ASU center receives Dignity Health Grant Award for community collaboration

You don’t have to imagine families living in a community where fear, cultural attitudes, and economic disadvantages persist. It is reality in many areas of the Phoenix metro area. The good news is many community organizations are partnering to help these areas.

The Center for Health Information and Research (CHiR), in the College of Health Solutions at Arizona State University, is the recipient of a collaborative award from the Dignity Health Community Grants Program. The "Healthy Kiddos, Healthy Communities" Community of Care consists of Keogh Health Connection, Isaac School District, Valle del Sol, Inc, St. Joseph’s Family and Medicine Practice, and CHiR.

“I believe this is a great opportunity for CHiR to work hand-in-hand with health providers, educators and support service individuals in our community,” said Gevork Harootunian, CHiR data manager and senior statistical programmer. “It’s expanding the types of data we analyze at CHiR and increasing our knowledge in managing electronic medical record data. We’re also designing and gathering data that is not directly health data, such as the student educational records, but they are a very important part of the social determinants of health.”

"Healthy Kiddos, Healthy Communities" will focus on families in the 85009, 85019, and 85035 zip codes of Phoenix, which have been identified as areas of highest need by St. Joseph’s Hospital and Medical Center’s Community Health Needs Assessment. These areas have above-average poverty levels, unmet health/social service needs, and language/cultural barriers to accessing care and resources. The Isaac School District is leveraging its access to more than 7,500 children in 11 schools to reach out to the needy families through an integrated service delivery approach with all of the partners to eliminate barriers to care, deliver culturally appropriate services, and educate and empower the community from a health and social perspective.

This 12–18 month intervention program will identify and assess at-risk children and families residing in the Isaac School District, providing access to primary care, mental health services, education, workshops on chronic disease self-management and enrollment in social services. CHiR will provide data management services and conduct the statistical analysis to evaluate the outcomes and impact of the program. "Healthy Kiddos, Healthy Communities" is one of only six proposals funded this year by Dignity Health grants program at St. Joseph’s Hospital and Medical Center.

Keogh Health Connection and Valle del Sol were already partners with Isaac School District. CHiR is proud to be part of such a great team of community workers who daily interact with individuals and families with great needs. Our analytical expertise will allow this program to collect the metrics needed to adjust and improve its service delivery for the betterment of this community.