New York State Health Foundation Annual Report 2007-08

Improving the State of New York’s Health

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A Message From the Board Chair 2

A Message From the President and CEO 3

Four Profiles: NYSHealth Grantees 4

Second-Year Report 8

NYSHealth 2007 Grantees 12

Financials 26

About Us 28

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Capital Region

Mohawk Valley

Mid-Hudson

Long Island

New York City

North Country

Southern TierWestern New York

Finger Lakes

Central New York

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I joIned the Board of the New York State Health Foundation as 2008 began and was impressed that this organization—still less than two-years-old—had completed a wide range of start-up activities while also launching active and ambitious grantmaking activities in both 2006 and 2007.

By early 2008, an excellent staff had been recruited to operate the Foundation, the Board had established a clearly defined set of strategic objectives for the grantmaking program, and the Foundation already was finding its niche within the complex health system of New York State.

As a Board, we have emphasized to the Foundation staff a set of important principles that will guide the behavior of this community asset. We should:

strive to have a tangible, positive impact on the health of New Yorkers—this is our reason for existing;

be open and transparent about our activities, our successes, and our failures;

ensure that our grant selection processes are fair and competitive so that both organizations we know about and organizations with which we are not familiar have equal chances of receiving our funding;

engage experts throughout the State to help us set priorities and choose grantees;

be statewide in focus, advancing the idea that most of the health problems New Yorkers face represent challenges relatively comparable in communities throughout the State;

be a learning organization interested in evaluating our activities, communicating results about our activities, and diffusing successful ideas for implementation throughout our State;

have processes that are user-friendly and responsive to our public; and

be an organization that encourages our staff to perform at high levels and grow in abilities over time.

The Board has developed the strategic framework to ensure that the New York State Health Foundation lives by these principles. Most important, we want to be sure our resources have a positive impact on the health of New Yorkers.

Carl Weisbrod Board Chair

...from the Board Chair

... from the President and CEOneW York State BoaStS immense resources and talent, and its health and social systems overflow with professionals driven by passion, know-how, and the will to improve the health of every one of its residents. As I travel from the Adirondacks to New York’s Southern Tier, from Montauk to Buffalo, and as I visit our State’s vibrant cities, suburbs, and rural communities, I am impressed with the creativity and energy of our community and health sector leaders.

Yes, New Yorkers face daunting health challenges. Too many are marginalized from the excellent array of health care services available to most of us. Our failure to make communities “healthy friendly” has caused too many New Yorkers to make unfortunate health behavior choices. We have yet to resolve the challenge of financing health care in a way that ensures access to care and creates incentives for efficiency.

The New York State Health Foundation (NYSHealth) aspires to use its grant dollars and the energy and talent of its staff and Board to forge positive change in our State, and to engage the creative leaders committed to addressing the State’s health challenges. Together, we need to conceive, implement, and execute improvement strategies that will make New York’s health system more effective and the health of our residents more vibrant.

This annual report documents NYSHealth’s early progress in this ambitious task. We have focused our grantmaking principally on three strategic challenges: reducing the number of uninsured, improving health care for people with diabetes, and integrating mental health and substance use services. We are proud of our initial steps to engage our State in tackling these important challenges.

james r. knickman, Ph.d. President and CEO

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Four ProFIleS:

hudson headwaters health network

Too often patients are released from hospitals only to be readmitted days, weeks, or months later. In many cases, this is the result of unavoidable medical situations or patient non-compliance. But in far too many instances, hospital readmissions stem from ineffective and fractured health care service delivery. More than bringing about potentially traumatizing experiences for patients and their families, these readmissions place a costly burden on the entire health care system.

In the Glens Falls metropolitan area, the 30-day readmission rate is 18.5% and undoubtedly has a negative impact on health care delivery in the area. To address this problem, Hudson Headwa-ters Health Network—with the support

the Collaborative Case Management approach will significantly improve care for New Yorkers in Glens Falls and the surrounding areas.

The importance of reducing the read-mission rate cannot be overstated— a reduction of 10% in the Glens Falls area would result in potential annual cost savings of $2.3 million. With so much at stake for individual patients and the health care system as a whole, the Hudson Headwaters Health Net-work’s project will result in much need-ed information that will better assess the problem, identify potential solutions, and develop plans for improvement in delivering care through the health care continuum.

“The best environment for patients is in their own home. Reducing readmissions will lead to greater patient satisfaction, increased patient knowledge and ownership of their own health care status, and reduced cost to our health care system,” said Ms. Freire.

Seton health Diabetes is spreading at an alarming rate throughout New York State. More than 1.5 million New Yorkers suffer from the disease—enough people to fill Yankee Stadium 27 times. Additionally, diabetes is the only chronic disease that continues to grow in prevalence, at a faster rate than cancer or heart disease.

of an NYSHealth grant—has partnered with Glens Falls Hospital and the certi-fied home health agencies in Warren and Washington counties to create a better coordinated health care deliv-ery system and to reduce the region’s readmission rate.

Together, the group has launched Col-laborative Case Management to Reduce Hospital Readmission, a project that focuses on patient- and community-centered care with an emphasis on primary and preventive care, adherence to disease management protocols, and effective and timely communication with providers, patients and family members.

“With this project, we expect to see signif-icantly improved functional outcomes for our patients, and reduced hospitaliza-tions and ER visits. We will increase our

emphasis on patient education to support patients identifying changes in their own health,” said Chris Freire, Glens Falls Hospital Director of Case Management.

“Patients will learn to monitor their status and ask themselves, ‘what are the triggers that let me know I should call my transition coach or physician?’. This education and guidance will support patients in becoming more informed health care consumers.”

Education and communication play integral roles in the effort to reduce rehospitalizations by effectively inform-ing patients how to better manage their existing conditions and provide medical providers with vital and timely informa-tion. This enables health care provid-ers to better coordinate patient care. NYSHealth recognizes the importance of improving disease management to re-duce hospital readmissions and believes

With the support of a grant from NYS-Health, Seton Health in Troy, New York is combating this troubling trend with an innovative new project, Defy Diabetes.

Defy Diabetes implements a com-munity-based program that seeks to improve primary care and increase community resources in six low-income communities throughout Rensselaer, Albany, and Saratoga counties. Utiliz-ing and building upon the Faith Com-munity Nurse Program Seton Health pioneered 20 years ago, Defy Diabetes aims to bring about improved preven-tion and disease management.

Seton Health is a comprehensive com-munity-based health system, anchored by St. Mary’s Hospital, which provides a wide variety of health care services. The Seton Health Diabetes Education program, the only American Diabetes Association-recognized program in Rensselaer County, began operations in 1991. In 2006, the program demon-strated an average of 88% improvement

in A1C lab values for glycemic control, which is key in any successful treatment plan for patients living with diabetes.

Defy Diabetes is providing stipends and training to six faith community nurses located in high-risk communities. The nurses employ the STEP program, which emphasizes Screening, Test-ing, Education, and Prevention to help people with diabetes and those at risk of developing diabetes to make modest lifestyle changes that can prevent or delay the onset of Type 2 diabetes. Defy Diabetes also is working with primary practices in the Capital Region to im-prove the management of patients with diabetes through the role of a nurse champion and innovative chart reviews.

