BETTER HEALTH PARTNERSHIP WEEKLY BRIEFING
 
Dear Friends,

We are excited to share with you the news of our local Federally Qualified Health Center partners and others rolling out expanded COVID-19 testing sites to improve access for the most vulnerable populations living in Cleveland. With COVID cases, hospitalizations and deaths on the rise, this effort could not be better timed!

We are proud to be a key convener of the stakeholders involved – including providers, payers and faith-based organizations, and to assist them in their mission to achieve greater health equity in our community.

Warm regards,
COMMUNITY COLLABORATION TO STOP COVID-19

Stop COVID-19 Cleveland Partnership Launched!


As part of a program sponsored by UnitedHealth Group, (UHG) Cleveland is 1 of 8 locations nationwide identified for free COVID-19 testing to serve at-risk communities. Beginning in October, Better Health Partnership (BHP) convened Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs), Greater Cleveland Congregations (GCC) and other community stakeholders with UHG to expand COVID-19 testing to communities of color in neighborhoods identified to have significant testing gaps.

The tenets of this program include selecting under-resourced locations in need of additional testing, identifying and including trusted local partners, deploying mobile testing (estimate 6,000 tests), and providing additional supports such as food, education and COVID health and safety kits. BHP collects testing data from the FQHCs and the program to monitor progress, inform strategies and provide a community-wide view of testing impact.

Those testing positive for COVID-19 are referred to our local FQHC partners Asian Services in Action, Care Alliance Health Center, Circle Health Services/The Centers, and Northeast Ohio Neighborhood Health Services for treatment, education and additional supports. Referrals to the Better Health Pathways HUB are encouraged for those who may need social-economic assistance with isolation and quarantine.



For more information on this collaboration or for test site information, visit https://www.communitystopcovid.com/OH
NEW PROJECT LEAD HELPS COORDINATE COVID-19 EQUITABLE TESTING ACCESS
Kirstin Craciun joined Better Health Partnership in September to assume the Project Lead role for the COVID-19 Testing Collaborative (CTC). The CTC brings together leaders from Federally Qualified Health Centers in Cuyahoga County to ensure equitable access to COVID-19 testing primarily for people of color and individuals living in low-income communities. Kirstin’s exceptional collaboration skills are needed now more than ever!

 
Kirstin Craciun, MPP, MSW
Project Lead: COVID-19 Testing

Prior to her role as Project Lead for the CTC, Kirstin served as the Director of Community Outreach for The Center for Health Affairs. In this capacity, Kirstin led the Community Health Needs Assessment Roundtable and together with Dr. Heidi Gullett brought the hospital community, public health and other essential stakeholders together to develop Cuyahoga County’s first collaborative Community Health Needs Assessment and explore opportunities for collaboration on addressing CHNA-related strategic health priorities.
 
Doing Our Part to Prevent the Spread of the Virus
 In an effort to support our front line healthcare workers everywhere and stop the spread of the virus, Better Health Partnership employees and staff are telecommuting.

All staff are available by phone or email. To find a staff member, visit this page.


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