CT Social Determinants of Health Summit 2024

Time

Room

Topic

Speaker

Description

8:30 – 9:00

-- Registration --

9:00 – 9:05

Main Room

Welcome from the Chrysalis Center

Jill Fletcher, Director of Development and Communications

Welcome participants to the Chrysalis Center and highlight the work the Chrysalis center does to meet SDOH needs of the individuals they serve

9:05 – 9:15

Main Room

Opening Remarks

Deidre Gifford, Commissioner, CT Office of Health Strategy

Commissioner Gifford will welcome attendees to the CT Social Determinants of Health Summit.

9:15 – 9:30

Main Room

SDOH Summit Welcome

Governor Ned Lamont

Governor Lamont will provide opening remarks and welcome attendees.

9:30 – 10:15

Main Room

Keynote Speaker

Dr. Wizdom Powell, Chief Social Impact & Diversity Officer, Headspace Health

Dr. Powell, a psychologist, tenured professor and nationally recognized expert on racial trauma, healing and health equity will speak about her experience in the field and how we can move forward towards achieving health equity.

10:15 – 10:25

Main Room

CT’s Office of the State Treasurer – Baby Bonds

Andrea Comer, Assistant Treasurer/Chief of Staff, Office of State Treasurer

Ms. Comer will highlight Connecticut's first-in-the-nation initiative to invest directly in children. Baby Bonds invests funds on behalf of each baby born in Connecticut whose birth was covered by HUSKY.

10:25 – 11:25

Main Room

Health and Human Services Commissioners Panel

Facilitated by Tiffany Donelson, President and CEO, CT Health Foundation

Panelists:

Andrea Barton Reeves, Department of Social Services Commissioner

Jodi Hill-Lilly, Department of Children and Families Commissioner

Manisha Juthani, MD, Department of Public Health Commissioner

Seila Mosquera-Bruno, Department of Housing Commissioner

Nancy Navarretta, Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services Commissioner

Amy Porter, Aging and Disability Services Commissioner

Jordan A. Scheff, Department of Developmental Services Commissioner

Elena Trueworthy, Office of Early Childhood Deputy Commissioner

Ronald P. Welch, Department of Veteran Affairs Commissioner

State public health and human services leaders will discuss the administration’s approach to tackling health disparities by addressing SDOHs throughout an individual’s lifespan.

11:25 – 11:35

-- Transition--

11:35 – 12:35

Room A

Morning Breakout Session 1 - Leveraging Multistakeholder Participation to Address SDOH Needs Through Community Engagement

Track: Communities as Leaders

Moderated by Melissa Corrado, Health Management Associates

Panelists:

Theresa Argondezzi, Assistant Director of Health, Community Health, Norwalk Health Department

Scott Umbel, Vice President of Community Impact, United Way of Southeastern Connecticut

Jennifer Muggeo, Director of Health, Health Improvement Collaborative of SECT/Ledge Light Health District

Stephanye R. Clarke, Senior Health Program Coordinator, Ledge Light Health District

Rev. Robyn Anderson, Director, Ministerial Health Fellowship/Cross Street

Rick Brush, CEO, Wellville

Katerina Vlahos, Executive Director, United Way/Bridgeport Prospers

This panel will feature several CT Health Enhancement Communities (HEC) across the state. This initiative is focused on breaking down silos and bringing together communities and multi-disciplinary organizations to advance health equity. Communities and engaged stakeholders aim to address the root causes to poor health, including environmental hazards and social needs. Panel participants will share their strategies, lessons learned, and future of HEC work.

11:35 – 12:35

Room B

Morning Breakout Session 2 - Improving Economic Security to Impact Health and Well-Being through Unrestricted Cash Pilots

Track: Communities as Leaders

Moderated by Andrea Barton Reeves, Commissioner, Department of Social Services

Panelists:

Sarah Blanton, CEO, 4-CT

Cesar Aleman, Director, CT Urban Opportunity Collaborative

Abraham Santiago, 4-CT

Trevor Dixon, 4-CT

Aleena Durant, UpTogether

Teta Peay, UpTogether

This panel will highlight guaranteed income pilots in New Haven, Hartford, and Bridgeport working to demonstrate the economic, health, and social benefits of direct cash assistance for vulnerable populations. Panelists will provide information on the impact of guaranteed income ,including preliminary feedback from program participants.Featuredpartnersinclude4-CT and the CT Urban Opportunity Collaborative. 4-CT is an independent 501(c)3aligningphilanthropic efforts and tackling the health and economic disparities of Connecticut’s most vulnerable populations. The CT Urban Opportunity Collaborative coordinates work across the state through partnerships with the Hartford Foundation for Public Giving, the Community Foundation for Greater New Haven, and Fairfield County’s Community Foundation, developing collective strategies to dismantle structural racism and advance social and economic mobility.

