Funders Forum on Accountable Health

A Project of the GW Department of Health Policy and Management

What is an Accountable Community for Health?

Accountable Communities for Health (ACHs) are community-based partnerships formed across sectors such as health care, housing, social services, public health, employment training and economic development to focus on a shared vision and responsibility for the health of the community. These communities are pursuing an integrated approach to health that focuses not only on the clinical setting but also on how the broader community can support health care’s “Triple Aim” of better care for individuals, better health for populations, and lower health care costs. There are Accountable Communities for Health in various stages of development in nearly every part of the country.  Public and private health care payors’ focus on value-based purchasing is stimulating increased interest in addressing health-related unmet social needs and Accountable Communities for Health-like models.  These models currently are supported through a variety of means including philanthropy and business interests as well as a $150 million federal initiative in 32 sites to test the impact of identifying and addressing health-related social needs on health care utilization and cost.  States also are using other federal health care payment system reform models, like the State Innovation Model Initiative, to focus on addressing these social determents of health.   ACHs are known by various names depending on the community, including “accountable care communities,” “coordinated care organizations,” or “accountable health communities,” among other variations in name.

How does an Accountable Community for Health differ from an Accountable Care Organization (ACO)?

ACOs hold providers responsible for better management of clinical conditions in a patient population. ACHs work across sectors and share accountability for the health of a community.

What is the purpose of the Forum?

The purpose of the Funders Forum on Accountable Health is to create a common table for the growing number of public and philanthropic funders supporting Accountable Communities for Health initiatives to share ideas, experiences, and expertise.  It also creates a shared venue for funders to explore potential collaborations and consider how to assess the impact of these investments over time. 

Who is participating in the Forum?

• The following private foundations are supporting the Forum: the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, Kresge Foundation, W.K. Kellogg Foundation, Blue Shield of California Foundation, Episcopal Health Foundation, The Commonwealth Fund (CMWF), RCHN Community Health Foundation, Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Carolina Foundation, and the California Endowment (on behalf of the California Accountable Communities for Health Initiative collaborative). 
• The following federal agencies are participating in the Forum: the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), including the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation (CMMI) and the Center for Medicaid and CHIP Services; the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the Office of the National Coordinator for Health (ONC) and Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA). 

Who should I contact with questions, comments, or suggestions?

The Funders Forum on Accountable Health email address: FundersForum@gwu.edu.