Development of a Public-Private Partnership Model to Address Health Disparities

Abstract Text:

WellPoint State Sponsored Business serves over 2 million Medicaid members in 14 states. It uses the expertise of local staff working with public-private partnerships to address health disparities. Staff has developed a national team model to support local projects. The national team meets monthly and develops a common goal. The team teaches capacity building, cultural sensitivity, and coalition-building skills. It provides support, education, and technical assistance to local staff, and develops a charter to structure the project that identifies a common purpose, expectations, a timeline, reporting mechanism and accountability. Our goal is to demonstrate that a large national health benefits company can work collaboratively by joining with local partners to redress health disparities.

The model was developed to target a health issue across diverse populations and to develop a national initiative tailored to local needs. Staff chose to address asthma and focus on environmental issues in schools, child care, and after school programs. The goal is to be sensitive to the differences among communities and support each other in finding partners, working through challenges, and contributing to meaningful sustainable projects. The project outcomes include: 1.) Making sure each participant finds partners; 2.) Each completes their project objectives; 3.) Each evaluates their project; 4.) Each works with partners to sustain project; 5.) That the model work and be replicable. As a result of this project, we hope to improve community health, and demonstrate that public-private partnerships are a vehicle for addressing health disparities.