Community Catalyst Consulting

Creating a narrative of change from within

Through our consulting services and community engagement expertise, we foster multi-sector partnerships with health plans, hospitals, providers and government agencies and implementing partners to center community perspective and leadership in the implementation of policy and practice change that aligns race equity and health justice. We seek to create a narrative of change on health system transformation and innovation from within the health system itself. By working within the health care and public health ecosystem, we influence how government policies get implemented and how health plans, hospitals and others are implementing structures and practices within their organizations that impact communities they serve and how they are engaged.  This helps us deepen our impact and further our organization’s vision to build a health system that puts people over profit, addresses structural racism and other inequities, and is responsive and accountable to all people.

Whether you’re a potential client, partner, or an interested stakeholder, our integrated consulting services are tailored to meet your unique needs. As you explore our new and ongoing projects below, keep in mind that these are just a glimpse — a sample — of what we offer. We’re committed to supporting your vision for a stronger, more vibrant movement for health justice rooted in race equity. 

Our Areas of Expertise Dig Deeper Success Stories & Case Studies

Success Stories & Case Studies

We have numerous success stories and case studies that demonstrate our capabilities and the impact of our work. These include projects with organizations, coalitions, health systems, health plans, and government entities. A few examples include:

Transforming Communities Initiative (TCI)

Community Catalyst successfully partners with Trinity Health, a national health system, in a transformative initiative aimed at advancing health equity for the communities that Trinity Health serves. The Trinity Health Transforming Communities Initiative (TCI), focuses on nine communities of color experiencing significantly low socioeconomic status and health inequities. Community Catalyst’s role is to assist three TCI communities (Maywood, IL, Hartford, CT, and Springfield, MA) implement health improvement solutions that use input from the community to improve racial equity through policy, systemic and environmental change strategies. We assess readiness for change (e.g., are they equipped to embrace health improvement solutions) and delve into their existing resources, capacities, and aspirations; provide technical assistance by strengthening community-skills, knowledge and infrastructure; and advise on incorporating community voices into planning and decision-making processes. As a result of our efforts and support, the communities produced tangible outcomes such as logic models, community action plans and capacity-building training. These tools have been instrumental in helping these communities develop and implement evidence-based strategies to address root causes of poor health identified in the most recent Community Health Needs Assessments in Springfield and Hartford. The work done with TCI demonstrates our commitment to improving the health of our communities.

Community Catalyst, in collaboration with LeadingAge LTSS Center @UMass Boston

With generous support from the California Health Care Foundation and The SCAN Foundation, we successfully completed a pilot project aimed at improving the quality of Medicaid Home and Community Based Services (HCBS) for dually eligible older adults of color. Our unique approach involved co-creating a set of survey questions with the very people who use these services, ensuring their experiences and needs were at the forefront of our work. Our findings highlighted several key areas for improvement in HCBS quality measures, including access to services, post-acute care experiences, and the empathy and compassion of care providers. We also identified the need for better coordination across care providers, clearer guidance for consumers when problems arise, and measures to document instances of discrimination during the caregiving process. This case study demonstrates Community Catalyst’s commitment to centering the voices of those most impacted by health policies and practices. Our collaborative approach, combined with our technical expertise, enables us to drive meaningful improvements in health care quality and equity. Our work ensures that health system innovation is person-centered, balancing the intricacies of health systems change, and ultimately improving the experiences of all people, particularly those most harmed by the current health system.

“I want to express our deepest gratitude to the members of the Advisory Councils for their hard work on the Strategy. ACL also thanks our partners, without whom this important work would not have been possible…”

Technical Assistance to Support Providers in Providing Care to Dually Eligible Individuals

Community Catalyst has partnered with The Lewin Group in supporting their work with the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, Medicare Medicaid Coordination Office. Community Catalyst aided in the design and facilitation community of practice sessions with health plans on a variety of topics such as health equity and behavioral health. These communities of practice sought to bring together a variety of health care plans to foster a space that encouraged sharing, learning, teaching, and growth around care provision for dually eligible plan participants with complex care needs.  Community Catalyst also facilitated webinar series on a variety of topics focused on improving care for dually eligible individuals and served as subject matter experts to support resource and event development.

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Commitment to Equity

Our Commitment to Equity

Community Catalyst is deeply committed to building a health system that is accountable to all people, especially those who have been systematically excluded or harmed by the current health system. We believe that everyone deserves a health system that ensures they get the care they need and are treated with dignity and respect. Our work is rooted in the principles of race equity and health justice, and we are dedicated to developing bold policy changes and strategies that are informed by the leadership and perspective of those most harmed by the health system today. We work closely with organizations across the country to advance health equity, providing leadership and support to health advocates at all levels to integrate a health equity lens into their policy goals and advocacy efforts. We also strive to advance policies and practices that address discrimination and other structural barriers to health and access to care.

Our key strategies for achieving health equity include addressing social determinants of health, ensuring access to essential health services, and protecting and expanding comprehensive care for LGBTQ+ people. We believe that by removing unjust, avoidable, and remediable inequities in health status or outcomes, we can help build a health system that is shaped by and accountable to all people.

Our commitment to equity is a valuable asset and proposition to any contractor that we may contract with or provide technical assistance or consulting. We bring a unique perspective and approach to our work, and we are known for our ability to foster community engagement and organizing initiatives that make the health industry and policymakers more attuned to what people want and need. Our vision for health justice is one where everyone can achieve the best health outcomes possible, and we are dedicated to making this vision a reality.