Developments at The Arkansas Center for Health Improvement Suzanne McCarthy Founding Associate

Arkansas Center for Health Improvement History Formally organized in 1998 Independent, nonpartisan organization Partnership between ADH and UAMS,and Arkansas Blue Cross and Blue Shield July 2003 – Joseph W. Thompson MD, MPH – new director

Goal To stimulate, support and complement the work of others committed to health improvement by acting as a catalyst for public health policy change.

Catalyst: An agent that provokes or speeds significant change or actions without using itself up. Identify early on a mechanism for transferring ownership - an external partner will own the issue in the long term Principal Survival Strategy

Relevance to Arkansas Inclusion of population-based approaches and a broad definition of health Potential for collaboration and resource partners Generation of non-partisan, high quality and timely information How do we choose what we do?

Initially, ACHI Had Four Key Functions Health policy research and development Improve professional training in population health and related areas Program Development - New Initiatives Public Education and Health Advocacy

Health Policy Advisory Board 21 members broad-based representation of healthcare stakeholders Set policy agenda Administrative Committee UAMS, ADH, BCBS Approve budget and hire/evaluate Director Governance Structure

Funding: Total Budget: $3,201,139 Core Budget: $1, 892, 814 Grant and Contracts: $1, 308,325 Total FTE’S: 15 ACHI employees, 3 FTE equivalent (7 individuals) Resources

ACHI’S Mission has evolved to Improving health through evidence -based health policy research, program development, and public issue advocacy. Strategic Refocusing

Programs Established by the Tobacco Settlement Proceeds Act Include Eight CDC recommended tobacco control and prevention programs Expansion of Medicaid Minority health initiative and outreach campaign

New satellite centers on aging An Area Health Education Center for the Delta Creation of the Biosciences Institute Creation of the College of Public Health Programs Continued

Key Success Factors Clear sense of mission and strategic vision, coupled with ability to recognize and act quickly to take advantage of new health improvement opportunities Maintaining catalytic strategies which foster collaboration focusing on the long term health improvement of Arkansans Key health professionals at the MD/PhD level, were recruited and supported

Key Success Factors Institutional status as a quasi- independent partnership between UAMS, ADH and Arkansas BC/BS Unrestricted core funding from UAMS, ADH, Arkansas BC/BS and WRCT

Gen. Assembly Joint Committee on Health Insurance & RX Costs SRAP ACHI Team Health Policy Board ACHI Administrative Committee Insurance Roundtable Healthcare Financing CHART Tobacco ACHI Technical Assistance Medicaid Financing At Risk Population Tobacco Settlement Proceeds Act of 2000 Tobacco Settlement Commission Rural Health -SRAP -CHCS -AHEC

Minority Health -ARMHC -MLKC ACHI Data Team Data Initiative ACHI MH Team Mental Health ? QOC Team Quality of Care Business Group on Health ADH DHS AR BCBS State Employees Health Insurance Plan Large Employers BMI Task Force Obesity Initiative Child Health Advisory Committee Health Policy Board ACHI Administrative Committee Rural Health -SRAP -CHCS -AHEC Gen. Assembly Joint Committee on Health Insurance & RX Costs 2002 Roundtable Report Insurance Roundtable Healthcare Financing CHART Tobacco ACHI Technical Assistance Medicaid Financing SRAP ACHI Team At Risk Population Tobacco Settlement Proceeds Act of 2000 Tobacco Settlement Commission Medicaid Technical Asst. Center

Minority Health -ARMHC -MLKC ACHI Data Team Data Initiative ACHI MH Team Mental Health ? QOC Team Quality of Care Business Group on Health ADH DHS AR BCBS State Employees Health Insurance Plan Large Employers BMI Task Force Obesity Initiative Child Health Advisory Committee Health Policy Board ACHI Administrative Committee Rural Health -SRAP -CHCS -AHEC Gen. Assembly Joint Committee on Health Insurance & RX Costs 2002 Roundtable Report Insurance Roundtable Healthcare Financing CHART Tobacco ACHI Technical Assistance Medicaid Financing SRAP ACHI Team At Risk Population Tobacco Settlement Proceeds Act of 2000 Tobacco Settlement Commission Medicaid Technical Asst. Center