The Center of Excellence to Align Health and Social Care (COE), part of the Aging and Disability Business Institute at USAging, is excited to announce the selection of 20 Community Care Hubs (CCH) for new infrastructure and innovation grants. The awardees, who were selected through a highly competitive proposal process, represent 18 states and every region of the country.

Congratulations to the following organizations:

• Age Well (VT)
• Atlanta Regional Community Care Hub Development (GA)
• Better Health Together CCH (WA)
• Community Assistance and Transition Care of Houston (TX)
• Direction Home Aging & Disabilities (OH)
• DRCOG Community Care Hub (CO)
• Health Coalition of Passaic County, Inc. (NJ)
• Health Promotion Council Community Care Hub (PA)
• Healthy Living for ME® (ME)
• Illinois Pathways to Health (IL)
• Inclusive Alliance (NY)
• Iowa Community HUB (IA)
• Mass Home Care (MA)
• Mid-America Community Support Network (MO)
• Oregon Wellness Network (OR)
• Partners in Care Foundation, Inc. (CA)
• Southern Nevada Pathways Community Hub (NV)
• Southwest Community Care Partners (AZ)
• Texas Healthy at Home (TX)
• Western New York Integrated Care Collaborative (NY)

The intent of these awards is to provide infrastructure funding to the selected CCHs in support of their contracting efforts with health care organizations for coordinated access to and delivery of social care programs and services (including support for hospital-to-home care transition programs) that assess and address health-related social needs and improve health equity and inclusion for individuals, families and/or caregivers. These efforts will also enhance state No Wrong Door access systems and coordinate with local and/or state public health departments.

These grants are supported by the Administration for Community Living (ACL), U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) through a cooperative agreement totaling approximately $12 million over a three-year period with 100-percent funding by ACL/HHS. This funding is part of the COE’s effort to support the development and expansion of sustainable, high-functioning aging and disability CCHs and their networks of social care programs and service providers. The COE will provide the selected CCHs with technical assistance and multi-level capacity-building efforts that promote whole-person care through the alignment of health, public health and social care systems.

“USAging is thrilled to award grants to these 20 outstanding Community Care Hubs,” said USAging CEO Sandy Markwood. “CCHs provide critical administrative and operational supports for networks of Area Agencies on Aging, Centers for Independent Living and other community-based organizations providing services addressing the health-related social needs of individuals with complex care needs and their caregivers. This funding will bolster the vital work CCHs do in their communities every day to align health and social care to meet people’s needs.” Markwood continued.

“Health care providers and plans are increasingly prioritizing screening for health-related social needs such as food insecurity, housing instability, unaffordable utilities and lack of transportation, and the aging and disability networks are critical partners in connecting people to the services and programs needed to address them,” said Alison Barkoff, who leads ACL. “It has been truly amazing to see the speed at which this work has advanced, thanks in large part to our network’s creation of community care hubs, which are establishing partnerships and contracts between community-based organizations and health care organizations across the nation. ACL looks forward to ongoing collaboration with the Center of Excellence to continue growing community care hubs across the entire country.”

USAging thanks all organizations that participated in the COE Grant application process and looks forward to the shared lessons to come from this initiative.

About USAging
USAging is the national association representing and supporting the network of Area Agencies on Aging and advocating for the Title VI Native American Aging Programs. Our members help older adults and people with disabilities throughout the United States live with optimal health, well-being, independence and dignity in their homes and communities. For more information, visit usaging.org and follow @theUSAging on Facebook, X and Instagram.

About the Center of Excellence to Align Health and Social Care
The Center of Excellence to Align Health and Social Care (COE), part of the Aging and Disability Business Institute at USAging, is supported by the Administration for Community Living (ACL), U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), through a cooperative agreement totaling approximately $12 million over a three-year period with 100-percent funding by ACL/HHS.

Link to the USAging announcement