Collaboration and Service Improvement:

• Expand access to free healthcare services with the new Good Neighbor Health Clinic in Lebanon, NH. 

• Increase workforce development opportunities for early career Dental Assistants with training programs at HACTC and preceptorships with local dental practices.

• Facilitate a process to improve navigation of health insurance options, social service programs, and other resources available to people in need to identify and close gaps. Implement or create a tool to increase access to information and increase coordination among providers. 

• To increase the connection of individuals aged 50+ to needed resources in the region. 

Education:

• Engage Town Welfare Officers in discussion around the importance of addressing health care costs and referral for support during bi-annual meetings facilitated by the PHC.

Advocacy: 

• Host Bi-State Legislative Breakfast every two years to engage state policymakers in discussion of local health priorities.

• Promote the value of Community Paramedicine Programs and advocate for insurance reimbursement for these community-based services. 

• Promote alternative approaches to fund health and dental care for un- and under-insured people. 

Equity:

• Offer free flu vaccine clinics and COVID-19 vaccine clinics in community settings to reduce barriers to receiving vaccines. 

• Offer free dental services in school-based dental clinics. 

• Conduct a systematic review of health care and behavioral healthcare access in the Upper Valley from the perspective of traditionally marginalized groups and their overall well-being. 

• Increase capacity of grassroots and small organizations representing people with lived experience of health inequities to address the concerns of their communities independently through grantmaking and technical assistance. 

Uninsured adults have worse health outcomes than their insured counterparts, attributed to lower healthcare utilization and restricted access to preventative care. Due to the large expenses characteristic of the United States' health system, many people without insurance forego care entirely to avoid going into debt. According to the Commonwealth Fund, treatment for a broken leg can cost up to $7,500, while a 3-day hospital stay averages around $30,000. The Healthy People 2030 target aims for 92.4% of United States residents to have health insurance.

• Good Neighbor Health Clinic (GNHC)
• Dartmouth Hitchcock (DH)
• Alice Peck Day Memorial Hospital (APD)
• Hartford Area Career and Technology Center (HACTC)
• Public Health Council (PHC)
• Service Link
• Area Council on Aging Partners
• Upper Valley Service Coordinators Roundtable
• Mt. Ascutney Hospital and Health Center (MAHHC)
• Red Logan Dental Clinic (RLDC)
• Upper Valley Regional Public Health Network (UVRPHN)
• Vermont Department of Health/ White River Junction District Office (VDH/WRJ)
• HealthHub
• Upper Valley Community Health Equity Partnership (UVCHEP) Steering Committee

Data Overview: The US Census Bureau's Small Area Health Insurance Estimates (SAHIE) collects data about the insurance status of US residents by county. The SAHIE uses data collected and statistical modeling to make an estimate of uninsured adults by county.

Limitations: Considering the limitations of data modeling is important before using this metric to track progress. People without a permanent residence are less likely to respond to the US Census and are more likely to be uninsured, which leads to an underestimate of the percentage of adults without health insurance.