“The soul of this project is the faith community nurses, all of whom are RNs and many of whom are volunteers. They see their role as public health nurses with a holistic spiritual perspective—they truly have a special relationship with the faith-based communities,” said Program Director Nancy Brennan-Jordan, CFNP, CDE.

Through emphasizing a “high talk” approach to diabetes prevention and treatment verses a “high tech” method, Seton Health and its faith community parish nurses are empowering indi-viduals to take direct control over their health. While still in its early stages, Defy Diabetes is becoming a national

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model for community-based health care and health education.

“The entire Seton Health staff—from our President and CEO Gino Pazzaglini to our primary care providers and nursing staff—have a special buy-in to this grant. We have pulled together a great team to implement this innovative program,” said Ms. Brennan-Jordan.

Foundation for long term CareLike so many critical roles in the health care field, the number of nurses in New York State continues to dwindle. In important specialty fields like long-term care, facilities are struggling with severe nurse shortages and under-prepared nurses. The Foundation for Long Term Care (FLTC), a 501(c)3 research and education organization founded in 1978, identified the retention of quality nurses and

rockefeller Institute of GovernmentAs the number of uninsured New Yorkers continues to increase while employer-based coverage declines, policy makers are focusing more attention on the so-called “small-group insurance market.”

adequate training of charge nurses in long-term care as the keystone challenges to achieving high-quality care for nursing home residents.

With the challenge identified, the solution was clear: improve retention of long-term care charge nurses and improve the abili-ty of charge nurses to adequately lead and manage quality care of facilities’ patients. FLTC also sought to reduce reliance on “agency” charge nurses, and instead promote the utilization of in-house staff charge nurses.

“A revolving door of long-term care charge nurses has a pernicious effect on the care of residents," said Carol Hege-man, FLTC Director of Research. “While retention is a problem in all areas of health care, it is particularly distressing in long-term care settings where nurses care for permanent residents—frail in-dividuals to whom meaningful sustained relationships are as critical to quality of care as is good clinical care. Good long-term care demands a caring and consistent work force.”

In developing a plan, FLTC was able to build on its own successful test project, Peer Mentoring for Long-Term Care Charge Nurses. Originally funded by the New York State Department of Health, the project developed and tested a retention and management skill development program that addressed quality issues caused by under-

prepared charge nurses in long-term care and charge nurse shortages.

The result was a remarkably success-ful improvement in the retention and quality of long-term care charge nurses. Following the test program, the results showed a 16 percentage-point increase in the retention of new charge nurses, and a 14 percentage-point increase in the retention of existing charge nurses.

After a plan was developed, tested, and proved successful, NYSHealth helped take the program statewide. Currently underway, FLTC is conducting statewide train-the-trainer sessions for 180 nurs-ing homes and other care providers in nine regions of the State. The sessions were scheduled in spring 2008, fall 2008, and spring 2009, with three re-gions receiving trainings in each wave.

“FLTC is grateful to the New York State Health Foundation for funding this project for many reasons,” Ms. Hege-man noted. “Primarily, the project is based on evidence-based research that addresses the challenges of staffing shortages in long-term care. Second, with the train-the-trainer model, facilities can use their own staff to implement the program, which is critical considering the economic challenges nursing homes face. Materials from the project were mailed to every nursing home in the State. This grant ensures that in-house trainers are prepared to use them effectively.”

With such a large percentage of New Yorkers employed in small businesses, the solvency of a small-group market has been identified by many analysts as essential to improving coverage statewide.

Jumping on this renewed focus, the Rockefeller Institute has performed an in-depth analysis of the initiatives and policy options that could be implemented in New York, including the administrative and implementation mechanisms that might be used to improve coverage in the small-group insurance market.

The first phase of the project is devoted to reviewing existing information on different states’ experiences with small-group reform. Several states throughout the country have engaged in ambitious reform efforts to improve their

small-group markets, and the Rockefeller Institute team has sought to summarize which strategies have been used, which have worked, the challenges to implementation, and—most important—what New York State can learn from their successes and shortfalls.

“We can always learn enormously from the experiences of other states,” said Courtney Burke, Director of the Health Policy Research Center at the Rockefeller Institute. “States have always proven to be priceless laboratories in legislative and administrative reform. With many states exploring small-group insurance market reform as an option, our team has worked hard to collect and synthesize information to inform policy makers here in New York about options for our State.”

The Rockefeller Institute project team has collected and synthesized information to inform discussion, analysis, and debate among policy makers and State officials about the small-group and individual insurance markets during working seminars held at different points in the project period. The Institute’s working seminars addressed the challenges expected to arise from attempts to improve the small-group market, and relevant issues to public discussions about the New York small-group market.

The Rockefeller Institute's initiative is part of NYSHealth's Insurance Coverage Consortium, which involves a range of analytic projects to advance health in-surance expansion. The United Hospital Fund, another Consortium member, also is conducting analyses regarding the small-group insurance market.

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of these best practices and promoted systems change that would integrate, expand, and sustain comprehensive care for people with diabetes.

In 2007, the Foundation also facilitated dialogue tours with State health and com-munity leaders to develop a blueprint for a statewide campaign to transform care for patients with diabetes and reverse the disturbing trend of morbidity and mortal-ity rates related to the disease. After engaging multiple State decision-makers, health experts, and community leaders, the Foundation determined three main objectives for the Campaign: 1) Advancing best practices in the

clinical care management of diabetes by working through statewide provider associations.

2) Mobilizing community-based assets to promote diabetes prevention and management.

3) Establishing best practices in public and marketplace policies that will sustain efforts to prevent and manage chronic conditions like diabetes.

The Campaign will create strategic part-nerships and opportunities for health and community leaders, and policy mak-ers to diffuse and sustain the best care for diabetes patients.

expanding health Insurance Coverage in new York StateNearly 2.5 million New Yorkers lack health insurance coverage and encoun-ter obstacles to getting the health care

our home at 39th Street and Broadway in New York City, adding talented staff, launching a new Web site, and complet-ing the initial strategic planning process. Most important, the Foundation identified and funded a range of grantees to address NYSHealth’s three strategic objectives.

Improving the Management and Prevention of diabetes in new York StateNYSHealth selected the challenge of re-versing the diabetes epidemic for two key reasons: 1) diabetes is growing in inci-dence and negatively affects New Yorkers’ quality of life and health care costs; and 2) we know there are feasible solutions at the provider and community levels to bring the diabetes epidemic under control.

Fully 8% of New Yorkers—an estimated 1.5 million residents—have diabetes.

Of this population, 430,000 have diabetes but do not know it, and 212,368 have pre-diabetes, which means that they are at great risk for developing diabetes. Improving the care people with diabetes receive—so that the disease does not progress quickly to its most damaging phases—and preventing diabetes by addressing obesity are achievable goals.

Grantmaking StrategyNYSHealth considers diabetes a “wedge” issue, as efforts to improve care for this one chronic disease can lead to more general progress in increasing access to high-quality care, improving community health, and promoting policies that will support primary care and advance public health in New York State. NYSHealth has committed $35 million over a five-year period to address the diabetes epidemic. In 2007, through a combination of open requests for proposals (RFPs) and solic-ited grants, NYSHealth funded more than 13 diabetes-related projects.

