Spectrum Generations is demonstratively committed to improving health care quality and access for the people of central Maine and beyond. Our mission is to promote and advance the well-being and independence of older and disabled adults, with the support of their care partners, to live in the community of their choice.
As a leading provider of nutrition services (home delivered and congregate), information and advice, referrals, caregiving support, licensed (Adult Daycare, Community Case Management) and registered (Personnel Support Services) Home and Community Based (HCBS) programing, and health promotion, wellness, and social activities – Spectrum Generations is well-poised and excited to participate in United Way of Kennebec Valley’s Impact2032. As such, Spectrum Generations is engaging in improved access to behavioral health support through education offered at its community centers and identifying partnerships with youth-serving organizations and schools to offer intergenerational connections between youth and older adults.
In addition, Spectrum Generations is growing Healthy Living for ME (HL4ME), a statewide Community Care Hub that provides health promotion and disease prevention programs to people living with chronic conditions as well as social care coordination services for healthcare systems and insurers. HL4ME works in partnership with local organizations and manages a network of community-based organizations that promote healthy living, disease prevention, self-management skills, and benefit navigation services to support Maine’s people.
In March, HL4ME received funding for a 15-month Rural Community Health Improvement Partnership (R-CHIP) Demonstration Project. HL4ME is actively working with 13 community-based organizations –including United Way of Kennebec Valley and Heart of Maine United Way – two health systems, and the Maine Center for Disease Control (CDC). The project’s goal is to complete cross-sector research and planning to better identify and address Health-Related Social Needs (HRSNs) in Somerset and Kennebec Counties, including building community partnerships, developing an effective governance structure among health care, social service, and other community-based organizations, and identifying financing and payment models to incentivize and sustain systems of care to better address HRSNs and promote equity. Phase one of the project will identify barriers to, and opportunities for, addressing HRSNs in the health care and community context. Phase two will develop strategies and work plan to improve the capacity of the health, social service, and public health systems to identify and begin implementation of efforts to address HRSNs.
These are very exciting opportunities for Spectrum Generations and HL4ME to collaborate with other organizations and will further advance Impact2032’s future outcomes! FMI: Lindsay MacDonald, V.P. Community Engagement, lmacdonald@spectrumgenerations.org.
