Age-Friendly Communities help bring together stakeholders focused on improving social determinants of health that have a significant impact on livability and population health. To that end, the Massachusetts Attorney General’s Office (AGO) is announcing the Social Determinants Partnership grant opportunity.
The Social Determinants Partnership grant program will utilize funds secured by the AGO through various health care-related settlements to invest in innovative partnerships between health care providers like hospitals and community health centers, on the one hand, and social service organizations, such as non-profit organizations or local governments on the other hand, to reduce health disparities affecting underserved communities by addressing social determinants of health.
Social Determinants of Health
Social determinants of health are conditions where people live, learn, work, play, and worship that affect health, functioning, and quality-of-life.[1] Examples of social determinants include access to health care services, availability of resources to support community living, transportation options, public safety, and social support. Substantial evidence confirms the link between social, economic, and physical conditions and health outcome disparities. Increased investment in targeted social services as well as improved connections between health care and social services reduce health disparities and health care costs.[2] The AGO is committed to addressing social determinants of health to achieve greater health equity for all.
[1] US Department of Health and Human Services. Healthy People 2020. “Social Determinants of Health.” 2015 https://www.healthypeople.gov/2020/topics-objectives/topic/social-determinants-of-health
[2] E.g., Lauren A. Taylor, et al., Leveraging the Social Determinants of Health: What Works? Prepared for the Blue Cross Blue Shield Foundation of Massachusetts (2015).
Partnerships
Grant applications must be submitted jointly by one or more health care provider and one or more organizations that provides social services, such as non-profit organizations or municipal government agencies or boards. Organizations partnering together for purposes of this grant program must provide clinical or social services to the same target population. Partnerships may be new or existing. The emphasis on partnership is intended to leverage existing community organizations and infrastructure to integrate the social services that affect communities’ health outcomes into the traditional health care framework.
Meaningful integration of these key supports – whether through on-site provision of social services at the offices of a health care provider, systematic screenings of patients by health care providers and referrals to social service partner organizations, or another partnership model – aim to reduce health disparities and support equitable health outcomes.
Eligibility
The following types of organizations are eligible to apply:
- Massachusetts Providers and Provider Organizations
- Non-Profit Organizations
- Municipal Government Agencies
A full description of eligibility is available in the RFP.
Submission Instructions
- Proposals must be delivered electronically through the AGO’s online grant application by 5:00 p.m. on July 20, 2018.
- Applications received after the deadline will not be reviewed.
- Applications will not be accepted in any other format.
- Interested applicants may access the application here: www.mass.gov/ago/grants.
- New applicants will be asked to create a free online account. Any applicant that has applied for any grant using the online grant management system may log into its existing account.
- Once applicants have started an application, the application may be saved and returned to later.
- Confirmation of Receipt: Applicants typically receive an email confirmation within 48 business hours; if one is not received please call 617-963-2291 for further instructions and assistance.
Questions
Questions regarding this RFP may be submitted to AGOgrants@state.ma.us, only until 5:00 p.m. on June 29, 2018. When submitting your question(s), please include “Social Determinants Partnership” in your email subject line. Questions received and answers provided regarding this RFP will be posted on the AGO’s website here: www.mass.gov/ago/grants.
A conference call will be held June 22, 2018 at 11:00 AM. Although the call is not mandatory, potential applicants are strongly encouraged to join.
Reasonable Accomodation
Applicants with disabilities who seek reasonable accommodation, which may include the receipt of the RFP information in an alternative format, must communicate such requests in writing to AGOgrants@state.ma.us no later than June 29, 2018.