View as Webpage

Housing & Health Equity Fellows continue their work in a new way

Healthcare For Housing – a New Coalition for Housing Stability

H&HE fellows were convened by GMHF, the Center for Community Investment, and Minnesota Housing six times over 10 months with a mix of virtual and in person training and participation in the national Accelerating Health Equity Conference last May. Each of the Fellows teams have developed plans for transformational work on the part of their healthcare institutions in MN. In addition to the actions of individual institutions the members of the learning cohort have asked GMHF to continue its convening role in 2024.

Allina Health Commits to Anchor Institution Strategy in South Minneapolis

Allina Health is joining local and national movements as an anchor institution deepening its commitment to making new investments addressing social determinants of health (SDOH) including affordable housing. Through campus renovation with a new surgical and critical care services building this Healthcare and Housing member organization is showing the power of community impact investment.

Resources

More Seniors Experiencing Homelessness 

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) identifies seniors and older adults as the fastest-growing group experiencing homelessness, since 2020. In response to this critical need, Caring.com has created a comprehensive guide for adults over 55 (and their families) navigating challenging circumstances. This guide includes:

• Resources for Emergency Housing in Every State
• Senior Programs for Emergency Housing
• “What Is Emergency Housing and Why Do We Need It?”

Housing Stabilization Services Technical Assistance for 2024  

MESH-MN with other partner organizations makes up the Housing Stabilization Services Technical Assistance Team. This group created a pool of resources with recorded trainings and other tools, offering consultations at no cost for organizations working to end homelessness. Technical assistance is one-on-one with a light touch. Go to their website first and then contact their team for more specific support: hss-tateam@mesh-mn.org.

A State Tax Credit for Affordable Housing 

Healthcare institutions with state tax liability could use a new Minnesota housing tax credit to create housing in proximity to hospitals or medical centers. The program provides an 85% credit for specific projects, giving significant leverage to housing investments. Learn more about how to put this tax credit program to use from Minnesota Housing.

Minnesota Housing Partnership (MHP) Legislative Preview

Join Minnesota Legislators, political insiders, and other housing advocates at MHP's preview of Minnesota’s 2024 Legislative Session. February 8th from 8 to 9:30 am at Carpenter’s Union Hall in St. Paul. Light breakfast and coffee will also be provided.

Research

Medicaid and Housing Payments 

The Washington Post reports more states are pursuing Medicaid related strategies to address social determinants of health for Medicaid beneficiaries. 19 states have approved these new flexible strategies, dovetailing the Biden administration’s strategy on hunger and nutrition and ending homelessness in the US. Depending on the rules in each state, funds can be used to pay for rent, utilities, and other medically necessary housing accommodations.

Save the date: MN advocates are looking into this opportunity for more uses for Medicaid in Minnesota. Please save the date for a discussion regarding a new report on the topic March 15 from 9am -11am at the Delta Hotel, 1330 Industrial Blvd NE, Minneapolis, MN 55413. More information to follow.

2024 Healthy Equity Conference 

The annual Accelerating Health Equity conference is where community health and equity take center stage. Last year the 3-day conference was held in Minneapolis, our HH&E fellows were in attendance. This year’s conference will be held May 7th – 9th in Kansas City, MO. Registration is open now.

Social Housing Sector and Health 

Shelterforce Magazine and the New York Times explore the unique approach to housing in Vienna, Austria. Vienna regularly ranks as the most livable city on earth. Their social housing sector is one reason they consistently score high on health and stability. These articles explore their model and how transferable it is to the US.

We're collecting stories for future newsletters

• Have you recently completed a neat project with a health services component?
• Are you a service provider who has recently made an impact?
• Do you have details to share about new models that work?



We want to know about these and other stories!

Do you know someone who may be interested in receiving these emails?

Please share so they can Register