June 2019 Issue

There is growing recognition in many spheres of the health policy and practice world that improving access to high-quality, affordable medical care isn’t enough to improve and maintain health. The social determinants of health – social, environmental and economic factors that shape our lives, and the policies that create those conditions – also play a determinative role in the health of individuals and communities. Initiatives to address social determinants of health are becoming a priority for many health advocates, health systems, policymakers and the philanthropic community. We decided to focus this quarter’s Spotlight on this issue to share why Community Catalyst is prioritizing social determinants of health and how we are approaching this work across the organization – whether it is investing in local work to build grassroots community power to address social determinants or consulting with major health systems to engage on these issues. Each article features one aspect of this growing body of work, with much more to come in the years ahead.

—Kathy Melley, Director of Communications

When you think of “health care,” you probably think of a doctor’s office, or a hospital, or maybe your insurance coverage. But what if you got sick and needed to get to a doctor and didn’t have adequate transportation to get there? Or if your doctor prescribed bed rest, but you’re experiencing homelessness and don’t have access to a safe bed? Transportation, housing, education and other social services certainly aren’t “health care,” but they do have an outsized impact on health outcomes.

Increasingly, health care organizations – hospitals, health systems, health plans, Accountable Care Organizations (ACOs) – understand that factors such as income, food, housing and air quality are critically important to the health of the communities they serve. These factors are often collectively referred to as social determinants of health.

Over its 20-plus years, Community Catalyst has built its reputation on successfully partnering with state and local health advocates to organize a consumer voice in efforts to affect change at the state and community levels. And while past projects have brought its work into the social determinants of health field, the growing focus in investing and organizing around the issues that create and keep communities healthy has presented new opportunities and challenges to the organization’s advocacy work.