Hope for Health Collaborative (BUILD 3.0)

Hope for Health Collaborative  is a BUILD 3.0 Challenge Awardee established to address the root causes of social determinants of health in the Doyle neighborhood of Kerrville, TX. H4H now totals sixteen local organizations sharing their gifts, time, and talents to drive sustiainable improvements for community health.

What factors are essential for effective cross-sector alignment?

Shared Purpose

  • The collaborative shares a vision to elevate health with an upstream approach in the Doyle Community, a historically isolated and segregated African-American and Hispanic neighborhood in Kerrville, Texas.
  • The community voice gives the coalition a “commonality of purpose”; the government and city wanted to improve quality of life in community but the community “was not at the table.” 
  • All partners surveyed believe the coalition has established a shared purpose with a set of priorities.

Governance

  • The coalition has a governing board with representatives from each partner to help develop personnel policy manual and apply for grant funds. Specific roles are allocated for each partner.
  • People from the communities served are on staff with coalition.

Data

  • Health navigators and community health workers are hired from Doyle to help collect qualitative data through surveys and interviews to assess the current health conditions of residents, what residents need to thrive, and what barriers exist to obtaining those needs and social services.
  • A local university helps with data collection process.

Finance and Sustainability

  • The BUILD Health Challenge provided $250,000 and required a local hospital partner to match contribute monetary or in-kind support to the project.
  • Board members seek private funding from community businesses.

Integration of Health Equity

  • An explicit, high priority for the coalition, embedded in the mission and vision of the coalition
  • Works on issues related to systemic racism, lack of health access, and poverty with an intentional emphasis on prevention

Community Trust and Accountability​

  • Hires community members with present trust and buy in from the community
  • Physically present in their community; member organizations are involved in community engagement and trust building activities
  • Introduces community members to leaders and decision makers with dignity
  • Works with the local newspaper to share progress

Measures of Success

  • Culture shift and general change at the community level

Outcomes Achieved

  • Perceived shift in community members seeking preventative care vs “reactionary” care was an long-term achievement
  • Shared progress towards community goals and objectives as well as health equity, as expressed by all coalition members surveyed