Interview: Technical Assistance Provided to the Accountable Health Community Model Grantees

We interviewed Rishi Manchanda of Health Begins about the Technical Assistance being provided to the Accountable Health Community Model Grantees by HealthBegins, Mathematica Policy Research, the Center for Health Care Strategies, and Ascend IST. Learn more below:

1. What do you anticipate will be the biggest technical assistance needs among AHC model grantees?

AHC model grantees known as bridge organizations are at the forefront of addressing a critical gap between clinical care and community services in the current health care delivery system. Under direction of the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation (CMMI), AHC bridge organization awardees will participate in a learning needs assessment. The results of that assessment will help our team and CMMI identify and tailor technical assistance for the highest areas of need. It is likely that the identified needs will include screening Medicare and Medicaid beneficiaries for health-related social needs services, and establishing data systems to track the people served by the program and report on progress.

2. How will HealthBegins and its partners address those needs?

Under direction from and in close cooperation with CMMI, our project team consisting of Mathematica Policy Research, the Center for Health Care Strategies, HealthBegins, and Ascend IST, will build and support an online learning system for bridge organizations and service organizations in the community known as model participants. Through direct communication and the online learning system, bridge organizations will share ideas, foster peer-to-peer relationships, and receive educational content and technical assistance from subject matter experts and staff.

3. How will learnings about what it takes to support systems in doing social needs screening and interventions be shared outside of CMMI?

We suggest following the model website for updates.

4. How can researchers in this space participate or collaborate with you and your partners in this effort?

The AHC Model will be evaluated by a third-party evaluator, to be determined. Meanwhile, our team and CMMI will consider opportunities to share relevant insights and information through public forums and research meetings and possibly publications after the model has been implemented.