Foundation for Health Leadership & Innovation

Earlier this month, our NC Oral Health Collaborative team published the 2024 Portrait of Oral Health, an annual report that examines data, research, gaps, and provider perspectives. The team also partnered with the NC Medical Journal to release an oral health-focused edition of their November quarterly issue. In this newsletter, we explore oral health care in NC.

November is National Caregivers Month! Whether or not you're a caregiver, you surely know someone who is. Over 50 million Americans provide critical care to their parents, partners, children, siblings, and other loved ones, and this number is rapidly growing. Managing competing priorities can take an emotional, physical, and financial toll, contributing to declining health and well-being for caregivers. Throughout November—and all year—we celebrate and support caregivers! Explore these resources for caregivers from Mental Health America. https://buff.ly/4hJLyZ3

Happy National Rural Health Day! We're honored to co-host today's event with the NC DHHS Office of Rural Health and Scotland Health Care System. Our founding director, Jim Bernstein, established the NC Office of Rural Health, the first in the country.?We're proud to continue his legacy of community-driven solutions through our statewide partnerships and programs. Dr. Cherry Beasley, a member of the Lumbee Tribe and an FHLI Board Member, kicked off the day with a Land Acknowledgment, and FHLI President/CEO David Reese joined the Office of Rural Health and Scotland Health Care System to give opening remarks. Thanks to all who attended!

We started #NationalRuralHealthDay at breakfast with Scotland Healthcare System providers and administrators. We talked about challenges facing our rural health systems: addressing social drivers of health in the context of folks' faith and cultural traditions; workforce training, recruitment, and retention--and providing opportunities at home; the vast substance use challenges in these areas, and people's willingness to partner in improving their own outcomes when given opportunities to meet with diabetes counselors, behavioral health providers, and all the other team members that make a whole healthy person and community. #NationalRuralHealthDay24 NC Department of Health and Human Services Care Share Health Alliance North Carolina Community Health Center Association Foundation for Health Leadership & Innovation

It's National Rural Health Day! ??The National Organization of State Offices of Rural Health recognizes this day annually on the third Thursday in November to celebrate the Power of Rural. This year, we're proud to partner with NCDHHS' Office of Rural Health and Scotland Health Care System to host a hybrid event. The 2024 theme is Homegrown Connections, referring to relationships built within rural communities based on trust, shared experiences, and local knowledge. Strong partnerships between local leaders, community groups, and residents who understand their area's unique needs can support healthier, more resilient rural communities. Hope to see you at 10 am, either virtually or in person! https://buff.ly/48E3PTj

Governor Roy Cooper announced over $14 million has been donated to the North Carolina Disaster Relief Fund since Hurricane Helene devastated Western North Carolina earlier this fall. Help has poured into the state from across the country and around the world, including in the form of monetary donations to the relief fund that are already supporting nonprofits working to meet the immediate needs of storm victims. To learn more about this incredible support and see top donors, click here: https://lnkd.in/eKe2zFi6 #ncdisasterrelief #HurricaneHelene #GovernorRoyCooper #NorthCarolina

As we honor Native American Heritage Month, we want to spotlight the incredible contributions of Dr. Joseph Bell, the 2024 FHLI Community Achievement Awardee. He is the first Lumbee pediatrician and the first Native American pediatrician in North Carolina. During his award acceptance speech at this year's Bernstein Event, he reflected on his childhood experience and lifelong commitment to serving Native children and communities: "I grew up right beside our grandfather's tobacco farm in the little Native community of Pembroke, NC, Robson County. And I ended up on the campus of UNC at age 18. And at that age, there were only about two things I really knew. Number one was this was the color of my skin, and I might as well be proud of that. And number two, that I had ancestors who had toiled and sweated and bled and died for me to have the opportunity to be on the campus as a freshman. And I made a vow to myself that I would not waste that, and I would devote my life to serving Native communities." Dr. Bell has made remarkable contributions throughout his career of serving Native children and advocating for Native communities.?He worked four years in tribal health and the Indian Health Service in Oklahoma and 24 years on the Catawba Reservation in Rock Hill, South Carolina. He is a past president and current member of the Association of American Indian Physicians, the North Carolina American Indian Health Board, and the UNC Alumni Committee on Racial and Ethnic Diversity.??He is now the managing partner for Children's Health of Carolina, which has pediatric clinics in Cumberland, Hoke, and Robeson County. He has also been a general pediatrician in their Pembroke clinic for 26 years. Join us in honoring Dr. Bell's lasting legacy in North Carolina and watch his full award acceptance speech. https://buff.ly/3Y2UMqa

“By recognizing and respecting patients’ cultural backgrounds and their impact on patients’ health behaviors and goals, health care providers can offer more accurate and efficient treatments while patients become more engaged in their health care journey.” https://lnkd.in/dbjGGUWV High Point University Foundation for Health Leadership & Innovation #oralhealth #socialdrivers #healthpolicy #NorthCarolina

The NC Department of Health and Human Services (NCDHHS) recently published its 2024 Health Disparities Analysis Report! In it, you will find a detailed overview of the impact of health disparities on populations across our state. Secretary Kody H. Kinsley emphasized the need for collective action, saying, "Every North Carolinian should have the opportunity to live a healthy life... we must be intentional in uncovering and addressing the health gaps that exist for different communities." As part of its commitment to addressing these disparities, NCDHHS is leveraging tools like NCCARE360, an FHLI program. The platform is the first statewide coordinated care network. It enhances collaboration among service providers, ensuring that vulnerable populations can access essential resources to improve health outcomes. The report identifies several areas for improvement, including health care access, chronic disease management, and social drivers of health—all of which NCCARE360 aims to address by connecting providers and organizations across sectors in a shared technology network. Dive into the full report.