Stratis Health is pleased to announce the recipients of its 2022 Building Healthier Communities award, in conjunction with National Minority Health Month. Five grant awards totaling $65,000 were made to Minnesota nonprofit organizations taking action to improve health equity. Stratis Health’s Building Healthier Communities awards support initiatives that promote a culture of health care quality, equity, and patient safety in the state.

“It is inspiring to see the innovative and thoughtful health equity work happening across Minnesota,” said Jennifer Lundblad, PhD, MBA, president and CEO of Stratis Health. “We are excited to provide small grants which can make a big difference in these local programs and reflect Stratis Health’s commitment to improving health and leading transformation.”

Annex Teen Clinic will use award funds for improving “Self-advocacy and health navigation for BIPOC/LGBTQ+ youth.” Clinic workers will partner with youth leaders who identify as BIPOC and/or LGBTQ+ to provide workshops and training to assist them in health management and improvement strategies. The award will fund a highly impactful experience for these youth leaders and result in the creation of three videos and associated educational materials that will be used with thousands of teens for years to come.

Gray Matter’s “Doula Write Thing” funds will be used for a doula training and job creation program that directly addresses Black maternal mortality and morbidity through certifying community members as birthing and postpartum doulas.

Hue-Man Partnership’s “Shifting Community Narrative from Deficits to Whole-person Health” will advance its whole-person assessment in Hispanic/Latino neighborhoods of the Twin Cities Metro Area. Funds will be used to conduct community meetings and provide consultation from key leaders, engaging around strengths, social determinants of health, health challenges, and health needs data to adopt a whole-person approach. The goal is to shift the perspective from stigma to strength, identify personal and community assets, and empower the community through involvement in data analysis and co-learning.

Native American Community Clinic’s “Self-Measured BP (SMBP) Program” offers clinical support through a proven strategy that engages patients in their care and improves hypertension control outcomes. Funds will be used for expanding Native American Community Clinic (NACC) patients’ current home blood pressure monitoring program to utilize a web-based portal to track and allow them to submit home readings to their providers.

Pillsbury United Communities’ “Twin Cities Community Health Worker (CHW) Hub” received funds for technology and training that support co-creating a more coordinated and holistic care system. The program does necessary work to disrupt health inequities by centering on the communities most affected and providing a sustainable and accountable community-driven solution. It builds on the well-established Pathways Community Hub Institute (PCHI) model and utilizes an outcomes-based payment structure.

Stratis Health is a nonprofit organization guided by an independent community-based Board of Directors. It is committed to being a responsible and engaged community member and gives these annual grant awards as part of its commitment to foster a culture of improvement in health care. The award program encourages creative community projects that support health care quality, equity, and patient safety.

Stratis Health Board and staff members submit nominations for the annual grant award. Nominations must align with Stratis Health’s mission and vision, advance Stratis Health’s work and relationships, focus on Minnesota, and benefit the community by making lives better.