In November 2007, with the goal of mov-ing New York State’s primary care system to adopt and spread best practices in dis-ease management, NYSHealth awarded $3.4 million to health centers, community groups, and health care institutions as part of the Setting the Standard: Advanc-ing Best Practices in Diabetes Manage-ment RFP. In addition to advancing proven methods of controlling diabetes, Setting the Standard sought to support initiatives that demonstrated the cost-effectiveness

NYSHealth’s initial grantmaking style—emphasizing openness in soliciting proposals and identifying innovative ideas from a broad range of New York organiza-tions committed to improving our health system—took form in 2007 with 68 grants totaling almost $15 million. Reflecting its commitment to identifying initiatives that will best improve the health of all New Yorkers, NYSHealth’s 2007 grants are a balance of ambitious, large-scale efforts to reform our health system, and initiatives to help organizations expand their capacities or quality of care. While several grants are part of a coordinated, systemic effort to advance NYSHealth's strategic objectives, others are respon-sive to the ideas of innovative organiza-tions throughout the State.

2007 also saw NYSHealth grow its orga-nizational capacity, including moving into

they need. Roughly half are eligible for public insurance programs such as Medicaid, but are not enrolled. Complex enrollment and reenrollment require-ments for Medicaid and other public programs cause some eligible people to remain uninsured. Other uninsured New Yorkers face a host of barriers: unaffordable insurance premiums for many low- and middle-income New Yorkers, lack of insurance offerings by many employers (especially small businesses), and a lack of awareness of the implications of not having cover-age. While Federal involvement will ultimately be needed to fully solve the problem of the uninsured, there are a range of interventions that can be implemented at the State and community levels to expand insurance coverage.

Grantmaking StrategyIn 2007, NYSHealth launched the Coverage Consortium to provide a comprehensive and independent analytic base to inform coverage expansion efforts and improve public policy. Consisting of seven diverse organizations across the State, Consortium members study health care coverage trends, assess coverage expansion proposals, and develop recommendations to expand public and private coverage in New York State. Its assessments will include

projections on costs, coverage, and consequences of each of the options, providing an invaluable asset for policymakers. The Consortium develops and draws upon a broad base of information gained from public data sets, public opinion data, conferences, and primary research.

Public programs such as Medicaid are key building blocks to a system of seamless coverage. Consequently,

In ItS FIrSt Full Calendar Year

of operations (2007), the

Foundation established three

grantmaking priority areas: expanding health insurance coverage,

improving the management and prevention of diabetes, and integrating

the delivery of mental health and substance use services.

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a key component of NYSHealth’s grant-making strategy is to make public cover-age programs work more efficiently. In 2007, NYSHealth launched a series of quick-strike projects to provide program officials with focused, actionable infor-mation. This work includes shaping the State’s Chronic Illness Demonstration Program, examining ways to streamline eligibility categories and simplify enroll-ment at the local district level, stream-lining the Asset Transfer program, and developing a messaging and public education campaign to stimulate enroll-ment growth.

One 2007 open RFP resulted in 16 grants to promote coverage expansions. Many of these community-based projects also address the challenge of enrolling uninsured New Yorkers in public programs and keeping them enrolled. Even without further eligibility expansion, the number of uninsured New Yorkers could be approximately halved if every eligible person was signed up. Other projects target enrollment opportunities for niche or hard-to-teach populations such as immigrants, home health aides, small business employees, and performing or visual artists.

New York spends an enormous sum on health care without achieving demonstrably better results than states where spending is lower. Thus, another key linchpin in our strategy involves reducing health system costs and

levels of care, across all agencies, and throughout all phases of the recovery process should be the expectation of all New Yorkers, not the exception.

Taking on a Special Population: NYSHealth Initiative for Returning Veterans and Their FamiliesIn identifying the specific needs, gaps and existing resources in New York State for substance use and mental health care, the special needs of returning veterans from the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan emerged as an urgent public health issue. New York State is home to 1.4 million veterans, of which at least 30,000–50,000 have served in Iraq and Afghanistan. New York State is also home to Fort Drum in Watertown, one of the nation's highest volume deployment sites for military personnel.

A recent Archives of Internal Medicine study found that of the one-third of veterans of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars who were treated by the Veterans Health Administration (VA) between 2001 and 2005, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) was the most common mental health diagnosis, affecting 52% of those diagnosed with mental health issues. Iraq and Afghanistan war veterans’ mental health needs are compounded by the fact that many have experienced multiple deployments. Approximately 40% of active duty soldiers who have served in Iraq since 2003 have been deployed more than once, and rates of PTSD were higher among soldiers with multiple

realizing efficiencies in care delivery to free up dollars that could be redirected to coverage. A second open RFP resulted in projects seeking to coordinate care for a small number of very ill Medicaid beneficiaries who account for a large proportion of program spending. Other projects included one to provide physicians with performance measures for their patient practices, another to develop a simplified care protocol for nursing home patients, and a third to improve the delivery of primary care, and reduce emergency department visits and avoidable hospital admissions.

Integrating Mental health and Substance use Services in new York StateApproximately 1,225 clinics throughout New York State are licensed to offer mental health or substance use services. Yet despite the fact that almost half of the people with one health concern also have the other, very few clinics offer both types of services. Recent Federal research and demonstrations show promising approaches to integrating the delivery of these services within a single system. It is an achievable goal to increase the number of service providers in our State that offer integrated services.

Grantmaking StrategyIn 2007, NYSHealth completed a strategic planning process that included an assessment of the needs of the population suffering from co-occurring

mental health and substance use disorders, and opportunities for the Foundation to effectively leverage existing and additional resources to sustain the integration of services.

Removing the barriers of the fragment-ed health, mental health, and substance use systems requires leadership, sustained effort, and the involvement of multiple stakeholders—consumers, providers, and State and local govern-ment—in implementing vital reforms. NYSHealth took on this challenge at the same time State leaders set the integration of services for co-occurring disorders as a statewide reform priority. The Foundation will remove barriers to integrated mental health and substance use care through a two-tiered effort to:1) make changes at clinical delivery

sites to achieve integration throughout all phases of the recovery process, including engagement, screening, assessment, treatment, rehabilitation, discharge planning, and continuing care; and

2) address systemic policy barriers to achieving and sustaining integrated services.

Through a combination of open RFPs and solicited grants, NYSHealth has committed $10 million over a five-year period to advance a system of care that is highly responsive to the complex needs of New Yorkers with co-occurring disorders. Access to an integrated system at all

deployments. Further exacerbating the problem is the lack of health, mental and social services for veterans’ family members.

NYSHealth has identified three key challenges affecting veterans health: 1) The families of veterans returning

from Iraq and Afghanistan are in need of readjustment mental health services, but are ineligible for care through the VA.

2) Veterans do not consistently have timely access to primary care and mental health and substance use services through the VA.

3) There is a need for a knowledge-able and credible voice on improving health policy issues for veterans returning from Iraq and Afghanistan.