11:35 – 12:35

Room C

Morning Breakout Session 3 - Improving Access to Safe and Affordable Housing for Vulnerable Populations (families and children with low-incomes and individuals with intellectual disabilities)

Track: Public-Private Partnerships

Panelists:

Jennifer Jones, Education Consultant, CT Office of Early Childhood

Dr. Shante Hanks, Senior Advisor for Education & Housing Stability, Director of Head Start on Housing (HSOH), CT Department of Housing; CT Office of Early Childhood; CT State Department of Education

Karen Pascale, CT Head Start Collaboration Office Director, CT Office of Early Childhood

Elba Caraballo, MSW, Ph.D., Director of Housing, CT Department of Developmental Services

Steve DiLella, Director, Individual and Family Support Program Unit, CT Department of Housing

This two-part session will speak to how Connecticut is addressing housing needs for two vulnerable populations.

This panel will first describe the CT Department of Developmental Service's approach to meeting the needs of individuals with intellectual disability by combining rental assistance and qualified provider support in an apartment setting.

Second, the panel will highlight a first-in-the-nation program that provides housing choice vouchers to children and families experiencing homelessness enrolled in CT Head Start programs through direct linkages to programs and resources available through CT's Department of Housing.

12:35

-- Lunch --

1:00 – 1:40

Main Room

Spotlight – Accelerating Equity and Achieving Better Health Outcomes Through Effective Use of SDOH Data

Sumit Sajnani, Health Information Technology Officer, CT Office of Health Strategy

Jennifer Searls, Executive Director, Connie

Lisa Tepper Bates, President and CEO, United Way of Connecticut

Social Determinants of Health (SDOH) play a crucial role in shaping health outcomes, influencing approximately 70% of overall health. This understanding underscores the necessity of expanding the scope of health data collection beyond clinical settings. By including demographic information, socioeconomic status, education level, access to transportation, and housing stability, a more comprehensive picture of individuals' health needs can be obtained. Effective utilization of SDOH data requires seamless sharing across the spectrum of care, involving collaboration between healthcare providers, community-based organizations (CBOs) and closed-loop referral services. Best practices for sharing SDOH data include establishing interoperable platforms and integrated systems to facilitate communication between stakeholders. Closed-loop referral services ensure that patients are connected with the necessary community resources, addressing their social needs alongside medical treatment. Integrating SDOH and referral data within statewide HIE can play a pivotal role in facilitating the exchange of health information across all settings and allow for identification and evaluation of residents’ needs and available services along with effectively addressing health disparities.

Through case studies and examples, the panel highlights practical strategies for implementing SDOH data initiatives and overcoming barriers to collaboration.

1:40 – 2:20

Main Room

Spotlight – Community Health Workers (CHWs)

Moderated by Shayna Cunningham PhD, UConn Health

Panelists:

Milagrosa “Millie” Seguinot, Executive Director, CHW Association of CT (CHWACT)

Jessica Hill, Patient Navigator, Yale New Haven Health, New London

Fitzritson Ingram, Recovery Support Specialist/CHW, The Village for Family and Children

Regina Gibson, CHW

Community Health Workers operating across Connecticut will discuss how they address SDOHs impacting the communities they serve by connecting individuals to resources and support. CHWs representing the Hartford, Bridgeport, and Norwich regions will share the work they do in conjunction with the Community Health Worker Association of CT, The Village, and Yale New Haven Health.

2:20 – 2:30

-- Transition--

2:30 – 3:30

Room A

Afternoon Breakout Session 1 - Improving Access to Affordable, Nutritious, and Culturally Connected Foods to Promote Health and Well-Being Across Connecticut

Track: Communities as Leaders

Moderated by Aubrey Roscoe, Director, Institute for Hunger Research and Solutions, CT Foodshare

Panelists:

Jason Jakubowski, President and CEO, CT Foodshare

Ben Dubow, Executive Director, Forge City Works

David Juros, Hartford Healthcare Food 4 Health Clinic

Chelsea French, Community Programs Manager, TEEG (Thompson Ecumenical Empowerment Group, Inc.)

