Building Healthier America

THE BUILDING HEALTHIER AMERICA MISSION IS TO SERVE AS A CENTRAL COMMUNITY RESOURCE FOR FAMILIES AS THEY NAVIGATE THE MEDICAL, HUMAN SERVICE, EDUCATIONAL AND LOCAL AGENCIES THAT SERVE CHILDREN WITH CHRONIC ILLNESS OR DISABILITY. OUR VISION IS FOR FAMILIES, THROUGHOUT THE NATION, AND THEIR CHILDREN WITH CHRONIC ILLNESS AND DISABILITIES WILL THRIVE WITH CLEAR INFORMATION, SUPPORT AND GUIDANCE WITHIN THEIR COMMUNITY. FAMILIES WILL PROVIDE DIRECTION AND GUIDANCE ON THE DESIGN, CRITICAL DELIVERABLES AND GOALS TO MEET THE NEED FOR THEMSELVES AND THEIR CHILDREN. THIS IS THE FOUNDATIONAL STRUCTURE OF HOW THIS PROJECT IS DESIGNED TO DELIVER RELEVANT AND APPROPRIATE SUPPORT TO DELIVER ESSENTIAL FAMILY NEEDS. AFTER ESTABLISHING THE BUILDING HEALTHIER AMERICA 501C3 IN 2021 WE EXAMINED THE TUCSON ARIZONA COMMUNITY FOR OUR FIRST OPERATIONAL SITE. FOLLOWING A YEAR OF RELATIONSHIP BUILDING WITH COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS AND FAMILIES, OUR PRIMARY COMMUNITY COLLABORATING ORGANIZATIONS EXPERIENCED LEADERSHIP AND ORGANIZATIONAL CHANGES THAT HALTED FURTHER COMMUNITY SITE DEVELOPMENT. OUR SECOND COMMUNITY SITE DEVELOPMENT IN THE ST. CROIX VALLEY IN WISCONSIN AND MINNESOTA WAS APPROACHED BY STRUCTURING THE SERVICES WITHOUT THE VULNERABILITY OF COLLABORATING ORGANIZATIONAL CHANGES IN LEADERSHIP OR STRUCTURE. OUR PRIMARY INTRODUCTIONS TO THE COMMUNITY AND PRIMARY HOST ORGANIZATIONS ARE ST. CROIX THERAPY, BRIDGE FOR COMMUNITY LIFE AND THE HUDSON YMCA. WE HIRED A COMMUNITY FAMILY NAVIGATOR IN PARTNERSHIP WITH LOCAL AGENCY, ST. CROIX THERAPY. ESTABLISHED A PUBLIC WEBSITE, BUILDINGHEALTHIERAMERICA.ORG AND A CONTRACTUAL RELATIONSHIP WITH A COLLABORATION SYSTEMS COMPANY, HANDZIN, TO PROVIDE HIPAA COMPLIANT COMMUNICATIONS AND CUSTOMIZED RESOURCE SEARCHES. CONVENED LOCAL FAMILY FOCUS GROUPS TO VERIFY SERVICE STRUCTURE AND PLAN. ESTABLISHED COLLABORATIVE RELATIONSHIPS WITH LOCAL MEDICAL, EDUCATIONAL AND SOCIAL SERVICE ENTITIES INCLUDING: HUDSON HOSPITAL, HUDSON PHYSICIANS, ROTARY TIMES 2, BRIDGES FOR COMMUNITY LIFE, UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN RIVER FALLS, HEALTHPARTNERS, ST. CROIX THERAPY, COUNTY SOCIAL SERVICES, ANDERSEN CORPORATION, ST. CROIX VALLEY FOUNDATION, AND A SCORE OF COMMUNITY BASED FAMILY SUPPORT ORGANIZATIONS IN THE ST.CROIX RIVER VALLEY. A COMMUNITY TASK FORCE WAS CONVENED TO COLLABORATIVELY PLAN FOR THE INITIATION OF SERVICES IN SEPTEMBER OF 2024. TECHNOLOGY AND MARKETING CONTRACTORS ARE ENGAGED TO COMPLETE THE SERVICES DESIGN AND COMMUNICATION IN PREPARATION FOR THE RELEASE OF SERVICES. COMMUNITY PARTNERS AND LOCAL FAMILIES ARE STAGED TO PROVIDE GUIDANCE AND SUPPORT FOR SERVICES AS THEY ARE INITIATED. AN EVALUATION TEAM IS ASSEMBLED TO DEVELOP A FORMAL EVALUATION ONCE THE PROGRAM IS STABLIZED IN WINTER OF 2024 -2025. SUSTAINABLE FUNDING ACTIVITIES WILL BE EXPANDED IN 2024 TO SUPPORT THE NEXT THREE YEARS OF FUNDING THROUGH THE EVALUATION CYCLE.