The Foundation established the NYS-Health Initiative for Returning Veterans and Their Families, a $2 million, one-time funding initiative. Through a com-bination of RFPs and solicited proposals, NYSHealth will fund organizations that can address the above mentioned chal-lenges for veterans in New York State.

other nYShealth Grantmaking activitiesIn 2007, NYSHealth reserved approxi-mately 30% of its grant resources to

“special opportunities” projects. These grants are responsive to ideas that represent substantial projects to make large differences in the health of New Yorkers. The projects either support an innovative idea with a high likeli-hood of having a statewide impact on a key aspect of the health system, or a one-time opportunity to build capacity at the organizational or community level to expand a high-need service to vulner-able populations. NYSHealth awarded 23 special opportunities grants in 2007, most of which were funded as part of a statewide solicitation of ideas through the Special Opportunities RFP.

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Cost Grantsaddressing the Cost of health Care in new York State: Improving efficiency in the System

The New York State Health Foundation (NYSHealth)

awarded five grants under this initiative, which sought

interventions that would decrease costs, improve health

care quality, and increase the affordability of care in

New York State. The resulting set of grants seeks to

vastly improve the efficiency of care provided to high-need

patients, to improve the accuracy of information used

to encourage doctors to provide the best care to

their patients, and to reduce the inefficiency of nursing

home care planning processes. The premise behind

all of these programs is that better patient

management and better information

can improve quality and

efficiency of care and,

in turn, reduce

health care costs.

existing processes with an efficient and cost-saving one that reduces the administrative burden of this regulated activity, and more clearly and succinctly outlines the best way to care for an individual nursing home patient.

hudson headwaters health networkReducing Chronic Acute Care Readmissions through Collaborative Partnership

glens falls, ny • $49,170

The readmission rate for hospitals in the Glens Falls metropolitan area is 18.5%—a full 6% higher than the statewide average. Under this planning grant, Hudson Headwaters is collabo-rating with Glens Falls Hospital, and Warren and Washington County Home Health Service Agencies to assess the high readmission rate problem and develop an intervention.

new York health Plan association Council, Inc. (hPa)NYQA Physician Portal

albany, ny • $354,040

Health plan administrative data are the most widely utilized data for physician quality of care measurement, but the data have many shortcomings. This project addresses these issues through a Web-based report that enables physicians to view, verify, and correct health plan data about their patients.

NYSHealth

Grantees

Center for health Care Strategies, Inc.Rethinking Care for New York’s High-Opportunity Patients

hamilton, nj • $322,563

Many Medicaid beneficiaries with serious chronic illnesses that require extensive management to stay out of the hospital do not receive the most efficient care, and often end up in the hospital: a poor and expensive way of caring for these patients. The Center, in partnership with the New York State Department of Health, seeks to maximize the Depart-ment’s Chronic Illness Demonstration Projects to alleviate this disparity.

dr. Martin luther king, jr. health Center, Inc.A Primary Care-based Comprehensive Health and Mental Health Strategy for High-Need Patients

bronx, ny • $340,631

Hospital patients in the South and Cen-tral Bronx are among the most medi-cally challenged in the nation with high rates of psychiatric issues, substance use, and medical illnesses. This project focuses on improving care for patients at high risk for rehospitalization.

Foundation for long term Care, Inc.Efficient and Cost-Effective Care Planning

albany, ny • $354,958

Existing care plans in nursing homes are inefficient, lengthy, and repetitive. This project will replace

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adirondack Medical CenterThe Tri-Lakes Uninsured Task Force

saranac lake, ny • $61,933

The Uninsured Task Force was cre-ated to address access to health care in upstate communities. This grant enables a dedicated, part-time staff person to further the Task Force’s goals by coordinating its activities such as planning and overseeing 2008 Cover the Uninsured Week events, compiling drug assistance program information for local providers, and tracking the number of uninsured people in the North Country.

immigrants. This initiative is designed to increase health care coverage for un-insured immigrants and children served by community health centers with a focus on areas outside New York City.

empire justice Center, Inc.Community Health Law Collaborative

rochester, ny • $103,195

A stable source of health insurance coverage is essential to promoting and maintaining good health; however, private insurance options are often not available or affordable, and public insur-ance has difficult enrollment require-ments for people living in vulnerable situations. This project simultaneously embeds legal and technical assistance into two community health centers’ enrollment practices while identifying changes policymakers can make to cur-rent eligibility determination practices to eliminate enrollment barriers.

Fractured atlas Productions, Inc.Expanding Healthcare Enrollment for New York Artists and Arts Groups

new york, ny • $25,714

Approximately 51% of artists pay for their own health insurance—compared with 8% of other workers—and their annual earnings often fall in the gap between low- and middle-incomes, making them ineligible for public programs, yet un-able to afford coverage on the individual market. Targeting the underserved arts

NYSHealth 2007 Grantees continued

Brooklyn alliance, Inc.Brooklyn HealthWorks

brooklyn, ny • $104,738

Brooklyn HealthWorks was created to provide low-cost health insurance for uninsured small Brooklyn businesses. This grant funds the one-time design and production costs for collateral market-ing materials necessary to achieve the program’s enrollment goals.

new Yorkers for accessible health CoveragePolicies to Maximize Immigrants’ Enrollment in Existing and Prospective Insurance Programs

new york, ny • $107,477

New Yorkers for Accessible Health Cover-age (NYFAHC) will analyze barriers and

risks immigrants—including the ill and disabled—face in New York’s current programs and those they may encounter with anticipated coverage expansions. NYFAHC also joins the NYSHealth Cover-age Consortium with this grant.

Children’s defense Fund - new YorkIncreasing Enrollment and Retention in New York’s Public Health Insurance Programs

new york, ny • $102,691

More than 2.3 million New Yorkers, including 400,000 children, are unin-sured; many are eligible but not en-rolled in public health insurance. The Children’s Defense Fund—New York will work with 18 leading facilitated enrollment agencies serving New York City, Westchester County, and Long Island to identify needed systems and policy changes that will boost enroll-ment and coverage for people who are eligible, but not enrolled in available public insurance programs.

Community health Care association of new York State (ChCanYS)Community Health Center Immigrant Outreach Project

new york, ny • $101,849

Community, migrant, and homeless health centers (CHCs) care for many of New York’s most vulnerable low-income residents, including uninsured

populations in Buffalo, Peekskill, Sara-toga County, Brooklyn and Queens, this outreach project seeks to increase enroll-ment in their affordable health care plans.

health and Welfare Council of long Island, Inc.The Long Island Health Care Coalition

hempstead, ny • $86,000

To help facilitate process improvements across Nassau and Suffolk counties, the Health and Welfare Council of Long Island will convene the Long Island Health Care Coalition. This bi-county workgroup—which comprises the local county departments of social services, facilitated enrollment lead agencies, managed care, and community-based organizations—will work to improve enrollment and retention in public insur-ance, with a focus on improving turn-around times and reducing error rates.

hudson health Plan, Inc.Expanding Health Insurance Coverage in New York State: Streamlining Facilitated Enrollment and Development of Web-Based Eligibility Assessment

tarrytown, ny • $114,569

Applicants for Medicaid and other related assistance programs are enrolled through Facilitated Enrollment, a complex, error-prone, and paper-based process that results in high costs, delays, and frequent coverage gaps. By developing an electronic application designed specifi-

cally to meet New York State insurance programs’ requirements, this project will reduce bureaucracy in the State’s public health insurance programs and increase access to health insurance coverage.

