The Massachusetts Department of Public Health (MDPH) requests responses from individuals/organizations interested in participating on the new Determination of Need’s Community Health Initiative (CHI) Statewide Initiative Advisory Committee and/or the CHI Healthy Aging Fund Advisory Committee.
The Massachusetts Healthy Aging Collaborative (MHAC) encourages its members and partners to consider the Healthy Aging Fund Advisory Committee, specifically. DPH is partnering with the Executive Office of Elder Affairs (EOEA) to establish and consult an Advisory Committee to develop and implement the CHI Healthy Aging Fund Initiative. MHAC applauds DPH and EOEA for prioritizing Healthy Aging as an area of focus.
Background:
In January 2017, the Massachusetts Department of Public Health (MDPH) completed a landmark revision of the Determination of Need (DoN) regulation. The DoN program regulates the health care delivery system through the review/approval of major capital expenditures, acquisitions, certain additions, and significant changes in services by hospitals, long-term care facilities and clinics.
The goal of the DoN process is to promote population health and increase public health value in terms of improved health outcomes, increased quality of life, and increased access to care at the lowest reasonable aggregate cost. A unique and critical component to this program is the requirement that some DoN Applicants include plans for addressing state-defined Health Priorities through CHIs. CHIs support the principle that access alone is insufficient to tackle health care costs, and therefore, health care systems must address MDPH’s goals of identifying, understanding, and tackling the underlying and common social determinants of health (SDH).
The DoN Health Priorities are six (6) common SDH’s: Social Environment, Built Environment, Housing, Violence and Trauma, Employment, and Education. The DoN’s CHI Guidelines call for the establishment of the CHI Healthy Aging Fund. Long-Term Care Facilities with approved DoNs will be directed to contribute their required CHI resources to the CHI Healthy Aging Fund. The CHI amount is dependent on the type of DoN project and is either 1% or 3% of the total maximum capital expenditure of the DoN project. The CHI Healthy Aging Advisory Committee will provide recommendations on the use of the funds raised through this process.
The goal of the CHI Healthy Aging Fund is to support the development of Age-Friendly communities following the eight (8) elements of an age-friendly community and/or funding strategies that are consistent with the strategic efforts and goals of the Healthy Aging in Action (HAIA): Advancing the National Prevention Strategy, while maintaining focus on the six DoN Health Priorities (Socio-cultural Environment; Violence and Trauma; Built/Physical Environment; Employment; Housing; and Education).
The CHI Healthy Aging Fund is designed to support prevention efforts to enable older adults to remain active, independent, and involved in their community. The CHI Healthy Aging Fund will also inform future multisector efforts to promote and facilitate healthy aging in communities.
For more detailed information on the DoN Health Priorities and the CHI process, interested parties are encouraged to review the Determination of Need CommunityBased Health Initiative Planning Guideline and the Determination of Need Health Priorities Guideline found at: http://www.mass.gov/eohhs/gov/departments/MDPH/programs/hcq/don/guidelinesbulletins-and-memorandums.html
Role of the CHI Healthy Aging Advisory Committee: The primary role of the Advisory Committee will be to provide MDPH/EOEA with recommendations on the strategic direction of the CHI Healthy Aging Fund, and it will not have a direct decision-making role. Members of the CHI Healthy Aging Fund Advisory Committee will be jointly determined by MDPH/EOEA.
Within this Advisory Committee, MDPH/EOEA seeks representation of statewide and regional stakeholders who can provide recommendations, based on experience, knowledge and influence, on effective strategies and initiatives that support healthy aging efforts. Specifically, MDPH/EOEA is interested in representation from those who can assist in advancing a community-based and social determinant of health approach to healthy aging.
The CHI Healthy Aging Fund Advisory Committee will identify overall funding priorities and identify both regional and statewide structures to implement strategies and initiatives. MDPH/EOEA will not compensate individuals for serving on this Advisory Committee. MDPH/EOEA anticipates that this Advisory Committee will meet approximately once or twice per quarter or as MDPH/EOEA determines necessary beginning in or around September 2017. Committee members will initially be asked to serve a term of either 3 or 4 years in order to stagger conclusion of service.
Interested individuals should submit an up-to-date resume or Curriculum Vitae and a letter of interest (no more than 2 pages) highlighting their relevant experience and expertise by Wednesday, August 2, 2017 at 5:00PM to:
Liz Maffei
Massachusetts Department of Public Health
250 Washington Street 4th floor
Boston, MA 02108
elizabeth.maffei@state.ma.us
MDPH and EOEA will review the responses and select individuals who bring the greatest breadth and depth of relevant knowledge and expertise to serve on the Advisory Committee. Preference will be given to individuals who represent organizations with a statewide or regional focus. In selecting members, MDPH/EOEA also seek to ensure representation of diverse community types, including racial, ethnic, socio-economic, ability, and geographic diversity. MDPH/EOEA anticipates capping the number of Advisory Committee members at no more than 15. MDPH/EOEA reserve the right to request additional information from potential participants, solicit additional individuals for participation, and reject applicants for participation as appropriate to assure that the Advisory Committee meets the agencies’ needs.