Geographic community: Sonoma County Approach: The Sonoma Intersections Coalition is working to improve housing equity in Sonoma County, with a vision that all residents have access to safe, truly affordable, sustainable, and dignity-affirming housing. The coalition will focus on production, preservation, and protection of housing, while building the coalition and community’s capacity for trauma-informed policy and systems change. Backbone organization/hospital ministry: St. Joseph Health Sonoma |
|
EUREKA/HUMBOLDT Geographic community: Eureka and the unincorporated Humboldt County areas immediately surrounding Eureka city limits. Approach: The Greater Eureka Housing Alliance is working to improve access to affordable, appropriate, and safe housing for all Eureka residents. Key strategies include promoting innovative housing policies and practices through the city’s new general plan and zoning code, improving the safety of rental housing (and, in turn, neighborhoods), and increasing workforce development opportunities through the housing sector. Backbone organization: Westside Community Improvement Association Hospital ministry: Humboldt St. Joseph Health |
CENTRAL ORANGE COUNTY Geographic community: Central Orange County – Santa Ana and Stanton Approach: Throughout the strategic planning process of the initiative, the Santa Ana/Stanton Intersections Coalition explored resources and opportunities within both cities before landing on housing and economic resilience as the focus of their work. The coalition will pursue strategies that include pushing for rent stabilization efforts, improving housing quality, advocating for anti-displacement policies, and supporting economic empowerment and workforce development. Backbone organization: The Kennedy Commission Hospital ministry: St. Joseph Hospital of Orange |
|
SOUTH ORANGE COUNTY Geographic community: South Orange County, between Lake Forest and San Clemente Approach: At the heart of the South Orange County Healthy Communities Coalition is a desire and need to counter trauma in the South Orange County community related to anti-immigration rhetoric and high rates of substance abuse and mental illness. The strategies the coalition will pursue as it moves into implementation will include engaging in local resilience-focused community building, advocating for countywide prevention and early intervention policies relating to mental health needs, and promoting mental illness stigma reduction in local governments and schools. Backbone organization/hospital ministry: Mission Hospital
|
|