Monica Lattimer, Huskey Harvest at UConn Waterbury

Across Connecticut, partners are coming together to identify critical and creative ways to improve food security for our residents. In this session, leaders from Connecticut Foodshare, Forge City Works, Hartford Healthcare Food 4 Health Clinic, Husky Harvest at UConn Waterbury and TEEG will discuss approaches to increase access to nutritious and fresh foods while also meeting the different health and cultural needs of residents in their communities. The session will highlight a few interventions that target food access, affordability, and nutritional value - from strategies to establish the Grocery on Broad in Hartford to deliver fresh and healthful groceries on a sliding scale or in combination with SNAP benefits; to standing up food access points in a hospital and a college campus for patients and students in need of food; to transforming a traditional food pantry into a community market that delivers healthy and nutritious options that support wellness. Connecticut Foodshare will also share recently released, updated state and national food insecurity data.

2:30 – 3:30

Room B

Afternoon Breakout Session 2 - Improving Maternal and Infant Health Outcomes and Social Needs through Universal Nurse & Community Health Worker Home Visiting

Track: Public-Private Partnerships

Moderated by Lauren Junge-Maughan, Bridgeport Hospital

Panelists:

Maura Lynch, RN, Bridgeport Hospital Family Bridge Program

Dr. Deborah Poerio, Family Bridge Program Manager, CT Office of Early Childhood

Annabelle Melendez, CHW, Bridgeport Hospital

Molly McCarthy, Mom and Family Bridge Participant

This panel will discuss CT's most recent effort to improve maternal and infant health outcomes through health and SDOH intervention. Family Bridge is an interagency first collaboration and a public-private partnership that led to the implementation of the state's Universal Nurse Home Visiting and Community Health Worker program in the Greater Bridgeport area. While Connecticut is one of a few states that are piloting universal nurse home visiting programs, it is the only state that is integrating Community Health Workers in their model. Panelists represent key partners from the Office of Early Childhood, an RN and CHW who are implementing Family Bridge, and a new mom who has participated in the pilot. They will discuss how partners are working together to improve health outcomes for mothers and babies in eight towns in Connecticut.

2:30 – 3:30

Room C

Afternoon Breakout Session 3 – Navigating Change: Coordinating Homeless Outreach Systems of Care in CT

Track: Public-Private Partnerships

Moderated by Mollie Machado, Behavioral Health Program Manager, DMHAS

Panelists:

Diana Palmer, Facility Operation Specialist, CT DOT

Mark Packer, Director of Security, Transit America Services, Inc. (TASI)

Courtney Dollar, Acting Deputy Director, CT Harm Reduction Alliance

Emma Lo, MD, Medical Director, CMHC Street Psychiatry Team, CMHC/DMHAS/Yale

James Adu, Program Manager, Street Psychiatry, DMHAS - CT Mental Health Center/Yale, Street Psychiatry Program

This panel discussion, hosted by DMHAS, will explore how state-private partnerships, community-based outreach strategies, and flexible funding streams can be leveraged to address emerging healthcare access issues for some of the most hard-to-reach vulnerable populations. The presentation will highlight the work of the CT Transit HOP (Homeless Outreach Program) and Street Psychiatry/Homeless Outreach.

3:30 – 3:40

-- Transition--

3:40 – 4:20

Main Room

Spotlight – Healthcare Professionals

Moderated by Dr. Mehul Dalal, Chief Policy Officer, Department of Social Services

Panelists:

Thomas Agresta, MD, MBI, Chairman, Professor and Director of Medical Informatics Family Medicine; Director of Clinical Informatics Center for Quantitative Medicine, UConn Health

Patrick P. Coll, MD, Geriatrics Section Chief and Professor of Family Medicine & Medicine, UConn Health

Kelly Sanchez, Licensed Master Social Worker, Optimus Health Care – emme Coalition

Healthcare providers from across Connecticut will discuss the role of SDOH, its impact on their ability to treat patients, and its implications for health outcomes. Participants will hear from a family medicine physician, a geriatrician, and a licensed clinical social worker representing a community health center, academic medical center, and a primary care practice as they share their experience caring for patients whose SDOHs are challenged and how they work to reduce negative SDOH impacts on their patients.

4:20 – 4:35

Main Room

Closing Remarks

Ayesha Clarke, Executive Director, Health Equity Solutions

Ms. Clarke will provide closing remarks based on discussions and information learned during the Summit.

4:35 – 4:45

Main Room

Meeting Conclusion

Deidre Gifford, Commissioner, CT Office of Health Strategy

Commissioner Gifford will provide remarks to conclude the state’s first Social Determinants of Health Summit