Category : Community

Compassion Architects Activate and Spread Compassion

04.10.2018 274

Research suggests that to change the social architecture of an environment (e.g., the “I” versus “Us” mentality) is to act as a “compassion architect” or a person that can activate and spread compassion.

Community

The Power of Positive Stressors

12.07.2018 304

In response to a HealthConnect Fellow's question about how to foster collaboration in times of scarcity and competition, a respected thought leader shared that his perspective has been to view disagreement and different approaches to work as “positive stressors.” He shared that the perspective of “positive stressors” provides an opportunity to review the direction of coalitions and/or their goals to determine if work is moving in the right direction.

Community

Mid-Iowa Health Foundation Announces New Strategic Initiative

23.10.2017 1005

Today, I had the honor of launching a new initiative for Mid-Iowa Health Foundation. In a room filled with community partners and thought leaders I announced the launch of the Mid-Iowa Health Foundation HealthConnect Fellowship and the seven inaugural Fellows who were selected by MIHF's Board of Directors to participate in this unique initiative, which brings together key leaders in the community to advance the upstream system level changes necessary to more adequately address social determinants of children’s health.

For all children in Central Iowa to have equal opportunity for good health, greater attention and resources must be directed to addressing the fundamental causes of poor health for children and youth. These fundamental causes, or social determinants, of health are often largely impacted by public and private, organization, local, state and federal policies and practices.

The Mid-Iowa Health Foundation HealthConnect Fellowship strives to engage and build the capacity of key professionals working to improve social determinants of children's health, and help them grow as public policy change agents to improve children's health in central Iowa.

This HealthConnect Fellowship Blog is intended to share learnings from the Fellows and other national experts with our broader community of children's health advocates.