Community investment program
CommonSpirit’s Community Investment Program (CIP) is an expression of our commitment to promote the total health of the community by channeling financial resources to institutions or projects that address the social determinants of health.
Through the CIP, we provide financial resources in the form of below-market rate loans and guarantees to organizations or projects to promote access to jobs, housing, food, education, and health care for people of low-income communities.
Since 1990 the CIP has issued 386 loans and approved $454 million in funding for local communities. In FY23, as of 6/30/2023, the CIP consisted of $125 million in disbursements to 88 organizations (97 loans) supporting affordable housing, health clinics and social services, arts and education, environment, small business and microlending, and other community service organizations.
Homeless health initiatives
The CommonSpirit Homeless Health Initiative (HHI) works to co-locate, coordinate, and integrate health care, behavioral health, safety, and wellness services with housing and other social services.
Connected community network
CommonSpirit Health is working with many other organizations to build networks of health care and social services that increase access to community resources for any patient in need. We call this model the Connected Community Network (CCN).
A CCN is a network of community service organizations that have the ability to make referrals using a shared technology platform among hospitals, clinics, and the social service and government agencies that provide vital services. These resources meet a variety of social and economic needs, including stable and affordable housing; maternal, infant, and child health; chronic disease management programs; healthy food; and mental health and substance abuse counseling.
Total health roadmap
The Total Health Roadmap is a set of strategies and tactics designed to address emerging accountabilities for patient outcomes influenced by social determinants. Current efforts are focused on universal screening for social needs in ambulatory care and the integration of community health workers (CHWs) into interdisciplinary teams in family medicine, pediatrics, behavioral health, high-risk OB/GYN, and rural health clinics. CHWs work with patients to identify goals for addressing social needs and connecting them to resources. This work has improved our collective awareness of the barriers and challenges patients face in meeting social needs that compromise their health. CHWs also play an essential role in development of effective community partnerships. By investing time and energy in understanding how community agencies work and by strengthening our relationships with partners in the local health ecosystem, CommonSpirit contributes to a more effective and equitable continuum of health, wellness, and social services.
Jessica Hoskins grew up in rural Kentucky as one of four siblings. Her mother, a single parent working two jobs, did everything in her power to make ends meet, but was forced to make difficult decisions every morning—save for the monthly utility bill or buy gas to get to work.
Community care hub
A Community Care Hub is a community-centered entity that enables cross-sector contracting between healthcare organizations and a network of community-based organizations in order to address individuals’ social needs. By centralizing functions (e.g. contracting, billing, etc.) on behalf of a network of community-based organizations, Community Care Hubs make it possible for more community organizations to participate in reimbursement opportunities with healthcare organizations.
CommonSpirit’s goal is to support the activation of Community Care Hubs that are focused on addressing the needs of older adults. We partner with communities interested in pursuing a Community Care Hub solution, and ensure accelerators of successful Hubs are present: thought partnership and technical assistance, shared investment from community stakeholders, buy-in from healthcare organizations, and local governance models.
Pathways community HUB model
CommonSpirit Health is working with community partners to launch the Pathways Community HUB (PCH) Model that bridges clinical and social care to support underserved populations in our communities. The PCH Model is an outcomes-based payment infrastructure that provides standardized community-based care coordination.
The PCH model brings together everyone involved in community health–hospitals, clinics, health plans, community-based organizations, community health workers, and others–to identify individuals with needs–medical, social, behavioral–and connect them to services, track outcomes and contract with payers that directly tie payment back to those outcomes.
Community health improvement grants
Our Community Health Improvement Grants program is one way we are working with others to improve the health and well-being of vulnerable and underserved populations in the communities we serve. Collaborating non-profit organizations apply to receive grant funds from our hospitals to address significant issues in community health needs assessments. These can include improving access to health care, mental health, social services, health education, safe shelter and housing, food, violence prevention, and more. The grant program helps to improve community health and health equity, and enhance local service systems, via restricted charitable contributions for defined projects.
The application period for 2025 grants is now closed. You are invited to learn about the grant program and to watch for the next application period beginning June 2025.