Make the road new YorkIncreasing Immigrant Enrollment in Public Insurance Programs through Targeted Education, Outreach, and Direct Assistance in 10 Languages


Nearly two out of three uninsured adults in New York State are immigrants. This campaign will train 11 community-based organizations throughout the State to educate immigrants about their insurance options so they can overcome their confu-sion and fear about accessing insurance.

Medicare rights Center, Inc.Community MAP: Medicare/ Medicaid Assistance Project for the Southeast Bronx

new york, ny • $110,019

Many senior citizens in Southeast Bronx community residences are eligible for low-income Medicare programs, but are not enrolled because they are unaware of the programs, and community residence staff members are not equipped to provide this information. This project trains staff to provide Medicare counseling and enrollment assistance to substantially increase this population’s enrollment.

CoveraGe Grantsexpanding Insurance Coverage in new York State

This grant initiative sought projects that could improve New York

State’s public health insurance enrollment and reenrollment practices.

It also looked for projects that could expand private insurance coverage

for uninsured New Yorkers who are not eligible for public coverage.

Seventeen organizations were funded throughout the State, including

public and private organizations, advocacy institutions, health plans,

associations, and public policy institutes.

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Columbia universityImproving the Analysis of Health Insurance Expansion Options for New York State

new york, ny • $226,341

In 2005, 13.5% of the population of New York State or 2.6 million residents lacked health insurance coverage, includ-ing 360,000 children. This project, a comprehensive analysis of the various mechanisms available to improve coverage among New York State residents, repre-sents an initial step toward improving and expanding coverage.

Cornell university Informing Health Care Reform Policy Options for New York State

ithaca, ny • $252,753

Incremental State insurance coverage initiatives over the past decade have had a limited impact on reducing the number of uninsured New Yorkers (e.g., Fam-ily Health Plus and Healthy New York), suggesting that new and more compre-hensive reform initiatives are required for New York State to increase coverage. Cornell University will gather the public’s opinion on a range of potential insurance reform options geared toward expanding the number of insured New Yorkers.

NYSHEALTH INSURANCE COvERAGE CONSORTIUM

With an estimated 2.5 million New Yorkers lacking health insurance—

nearly 14% of the population—a number of organizations are seeking

solutions to a problem that most experts agree represents a dire

crisis. The New York State Health Foundation has sought to take a

different route to success by bringing a group of leading institutions

together in a Coverage Consortium. Funding a set of institutions

throughout New York State, the Consortium enables NYSHealth, key

organizations, and decision-makers to work together on solutions

and action steps necessary for expanding health care coverage.

Consortium members work collaboratively to study the extent of the

problems of health care coverage in New York State.


SOLICITED COvERAGE GRANTS

new York City human resources administration’s office of Citywide health Insurance access (oChIa)Increasing Health Insurance Coverage for Low Wage Workers at New York City’s Small Businesses

new york, ny • $114,981

Health insurance options that are available to small business owners and their employees are often unaffordable. OCHIA will create a Web-based directory of affordable health insurance options for small business owners, such as Healthy NY.

new York health Plan association Council (nYhPa)Westchester and Otsego Counties Healthy NY Expansion Demonstration

albany, ny • $109,586

Many of New York’s uninsured are sole proprietors and working individuals for whom there are few affordable health insurance options. Working directly with the broker community, this project will improve enrollment in Healthy NY, a program designed to offer compre-hensive, affordable insurance products to small businesses, sole proprietors, and individuals.

Paraprofessional healthcare Institute, Inc.Quality Care through Quality Jobs: Expanding Affordable Coverage to New York State’s Direct-Care Workers

bronx, ny • $108,810

At least one-in-four home care workers have either no health insurance or coverage that is grossly inadequate. This project documents the health insurance crisis home care workers and employers face in New York State, and will provide a road map for policymakers to ensure continuity of coverage.

Public health Solutions Open This Envelope, Stay Covered

new york, ny • $100,000

Unaware that they must renew their health insurance to stay covered, many New Yorkers are involuntarily disenrolled from Medicaid or other public insurance coverage, especially when English is not their first language. Targeting Chinese-speaking residents of Flushing, New York—a population with high rates of losing coverage during renewal periods—this project involves a media and education campaign to increase public insurance beneficiaries’ awareness of the importance of renewing their coverage in a timely manner.

Working today, Inc.Independent Workers Employment Benefits System


Many New Yorkers are employed as freelancers, contractors, and tempo-rary workers, but because individual health plans are prohibitively expen-sive, independent workers increasingly go without coverage and compromise both their health and financial stability. By providing coverage to the previously uninsured, Working Today will have an impact on not only the individuals and families now able to purchase insur-ance, but also the health insurance and health care industries. Working Today will also use these funds to experiment with the benefit design of its current of-ferings, bringing consumer choice and well being to the center of plan design.

university of Buffalo, department of Family Medicine (SunY)Addressing Cultural and Linguistic Barriers to Facilitated Enrollment

amherst, ny • $50,000

Lack of knowledge and low English language proficiency are major reasons for the high levels of uninsured among immigrant and refugee populations. Targeting Buffalo’s Westside, this project addresses cultural and linguistic barriers with language-appropriate “tool kits” and a volunteer-run facilitated enrollment model.

St. lawrence County health Initiative and St. lawrence County Public health departmentToward Total Coverage

canton, ny • $29,943

St. Lawrence County ranks 60th out of 62 counties in lowest per-capita income and has a higher prevalence of diabetes, high blood pressure, elevated cholesterol, and heart disease; 44% of its working poor households include at least one uninsured adult. To address its large population of working poor and uninsured residents, St. Law-rence County has developed a variety of outreach projects to increase the number of businesses offering afford-able health insurance to employees and individuals enrolling in public and private insurance.

18 19

Beth Israel Medical CenterADEPT: Action for Diabetes Education Programs and Treatments

new york, ny • $255,496

South Asians have the highest Type 2 diabetes incidence rate among ethnic groups in New York City. This project will train primary care providers with high South Asian patient populations in the American Diabetes Association (ADA) standards of care. The project also will give patients direct access to diabetes educators and

increase public awareness of ADA standards to empower patients to seek out quality care from primary care providers.

Charles B. Wang Community health Center, Inc.Chinatown Diabetes ACTION (Accelerating Collaboration to Improve Health Outcomes Now)

new york, ny • $230,000

One in six Asian Americans in New York City has diabetes, and an additional


Diabetes GrantsSetting the Standard: advancing Best Practices in diabetes Management

NYSHealth awarded 13 grants under this initiative, which sought

to move New York State’s primary care system to adopt and spread

best practices in disease management and establish them as the

universal standard of care for patients with diabetes. In addition

to advancing proven methods of controlling diabetes, Setting the

Standard sought to support initiatives that demonstrated the cost-

effectiveness of these best practices and promoted systems change

to integrate, expand, and sustain comprehensive care for people

with diabetes. Setting the Standard was the Foundation’s first effort

to begin identifying early adopters and leaders that could spread

best practices in diabetes care in multiple settings.the nelson a. rockefeller Institute of Government (SunY)Increasing Health Care Policy Research and Analysis Capability in New York State

albany, ny • $129,157

While New York spends more public money on health care per capita than any other state, it faces challenges to improve patient outcomes, modernize health care delivery, reduce costs, and increase access and coverage. The Rockefeller Institute will help the New York State De-partment of Health and NYSHealth select and manage potential implementation analyses under the broader NYSHealth Medicaid Reform initiative.

