The Bridge: Community-Based Care
WHY IS COMMUNITY-BASED CARE IMPORTANT?
“We know that the health of a community is not limited to the services they receive at a clinic.
It is critical that our community is working at a neighborhood level, listening to the voices of residents and deploying the resources they need
to create healthier outcomes for their families.”
- Tchernavia Montgomery, Care Ring ED
Research shows that a person’s zip code has a greater impact on their health than genetic code. Chronic illness is a way of life for many people, particularly in under-resourced neighborhoods, which have higher rates of hypertension, diabetes, obesity and more. These conditions are inextricably linked to a number of factors, including location, socioeconomic status and race, which are called the "social determinants of health."
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In addition to the many ways Care Ring directly helps individuals establish and maintain good health, we are also actively advocating for a better system of care for all. This includes the important work of engaging with communities to better understand their needs as it relates to health and well-being, identifying barriers to addressing those needs, and providing education on the changes that are happening in healthcare.
By building deeper connections with neighborhoods, we can improve overall community health and outcomes for people with limited resources.
PILOTING A BETTER WAY, TOGETHER
Kicking off in 2022, seven Charlotte-based institutions led by Care Ring have been working collaboratively to pilot a new way of working better together. Funding from the Kate B. Reynolds Charitable Trust, United Way of Greater Charlotte, and the Mecklenburg County ABC Board, alongside in-kind contributions of equipment and workforce, joined forces to demonstrate a new way to increase healthcare access and increase impact.
The partners involved in this community-based health care initiative sought to demonstrate a new approach to increasing access – one that centers trust, relationship-building, resource-sharing and collective effort.
The result is a new supply-chain of health care delivery, where collaboration brings the very best of each institution to the table. The pilot community for this endeavor has been Grier Heights, one of the oldest neighborhoods in Charlotte.
In December of 2022, the partnership began offering on-site health screenings, care coordination and navigation, counseling support, health coaching, and links to resources every Tuesday in the Grier Heights community at their community center. ONE Charlotte Health Alliance's mobile unit provides a professional and private space for patients to receive services. After some feedback from the community and analysis, the location was moved to the 7-Eleven across the road, which gave the unit higher visibility to area residents and resulted in higher foot traffic and participation.
"THE BRIDGE" IS BORN
When Care Ring began advancing the concept of a new way of working collaboratively to create strong health outcomes, the team knew it needed a catchy name. It was referred to internally as the CBHI (community-based healthcare initiative), but the name just didn't capture the spirit of the project.
So the team decided on a new name - The Bridge - a community-embedded approach to increasing health care access – one that centers trust, relationship-building, resource-sharing and collective effort. The Bridge is currently working in the Grier Heights neighborhood, with new neighborhoods on the horizon.
LOOKING AHEAD
As the pilot year of The Bridge comes to a close in June of 2023, the partners have learned much and are gearing up to launch a second year of the initiative beginning in July 2023. Financial support from Mecklenburg County, Mecklenburg County ABC Board, and United Way of Greater Charlotte is making it possible for The Bridge to expand its services to additional neighborhoods, bringing this winning combination of health and human services to more people lacking access to care.
YEAR 1 OUTCOMES & STATS
