Cross-Sector Collaboration
The Consortium was founded on the premise that agencies and providers need to work outside of their respective institutions and sectors and collaborate across the health and housing fields in order to better serve their shared clients/consumers. We believe that meeting face-to-face is essential to developing meaningful relationships. To this end, the Consortium organizes events and workgroups to bring people from different organizations and sectors together in the same room in order to make new connections that can help them better serve their clients.
Below are some of our work initiatives around this cross-sector collaboration. Visit our Housing Marketplace page and Annual Convenings page for more information on these events.
Below are some of our work initiatives around this cross-sector collaboration. Visit our Housing Marketplace page and Annual Convenings page for more information on these events.
Medicaid Redesign Team (MRT) Pilot Scattered-Site Housing Program: Toolkit and Lessons Learned
The recent implementation of health reform and the establishment of the Health Home Program to focus on high cost Medicaid populations puts into stark relief that the homeless and precariously housed populations are a significant driver of inappropriate health care utilization and high Medicaid costs. The New York State Department of Health (NYSDOH) Medicaid Redesign Team (MRT) recognized this need for housing and launched the Supportive Housing Health Home Pilot Project. The new MRT Pilot Project provides rental subsidies for scattered-site supportive housing units available to Health Home members—Medicaid recipients with high Medicaid spending and chronic conditions. This differs from other MRT housing programs, which require specific diagnoses (behavioral health and/or substance use disorder) and the 2010E application process through HRA.
A committee of the Bronx Health & Housing Consortium comprised of housing, health, research, and managed care representatives met during 2015 to discuss the targeting of these scarce MRT Pilot Program housing units to people most in need with the greatest potential for reduced avoidable hospital utilization. From this committee's work, the Consortium developed a toolkit for organizations with similar housing programs and for those seeking to make referrals into this program.
A committee of the Bronx Health & Housing Consortium comprised of housing, health, research, and managed care representatives met during 2015 to discuss the targeting of these scarce MRT Pilot Program housing units to people most in need with the greatest potential for reduced avoidable hospital utilization. From this committee's work, the Consortium developed a toolkit for organizations with similar housing programs and for those seeking to make referrals into this program.
Interagency Case Conferences
The Consortium has organized a group of stakeholders from across health and housing to conduct bimonthly case conferences where direct care staff can share their experiences working with clients who have complex medical, behavioral health, and housing needs. These conferences are open to health home care coordinators who have clients in need of housing as well as housing case managers who may be unsure what a health home is or how to work with a client's care coordinator, and everyone in between. Participants get access to the expertise of professionals from across the Bronx working with vulnerable populations and learn about new resources that can help you to better serve your clients. Attendees are welcome to share a specific client's case that has been challenging to get input and suggestions from the group. All cases are presented without any identifying information. Most importantly, attendees can make connections and discuss ways to work more closely with other types of service providers.
If you would like to learn more or attend the next interagency case conference, please contact Joe McKenzie-Hamilton.
If you would like to learn more or attend the next interagency case conference, please contact Joe McKenzie-Hamilton.