Georgetown universityEligibility Simplification Project

washington, dc • $50,000

The current eligibility rules for Medicaid and the State Children’s Health Insurance Program are complex and confusing, making it difficult for residents to understand enrollment requirements and causing many of those eligible to remain uninsured because they cannot produce necessary enrollment paperwork. Working with the New York State Department of Health, Georgetown will help the State find ways to simplify its eligibility categories and streamline the enrollment process.

MEDICAID REFORM IN NEW YORk STATE: SUPPORTING ANALYSES TO ExPAND, SIMPLIFY, AND REFORM THE SYSTEM

Under this initiative, NYSHealth is funding a series of short-term imple-

mentation analyses to help the New York State Department of Health

further streamline and improve the efficiency of the Medicaid program.

Manhattan Institute for Policy research, Inc.Conference on Solving the Problem of New York State's Uninsured

new york, ny • $215,591

Under this grant, the Manhattan Institute organized a two-part conference series to increase public understanding of exactly who New York State’s uninsured are and to discuss a range of approaches for reducing their ranks, including—but not limited to—so-called “consumer-driven” or market-based approaches.

the nelson a. rockefeller Institute of Government (SunY)Reforming the Small Group Insurance Market: An Assessment of State Policies

albany, ny • $312,806

The health insurance market for small companies has been a perpetual problem for health reformers because high costs, limited product availability, and market segmentation contribute to conditions where coverage is hard to find and/or too expensive for employers and employees. This project is an integrated program of analysis and strategic communication to stimulate and inform public debate over reform of the small-group health insurance market in New York State.

Manatt health SolutionsStreamlining Medicaid Spend Down


Local departments of social services are struggling under the burden of manag-ing the eligibility of Medicaid recipients enrolled in the Medicaid Spend Down program. Through this project, Manatt is undertaking a targeted study to identify opportunities to streamline the Medicaid Spend Down program to alleviate the ad-ministrative burden felt by local districts and Medicaid consumers and providers.

new York university, robert F. Wagner Graduate School of Public ServiceReimbursement Reform and Cost Management


With this grant, Dr. John Billings is providing technical assistance and policy analysis for the New York State Department of Health’s Office of Health Insurance Programs on reimbursement reform and cost management for the Medicaid program. The project will determine the best strategies for managing high-need patients and anticipating patients who could or will become high need. Dr. Billings will also suggest reimbursement reforms that can encourage reductions in costs and improve patients’ health.

united hospital Fund Promoting the Expansion of Health Insurance in New York State

new york, ny • $776,725

Nearly one-sixth of New York State’s non-elderly population is uninsured, three-quarters of whom are workers and dependents of workers. This

funding allows the United Hospital Fund to continue its Blueprint for Universal Health Insurance Coverage work in addition to new program and policy analyses that focus on merging health insurance markets to increase the availability and affordability of options for individuals and small employers.

20 21

3,300 Chinese patients in New York City are at risk for diabetes. The Charles B. Wang Community Health Center will improve diabetes management for underserved Chinese and Asian Ameri-cans in New York City by implementing system redesigns for diabetes manage-ment using electronic health records and culturally specific patient education and support groups.

dr. Martin luther king, jr. health Center, Inc.The Dr. Martin Luther king, Jr. Health Center Diabetes Management Initiative

bronx, ny • $214,210

Diabetes has reached epidemic propor-tions in the South Bronx with 11–17% of adults reporting diabetes—well above New York City’s average of 9%. This program is a unique collaboration linking physicians and various health profes-sionals—including community health workers—to implement the chronic care model as the standard of care across 14 sites within a provider network.

Family health network of Central new York, Inc.Taking Charge of Diabetes, A Collaborative Approach

cortland, ny • $251,148

Central New York in Cortland and contiguous counties—Family Health Network’s target population—is primarily

jericho road MinistriesDiabetes Center of Community Excellence

buffalo, erie, ny • $460,000

Buffalo’s East Side is predominantly African American (87%) and poor (37%) with diabetes prevalence at three times the national rate. Jericho Road Ministries will form the “Diabetic Center of Community Excellence” to provide culturally appropriate support for diabetic self-management in minority communities.

Seneca nation health departmentRevisioning SNHD Diabetes Management

salamanca, ny • $23,000

Current estimates from the Seneca Nation Health Department show that 15% of its patient population has been diagnosed with diabetes. The Seneca Nation Health Department will hire an outside evaluator to review its current programs, determine the programs’ strengths and weaknesses, and provide direction on how to improve these programs to meet the needs of the population.

rural and low-income, and has one of the highest diabetes mortality rates and lowest self-monitoring rates in the State. This project will enable the Network to expand its implementation of the chronic care model from two to five sites, and into its occupational health program.

Glens Falls hospital, Inc. Sustainable Strategies for Diabetes Self Management

glens falls, ny • $172,771

There are 23,858 diabetic patients in this high-need, rural area. This project will establish a diabetes registry across the Glens Falls Hospital network, redesign office visits to include integrated services, increase collaboration with community resources, and improve diabetes self-management among diabetic patients.

Gold Choice, PCMP IIaImproving Diabetes Outcomes in Behavioral Health Care Recipients

buffalo, ny • $352,052

People with mental illness are especially vulnerable to complications from diabetes, as their condition often affects their ability to adhere to medication and self-care regimens. Gold Choice will establish diabetes registries, use nurse telephone case management, and employ practice enhancement assistants to improve care for people with diabetes and mental illness in Erie County.

Institute for Community living, Inc.Integrated Wellness: Improving the Assessment and Management of Type 2 Diabetes in Adults with Serious Mental Illness

new york, ny • $572,419

Diabetics with serious mental illness are 2.7 times more likely to die from diabetes-related complications. This project will provide training to 140–200 case managers and social workers to coordinate care for patients with diabetes and serious mental illness.

jamaica hospital Medical CenterInitiating a Diabetes Management Program for Underserved Populations

jamaica, ny • $184,708

Diabetes disproportionately affects minorities living in Queens and Brooklyn, as evidenced by high prevalence, and hospitalization and mortality rates. Working in collaboration the Flushing Hospital Medical Center, Jamaica Hospital Medical Center, and the Neighborhood Health Plan (a Medicaid Managed Care Organization) will implement elements of the Chronic Care Model to improve diabetes treatment for 500 patients in four ambulatory care sites.

Seton health System, Inc.DEFY DIABETES!

troy, rensselaer, ny • $564,808

Low-income populations have higher hospitalization rates for acute diabetes and related complications. Seton Health’s DEFY DIABETES! program will expand its existing parish nurse program to improve primary care and increase community resources to reinforce prevention and management activities in six low-income communities.

unIte here health CenterDevelopment and Implementation of an Innovative Primary Care Model for Low-Income Retired Patients with Diabetes

new york, ny • $460,042

The UNITE HERE Health Center estimates that nearly 90% of its older retired patients with diabetes have also been diagnosed with heart disease or hypertension, and are at higher risk for worse disease outcomes. The Center will address the chronic care needs of elderly, retired, low-wage workers, and will utilize patient care assistants to improve diabetes management by developing a curriculum to train patient care assistants in the special needs of the elderly.

