October 8, 2024 – WASHINGTON – Community of Hope announces a three-year, $3 million partnership with the United Health Foundation. This collaboration aims to improve health outcomes for residents with chronic conditions in the District, particularly in underserved areas such as Wards 7 and 8.
Residents in Ward 8 experience significantly higher rates of hypertension, with 40.5% of Black residents affected compared to an overall rate of 27.9% in Washington, D.C. This partnership will address these disparities, allowing Community of Hope to enhance and expand its chronic disease management program, in order to:
- Improve health outcomes for patients managing diabetes, hypertension, and asthma.
- Decrease preventable hospitalizations through enhanced care coordination and patient engagement.
- Transition patients who have been hospitalized back into home and primary care.
The expanded approaches include additional nutrition consultation and education and increased clinical engagement and coordination. The program continues the impactful one-on-one engagement of community health workers, who play an integral role in helping patients manage their hypertension. Anita, a resident of Ward 8 and a patient at Community of Hope, shared, “Having a community health worker has made a difference in helping me manage my chronic conditions because of all the suggestions and advice. You feel like you have a family. The whole team shows how much they care.”
Kathlyn Wee, CEO of UnitedHealthcare Community Plan of Maryland & D.C., recognizes, “For underserved patients with chronic conditions, access to culturally appropriate resources and care is crucial to improving health and well-being. The United Health Foundation’s partnership with Community of Hope means more people in the District of Columbia will have access to better care coordination and services they need to manage their health in ways that best meet their needs.”
“Improving health outcomes for patients with complex health issues is a team effort. Thanks to our newest partner, the United Health Foundation, we can maintain and expand our team, including community health workers, nurses, and nutritionists, to help patients thrive,” Kelly Sweeney McShane, Community of Hope’s President and CEO added.
Community of Hope’s Community Health Worker program began as a pilot in 2022, with support from DC Health. Since the launch, the program cared for 324 patients and graduated patients after they controlled their hypertension. The team of four community health workers and a program manager are excited to be partnering with the United Health Foundation to make a meaningful impact on the health and well-being of community members.
About Community of Hope
Founded in 1980, Community of Hope is a rapidly growing, innovative, and mission-driven nonprofit. Our team of over 400 caring, dedicated staff members provides housing, healthcare, and supportive services to make Washington, DC more equitable. We operate three community health centers that provide medical, dental, and emotional wellness as well as extensive patient support services which reached 15,785 people in 2023. We also work to end and prevent family homelessness in Washington, DC and are the only[KM1] nonprofit in DC providing all services along the homelessness continuum, having impacted 1,525 families and 210 individuals in 2023.
About United Health Foundation
Through collaboration with community partners, grants and outreach efforts, the United Health Foundation works to improve the health system, build a diverse and dynamic health workforce and enhance the well-being of local communities. The United Health Foundation was established by UnitedHealth Group in 1999 as a not-for-profit, private foundation dedicated to improving health and health care. To date, the United Health Foundation has committed nearly $800 million to programs and communities around the world, including a $100 million commitment to help diversify the health workforce. To learn more, visit UnitedHealthFoundation.org.
