1. Providing Chronic Disease Prevention and management/AIDS Services
2. Promoting awareness and advocacy for root causes of health inequity and supporting racial/ethnic diversity in the health professions
3. Supporting oral health services and community water fluoridation
4. Supporting health care linkages

 

1. Providing Chronic Disease Prevention and management/AIDS Services

People who are most likely to develop a chronic disease – including low-income communities and communities of color – often lack the resources to prevent chronic diseases and manage the symptoms and effects of their conditions. People who develop chronic diseases have a reduced quality of life and often develop secondary conditions due to a lack of resources to manage their condition, resulting in decreased life expectancy as well as increased medical costs to the individual, employer and community. Although the Chronic Disease Self-Management model has proven to be effective in controlling the symptoms, effects and costs related to chronic diseases, there is a lack of countywide infrastructure to support the program and a lack of reimbursement source. To help address these issues, The Health Trust is:

• Conducting health education through Health Fairs and Presentations and using the Promotoras model in the most vulnerable communities;
• Providing evidence-based Chronic Disease Self-Management (CDSM) and Positive Self Management Workshops led by peers;
• Conducting CDSM leader trainings to expand capacity in the community to address CDSM by having a cadre of culturally competent, community-based workshop leaders;
• Marketing CDSM to Health Plans and providers;
• Participating in national and regional efforts to include CDSM as a covered health benefit;
• Reviewing service needs, delivery models, and advocacy roles for AIDS Services and propose enhancements based on the review;
• Conducting HIV/AIDS prevention presentations in high schools and colleges;
• Providing HIV/AIDS Case Management Services, Housing Services and Nutrition Support Services;
• Funding the development of an online clearinghouse of available CDSM workshops, information and resources;
• Funding strategic grants that enhance the community component of the Chronic Care Model.

In doing this work, The Health Trust aims to:

• Improve the capacity of people with chronic diseases to manage their disease;
• Decrease the prevalence of diabetes and other chronic diseases;
• Increase up-to-date preventive health screening;
• Decrease new cases of HIV;
• Decrease hospitalizations for chronic diseases;
• Decrease health care costs and decrease health disparities.

 

2. Promoting awareness and advocacy for root causes of health inequity and supporting racial/ethnic diversity in the health professions

Social and economic conditions create inequities that result in poorer health outcomes and earlier mortality for low-income and racial and ethnic groups in Santa Clara County. However, efforts to reduce health disparities have traditionally emphasized downstream strategies, such as health care, versus upstream strategies that focus using preventative methods and improving social and economic conditions. Due to educational opportunity barriers and educational inequities (from early childhood through K-12 and higher education), there is a lack of diversity within the health professions. This lack of diversity is one important factor that contributes to poorer health outcomes among communities most affected by health inequities. To help address this, The Health Trust is:

• Continuing a campaign to raise awareness about health disparities and their root causes by outreaching to the corporate sector to participate in addressing social determinants of health;
• Partnering with and funding the Public Health Department to analyze and present data that illuminate health inequities in Santa Clara County;
• Providing community health and wellness promotion/education experiences for high school and college students from diverse backgrounds;
• Coordinating a speaker's bureau of health professionals who make presentations to high school students on careers in health;
• Funding a health disparities science curriculum for high school students, which supports academic success, exposes students to health careers, and increases students’ knowledge about health disparities.

As a result of this work, The Health trust aims to:

• Increase students’ access to health science curriculum and careers;
• Increase the number of individuals from underrepresented ethnic and racial populations within the health professions;
• Increase the quality of health care for communities of color;
• Decrease health disparities.

 

3. Supporting oral health services and community water fluoridation

A large number of Santa Clara County’s children have untreated tooth decay. Tooth decay can be painful and lead to loss of teeth and dental function. Pain from untreated dental disease can lead to eating, sleeping, speaking and learning problems in children which affect social interaction, school performance and quality of life. Tooth decay and other oral health problems are a result of a lack of daily oral health habits, a lack of access to routine and preventative dental care (particularly in low-income communities and communities of color), and a lack of fluoridated water in much of San Jose and other parts of the county. To help address this problem, The Health Trust is:

• Conducting and funding community-based oral health education for families;
• Enrolling children in dental insurance to provide them access to services;
• Operating the Children’s Dental Center to provide dental care services for uninsured and underinsured children;
• Advocating for community water fluoridation; and developing a fundraising feasibility plan for water fluoridation.

As a result of this work The Health Trust aims to:

• Fluoridate all water in Santa Clara County;
• Increase children’s access to routine oral health services;
• Increase the number of children who see a dentist on a routine basis;
• Decrease childhood caries and other oral health related disparities.

 

4. Supporting health care linkages

Lack of access to quality care contributes to health disparities. Health care coverage is only the first step to accessing quality care. Many of the root causes of health disparities act as barriers to utilizing healthcare services even after insurance coverage becomes available. Patient navigation services and promoting cultural competency at many levels are additional steps to ensuring access for all. To help address these issues, The Health Trust is:

• Conducting outreach to and enrolling children in health care coverage;
• Providing patient navigation services to low-income Latino and Vietnamese families;
• Promoting the use of navigation model within social service organizations;
• Funding Santa Clara Family Health Plan and School Health Clinics of Santa Clara County to provide health care coverage and services to those who would otherwise not receive services.

As a result of this work, The Health Trust aims to:

• Increase health care coverage rates among children;
• Improve access to a medical home;
• Increase the number of individuals who see a provider on a routine, preventive basis;
• Increase up-to-date preventive health screenings;
• Decrease the prevalence of diabetes and other chronic diseases and decrease health disparities.