What does a healthy community look like?

Teresa has been in four substance abuse treatment programs in the past decade while homeless.  “I basically live between several different spots, constantly moving and dependent on others for a roof over my head. The program I go to is really my home. That’s where I shower, wash my clothes and get hot meals,” the 40-year-old Washington Heights woman said. “They are telling me they will likely close though and I don’t know what I’ll do. This always happens, as soon as they have a good thing that’s actually helping people they shutter it.” 

And soon there may be even fewer resources for individuals like Teresa. On July 29, the federal Substance Abuse and Mental Health Administration published a letter stating that "harm reduction" programs are incompatible with the administration's goals. As a result, federal funding has been cut for programs like the one Teresa depends on. The same letter also outlines how the administration intends to target drug users like Teresa who are unhoused. 

Working together, communities can improve health and create opportunities for people to thrive. “Building Healthy Communities,” an event on September 9th at the Museum of Jewish Heritage in Lower Manhattan sponsored by Healthix and presented by City & State will bring government and business stakeholders together to discuss how to combine action with access to necessary resources – including powerful data to make informed decisions about future strategies on how to help people like Teresa. 

The program will include the following panels:

• The Cost of Care: This discussion focuses on affordability which continues to be a major barrier to access to healthy outcomes for New Yorkers. This discussion will center on innovative approaches to reducing the financial burden on patients and health systems through value-based models and data-driven efficiencies. Speakers include Joseph Conte, executive director, Staten Island Performing Provider System as moderator; Michael LaRocca, founder and CEO of Ready Computing; Pamela Mattel, CEO of Coordinated Behavioral Care; Jon R. Cohen, president & CEO, Talkspace: Eva Wong, executive director, NYC Mayor’s Office of Community Mental Health and Joshua Rubin,vice president, client solutions, Health Management Associates.
• Maternal morbidity & mortality: This discussion will center around how maternal health disparities are on the rise, targeted interventions, timely alerts, and cross-sector collaboration can improve outcomes for birthing people – particularly in underserved populations. It will be moderated by Vanessa Pino Lockel, executive director, Cornell Cooperative Extension of Suffolk, and include speakers Isaac Dapkins,  chief medical officer, Family Health Centers at NYU Langone; Wendy Wilcox, chief women’s health officer and chief of obstetrics and gynecology at NYC Health + Hospitals: Shawnee Benton Gibson, CEO, Spirit of a Woman (S.O.W.); and Patricia Loftman, CNM, LM, MS, FACNM member, NYC Department of Health & Mental Hygiene's Maternal Mortality and Morbidity Review Committee.
• Behavioral health and substance use: Experts on this panel will address the growing need for integrated behavioral health services, emphasizing data-informed care coordination and community-based solutions that support long-term mental health and substance use recovery. Michael Costa, senior vice president, Provider Network & Population Health, EmblemHealth; Allison Sesso, president & CEO, Undue Medical Debt; Avital Havusha, vice president for programs, New York Health Foundation; Eliza Ng, chief medical officer, CAIPA IPA & MSO; Paul Nagle executive director Stonewall Community Development Corporation and Errol Pierre, chief growth officer, Healthfirst.

"To truly build healthier communities, it takes a team. This isn't just about providing excellent clinical care. It’s about forging deep partnerships, blending our medical expertise with social interventions, and empowering our communities to thrive,” John D'Angelo, CEO-elect of Northwell Health and one of the keynote speakers at the event told City & State. “This holistic approach, working shoulder-to-shoulder with our neighbors and other partners, while leveraging new technology and harnessing data, will allow us to create environments where individuals don't just recover from an illness, but thrive – reflecting our core belief that a healthy community is built together."Cindy Hsu, anchor and Reporter for CBS News New York at Noon also will deliver keynote remarks. 

To register for “Building Healthier Communities,” sponsored by Healthix, visit the registration page at City & State.