SOLICITED DIABETES GRANTS

hunter College (CunY)CUNY Campaign against Diabetes

new york, ny • $300,000

Workplace wellness programs are becoming more widespread throughout the country. The bottom line of these programs is this: healthy employees are more productive employees. To advance workplace wellness initiatives, NYSHealth awarded this two-year grant to the City University of New York (CUNY) to establish a diabetes prevention campaign across three CUNY campuses. CUNY is the largest urban public university in the nation, comprising 23 institutions including 11 senior colleges and six community colleges, as well as several professional and graduate schools. The Campaign will mobilize CUNY’s teaching, research, and service capacities to improve both the management and prevention of diabetes among the CUNY community through three objectives:

prevention campaigns to make healthier food and more physical activity available on campus and to encourage behavior change;

diabetes management workshops for students with family members with diabetes; and

education/support groups for students

and faculty with or at risk of diabetes.


22 23


adirondack Medical CenterNorthern Adirondack Health Exchange

saranac lake, ny • $138,700

To improve the speed and quality of health care, Adirondack Medical Center and 42 health care providers will create a communitywide health records exchange.

american Cancer Society, Inc.Expanded Access to Colorectal Cancer Screening among Rural Populations in Upstate New York

endicott, broome, ny • $23,630

Research shows that rural populations have more limited access to health care, and suffer from higher colorectal cancer mortality rates. This initiative seeks to address the question of whether program-eligible rural residents will increase their use of home-based colorectal cancer screening tests through targeted intervention and incentives of the New York State Colorectal Cancer Screening Program.

Commission on the Public’s health System - CPhS100 Years - Child Health Planning

new york, ny • $150,000

Access to health care services is difficult for low-income, medically underserved communities and many children and their families do not have access to primary care and preventive services. As the New York City Child Health Clinics celebrates its 100th anniversary, the Commission’s goal is to engage elected officials, health

care providers, community organizations, parents and their children in the development and advancement of a Child/Family Health Agenda.

Foundation for long term Care, Inc.Research to Practice: Long Term Care Charge Nurse Peer Mentoring

albany, ny • $160,182

To address quality issues caused by under-prepared charge nurses in long-term care and charge nurse shortages, the Foundation for Long Term Care created a successful Peer Mentoring for Long Term Care Charge Nurses program. Building upon this program, the Foundation will conduct a statewide training for nursing homes and other care providers, and prepare 100 expert trainers to conduct statewide training and evaluate impact.

Schervier nursing Care CenterRecognition and Treatment of Pain in Cognitively Impaired Older Adults: A video Library

bronx, ny • $20,700

Many nursing home residents suffer from chronic pain, which often goes untreated and has negative consequences. Addressing chronic pain treatment in cognitively impaired nursing home residents, this project assembles experts in the field of pain management to give presentations to long-term care staff that will be recorded and distributed—free of charge—to every nursing home in New York State.

health Ministry of the Southern tier, Inc.Expanded Medical and Dental Services for the Uninsured

corning, ny • $75,148

According to the most recent U.S. Census, more than 25,000 residents of the three counties served by the Health Ministry have no insurance or other means of obtaining medical and dental care. To meet this need, the Health Ministry is expanding its services by establishing a fifth health care center to serve the western portion of Steuben County.

his Branches, Inc.Conversion to Community Health Center Status


Southwest Rochester has been designated a medically underserved area. There is a demonstrated need for additional medical and counseling services provided by a stable community health center. By converting its privately contracted medical program into a licensed community health center, His Branches will recruit health care provid-ers and social work staff, providing needed medical care to this area.

Ibero-american action league, Inc.Promotores de Salud (Promoters of Health)


Significant differences in the causes of mortality and health care access between Latinos and the total population are well

speCial opportunities Grants NYSHealth awarded 23 grants to organizations throughout

the State under the Special Opportunities initiative. While

most of the Foundation’s grantmaking focuses on targeted

areas where we are committed to making measurable

progress to solve specific problems in our health system,

we also recognize that excellent opportunities for having

impact sometimes come from unexpected places. Our

Special Opportunities fund is reserved for excellent ideas

that emerge from the field and represent chances to make

special, out-of-the-ordinary investments that can have

large impacts on New Yorkers’ health.

24 25


documented. This project trains Latino community health workers to conduct outreach to individuals in need of health care services (e.g., insurance resources and “medical homes,” educational work-shops, and transportation, interpretation and patient navigation services).

Institute for Family health, Inc.Access to Primary Care for the Underserved in the Mid-Hudson valley

new york, ny • $1,056,453

The Institute for Family Health will help preserve access to high-quality primary care for 43,000 patients in New York’s Mid-Hudson region by acquiring six family practice centers. This merger will maintain the only source of care available to people in the area who receive Medic-aid or who have no insurance.

korean Community Services of Metropolitan new York, Inc.Stop Hep B!


Hepatitis B affects nearly one in 10 Asians and Pacific Islanders in the United States; this is further compounded by language barriers and disease aware-ness. This project will increase aware-ness and screening for hepatitis B among Korean Americans—who are at high

risk for this disease—in New York City through the creation of a culturally and linguistically appropriate social market-ing campaign.

new York ehealth Collaborative, Inc.Public Education and Consumer Engagement in NYS Health Information Technology Strategy

new york, ny • $399,740

Integrating the consumer perspective as part of the health information technol-ogy strategy requires development of a new governance and policy framework. This project proposes to implement a comprehensive plan for public education and consumer engagement.

new York Immigration Coalition, Inc.Strengthening the Capacity of Immigrant Organizations to Link Uninsured Immigrants to Health Care and Insurance

new york, ny • $150,230

Many immigrants and refugees go without needed medical care because of cost, fear, or confusion regarding immigration policy and benefits laws. With a partnership of 11 immigrant groups, this project initiates an outreach and education campaign to assist the immigrant and refugee population in gaining access to health care and coverage.

new York legal assistance Group, Inc.LegalHealth Technical Assistance Project

new york, ny • $115,000

Studies have shown that patients’ un-met legal needs have a negative impact on their medical outcomes, particularly those of underserved patients. This project promotes the development and expansion of a statewide network of medical-legal partnerships to serve the needs of low-income patients with seri-ous and chronic illnesses.

northern new York rural health Care alliance, Inc.You’re Never Too Small to Save a Life: Quality in CAH Hospitals

watertown, ny • $69,593

This project involves a quality improvement collaborative focusing on the Institute for Health Care Improvement’s 5 Million Lives Campaign. The model of improvement’s goal is higher quality care for all patients, especially rural residents in underserved areas.

Project renewal, Inc.Use of the Scanvan for Tuberculosis and Breast Cancer Screening Among Poor and Homeless New Yorkers

new york, ny • $230,000

Thousands of low-income and homeless New Yorkers are at risk for disease and

illness, but lack access to clinical exams and services. The ScanVan initiative is working to alleviate this problem by performing mammograms and clinical breast exams to screen for cancer and screenings for tuberculosis.

