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Arizona Community of Care Network

Mission

Dignity Health- St. Joseph’s Hospital and Medical Center’s Arizona Community of Care Network (ACCN) mission is to improve the health and well-being of Arizona. The ACCN will create a “large-scale” change through engaged collaborative efforts to develop sustainable, system change to difficult problems.

Goal

The Arizona Community of Care Network – together with the hospital – will have four key goals:

  1. To assemble the elements for a solution through the development of common agendas, shared measurement systems, mutually reinforced activities, continuous communication and a backbone organization to solve difficult and complex issues.
  2. To create a “movement” for change and to develop “systems” change when possible
  3. To include solutions from outside the hospital through the nonprofit, for-profit, government, and community sector
  4. To use knowledge from the ACCN that can influence others behaviors and improve performance.

Background

Dignity Health – St. Joseph’s Hospital and Medical Center’s Arizona Community of Care Network (ACCN) is a demonstration in utilizing the “Collective Impact” model and putting it into action. The five elements of Collective Impact are demonstrated within the “Network’s” common agendas, shared measurement systems, the mutually reinforced activities, the continuous communication and identified backbone organizations. The key intent is to foster collaborations borne of shared responsibility among various organizations and agencies to transform health in our community.

This collaborative effort brings diverse community organizations, government agencies, business, community members and funding organizations, members together to work on the common goals of improving the health and wellness within Arizona’s communities. This collaborative provides the organizations and individuals an opportunity to combine and leverage resources from multiple sources in solving complex issues, create sustainable and systems change, and ultimately improve the community’s well-being. The emphasis of Arizona Community of Care Network (Collaborative) requires connections and shared accountability among healthcare, public health, social service, and broader community’s agencies and a willingness to address a common goal of solving a social problem.

What is a Community of Care?

A Community of Care is where three or more multi-sector organizations come together to develop a common agenda to meet a difficult and unsolved need within the community. They identify a “backbone” organization that will bring the groups together to ensure that constant communication is taking place in order to meet the shared measurements, deliver the activities that each organization mutually developed, and to provide solutions to difficult issues within the community which will create sustainable, long-lasting change.

Who can participate?

Any organization, individual or sector may participate in solving the communities’ issues. There is one key requirement – to leave personal agendas behind and a readiness to collaborate openly for social change. Organizations that received funding from Dignity Health Community Grants program at St. Joseph’s Hospital and Medical Center in Phoenix, Arizona are required to participate in the ACCN as part of their grant requirements.

Are all Communities of Care funded through Dignity Health Funds?

Some of the Communities of Care receive funding through the Dignity Health Community Grants Program, others are funded through outside funding, and others are supported in part from the hospital’s in-kind services and technical assistance, while others are funded by external funding sources. Communities of Care are encouraged to seek funding through diverse revenue sources together and to create revenue streams to sustain the work for the future.

What does participation require?

Funded Communities of Care are required to participate in the ACCN. The ACCN meets six times a year for two to two and half hours. Funded Communities of Care are also required to submit outcome measurements to St. Joseph’s Hospital’s Community Health Department and share their findings with others at the ACCN.

How long can organization participate?

Dignity Health Community Grants are determined yearly and organizations will be informed on their ability to apply or not based on Dignity Health’s requirements. There is no limit to organizations participation within the ACCN. All are welcome! 

ACCN Meeting Calendar

The following are the 2014-2015 Communities of Care that were funded through Dignity Health Community Grants