As the nation strives towards quality and equity in health care, organizations are finding new and innovative ways to support this vision. One such organization is the REACH Healthcare Foundation. This Foundation is a nonprofit charitable organization established in 2003 and dedicated to improving access and quality of health care for uninsured and medically underserved individuals in a six-county area that spans Kansas and Missouri. Since 2005, the foundation has maintained a commitment to funding oral health, mental health and safety net health services in this bi-state region.
Unlike many funders who primarily fund programs and direct services, REACH has maintained a longtime commitment to funding core operations of community-based organizations working in health access and health care quality. Since its start, the foundation has awarded $8.9 million in core operating grants to organizations whose work is aligned with the foundation’s mission and goals, and that engage in continuous quality improvement with an eye toward improved patient outcomes. In 2013, REACH invited a group of high-performing core operating grantees to become part of a Learning Community to develop and extend their effectiveness as key health providers, advocates and systems change leaders. CM is engaged in assisting the Learning Community partners in the core capacity of planning for unpredictable and chaotic times.
For more information on the REACH Health Care Foundation go to: http://reachhealth.org.