Queens library Foundation, Inc.“know Better—Feel Better”: Queens Library’s Health Literacy Program

jamaica, ny • $200,000

Nearly 300,000 foreign-born Queens residents have limited English proficiency, making them among the most vulnerable in the health care system. This project is institutionalizing a successful pilot health literacy project that includes classes, new project staff, training for literacy teachers, and the dissemination of a unique health curriculum especially created for low-level English language learners.

Center for excellence in aging Services (SunY)Cost Effective Delivery of an Active Choices Health Promotion Program

albany, ny • $138,046

Older adults benefit from staying active, but many prefer to exercise independently, with minimal guidance and supervision. Active Choices is a personal, telephone-support program

to encourage regular physical activity among seniors. This grant supports the creation of Active Choices training materials, staff development, a Web site, a technical assistance program, and the printing of a toolkit for dissemination at county offices for the aging statewide.

lehman College (CunY)CUNY-Community Partnership for Public Health (CCPPH)

bronx, ny • $510,039

While community-based organizations (CBOs) are often the best informed about community needs and assets, and provide services for underserved populations, they are an under-resourced segment of the public health sector. This project builds a collaborative between graduate students in public health and CBOs to address CBOs’ capacity building needs.

Schenectady Inner City MinistrySpiritually Sound—Physically Fit

schenectady, ny • $115,000

The Schenectady County Health Assess-ment reports that its mortality rates and hospitalizations due to diabetes and heart disease are above the average for New York State. This project is a collaboration between faith- and community-based or-ganizations that will provide a culturally supportive environment for individuals to be educated, encouraged, and supported while establishing a healthier lifestyle.

transition network, Inc. A Healthcare Collaborative: Grass Roots Caring Communities Connecting with Health Providers

new york, ny • $144,325

Increasing isolation often forces the elderly to ignore emerging problems or to rely exclusively on the formal, expensive system of health care. In partnership with St. Luke’s-Roosevelt Hospital Center, the Visiting Nurse Service of New York, and the New York City Department for the Aging, the Transition Network will reduce isolation and improve care for the elderly by helping members handle health needs and use the relationships to strengthen the formal health care system.

university of rochester, environmental health Sciences CenterBuilding Local Coalitions to Prevent Childhood Lead Poisoning


Childhood lead poisoning rates have decreased in the past several decades, but New York State’s rates remain among the highest in the country, particularly among low-income children living in older housing. The goal of this project is to provide information and leadership on a variety of issues crucial to eliminating lead hazards, including coalition building, working with a variety of targeted communities, and educational outreach.

Westfield Memorial hospital, Inc.Amish Midwifery Care Program

westfield, ny • $114,000

The Amish communities of Northwestern Chautauqua County currently deliver approximately 65–80 babies per year with no professional assistance, and because there is no prenatal care, the numbers of unanticipated birth complications are greatly increased. This project establishes a proactive prenatal through postnatal continuum of care for these communities, while respecting their unique cultural and societal restraints.

What to expect FoundationBaby Basics Prenatal Health Literacy Program at MIC Women’s -Health Centers

new york, ny • $299,919

Many at-risk women have trouble accessing vital prenatal care services and information. Responding to the health literacy disconnect in the health care system, this grant partners the minds behind the popular “What To Expect” prenatal book series with Public Health Solutions to improve patients’ access to high-quality care and information they need.

26 27

Statement of Activities—Years Ended December 31, 2007InveStMent InCoMe

Interest and dividends $ 11,286,540

Net realized gain from sale of investments 1,409,105

12,695,645

Less: Investment expenses 293,914

Net Investment Income 12,401,731

exPenSeS

Grants authorized 12,180,265

Program support, planning and development 2,025,573

Total Program Services 14,205,838

Operations and governance 545,643

Total Expenses 14,751,481

Change in Net Assets before Federal Excise Taxes and Unrealized Gain (Loss) on Investments (2,349,750)

(Provision) benefit for federal excise tax (189,232)

Unrealized gain (loss) on investments 14,353,564

Change in Net Assets 11,814,582

net aSSetS

Beginning of year, restated 282,980,478

End of year $ 294,795,060

Statement of Financial Position—December 31, 2007aSSetS

Cash and cash equivalents $ 4,751,644

Accrued investment income 1,885,425

Prepaid expenses 199,972

Investments 294,841,932

Deposits 54,842

Property and equipment, net 210,254

$ 301,944,069

lIaBIlItIeS and net aSSetSlIaBIlItIeS

Accounts payable and accrued expenses $ 203,444

Grants payable, net 6,595,637

Deferred rent 39,928

Federal excise tax payable —

Deferred federal excise tax 310,000

total liabilities 7,149,009

net assets 294,795,060

$ 301,944,069

Statement of Functional Expenses (12/31/07)

Grants Authorized 81%

Program Services 13%

Operations & Governance 4%

Investment Management 2%

27

NYSHealth 2007 Grantees continued 2007 Grants by Region

Capital Region

18%

Mid-Hudson

1%

Long Island

1%

Central New York

1%

Western New York

7%

Finger Lakes

6%

Southern Tier

4%

North County

6%

New York City

56%

Visit www.NYSHealth.org for more information on NYSHealth’s initiatives, and to download

our IRS Form 990 and Independent Auditors Report and Financial Statements for 2007.

28

Benjamin Prayz Director of Finance and Operations

john M. rito Finance Associate

david Sandman Senior Vice President

Melissa Seely Program Officer

lindsay Shields Grants Assistant

George W. Suttles Grants Outreach Coordinator

Sara timen Program Associate

Brunnie B. urena Receptionist/Office Assistant

deborah Zahn Senior Policy Director Diabetes Policy Center

Staffjames r. knickman President and CEO

Mark Barreiro Grants and Operations Manager

nurys Camargo National Urban Fellow

kavita das Program Officer

Margaret l. Figley Communications Associate

kelly hunt Senior Program Director

amy lee Program Assistant

linda lee Executive Assistant

juanita lewis Program Assistant

jacqueline Martinez Senior Program Director

thank you to reviewersThe New York State Health Foundation would like to express its gratitude to the reviewers who helped select the Foundation’s 2007 grantees. The reviewers’ expertise and dedication to improving the health of all New Yorkers were invaluable to the process.

BoardNYSHealth is governed by a nine-member Board of Directors (two positions were vacant when this publication went to press), with one-third (respectively) appointed by the State Governor, the temporary President of the State Senate, and the State Assembly Leader. Board members serve three-year renewable terms. While all Board members participate actively in the governance and guidance of the Foundation, three—Konopko, Smith, and Weisbrod—are voting members.

Board MeMBerSjo-ann Costantino Chief Executive Officer The Eddy

deborah konopko

Melvyn B. ruskin, esq. Ruskin Moscou Faltischek, P.C.

robert G. Smith, Ph.d. Founder and Chief Investment Officer Smith Affiliated Capital Corp.

Charles M. Strain, esq. Managing Partner Farrell Fritz, P.C.

Carl Weisbrod (Chair) President Trinity Real Estate

louise Woerner Chairman and CEO Home Care of Rochester (HCR)

Improving the State of New York’s health

VOICE: 212-664-7656

FAX: 646-421-6029 MAIL: 1412 Broadway

Suite 2304 New York, NY 10018

WEB: www.nyshealth.org

Documents

New York State Health Foundation Annual Report 2007-08