New York State Health Foundation

1385 Broadway, 23rd Floor, New York, NY 10018

Phone: (212) 664-7656

www.nyshealthfoundation.org

Design by C. Rhett • psmile4me@mac.com

5-Year rePOrT2006–2011

The New York State Health Foundation (NYSHealth) began operations in 2006 as a private, statewide

foundation dedicated to improving the health of all New Yorkers.

To achieve meaningful impact, the Foundation is committed to making grants, informing health care policy

and practice, and spreading effective programs that work to improve New York’s health system. For the past

five years, NYSHealth has focused on three strategic priorities: (1) increasing the number of New Yorkers

who have health care coverage and reducing health care costs; (2) improving prevention and management

of diabetes; and (3) improving services for people who cope with both mental health and substance use

disorders at the same time.

The following principles guide the Foundation’s work in all that we do:

Strive to have a tangible, positive impact on the health of New Yorkers—this is our reason for existing.

Be open and transparent about our activities, our successes, and our failures.

Ensure that our grant selection processes are fair and competitive so that all grant applicants—

those organizations we know about and those with whom we are not familiar—have equal chances

of receiving funding.

Engage experts from throughout the State to help us set priorities and choose

grantees.

Be statewide in focus.

Be a learning organization interested in evaluating our activities, communicating

the results of our activities, and diffusing successful ideas for implementation

throughout our State.

Have processes that are user-friendly and responsive to the public.

Encourage our staff to perform at high levels and grow in abilities over time.

Contents2

CHairmaN’S mESSagE

4PrESidENT’S mESSagE

6FivE ForCES THaT SHaPEd US

10FivE HomE rUNS

14FivE LESSoNS LEarNEd

18FivE LivES WE’vE ToUCHEd

22FivE aSPiraTioNS For THE NExT FivE YEarS

26graNTEES

2 3

Chairman’s messageoN BEHaLF oF aLL oF mY CoLLEagUES—past and current directors—it is with great pride that

we mark the fifth anniversary of the New York State Health Foundation. in five short years, we have

established an organization that is initiating and supporting innovative approaches to health care

throughout the State. our objective is simple, but challenging: to improve the health of all New Yorkers.

The Foundation is principally focused on systemic change—particularly change that will increase

medical coverage for those New Yorkers not now covered by health insurance and making health care

more affordable for all. We also recognize that the public cost of health care is the most significant

portion of New York State’s and localities’ budgets. improving the health of our citizens during a period

of constrained government expenditures is a daunting challenge. Therefore, the Foundation is not

principally focused on individual health delivery organizations, but rather on promising approaches

that can have a broad impact throughout New York State.

my colleagues at the Foundation sometimes tease me for constantly urging us to focus on “game

changers” that can make lasting, significant improvements. While i recognize how challenging it is

to identify novel strategies in an environment as important and complex as health care, we consider

this our most important work.

all of my colleagues on the Board are proud of the excellent work our dedicated staff, led by

Jim Knickman, has accomplished over these first five years. We are confident the next five years

will be even better.

We look forward in the next five years and beyond to helping New Yorkers live healthier lives.

Carl WeisbrOd, Chair, NYSHealth Board of directors

January

2 0 0 2Empire Blue Cross Blue Shield converts from nonprofit to for-profit ownership; New York State Health Foundation established by New York State Legislature with 5% of proceeds from the conversion, estimated to be $50 million.

november

2 0 0 2deborah Konopko appointed founding Chair of Board of directors.

2 0 0 2 – 2 0 0 6 Lots of legal wrangling about how the proceeds of the conversion should be spent.

2 0 0 6Foundation gets up and running, now with approximately $260 million in assets.

4 5

President’s messageaS WE marK THE FiFTH aNNivErSarY of the New York State Health Foundation, my staff and

i have taken time to reflect on our accomplishments, impacts, missteps, and lessons learned as

we established a new organization to work on the problems facing New York’s health system. This

five-year report captures the highlights.

First and foremost, we have become an organization that hopes to have positive impacts by working

collaboratively with great organizations—large and small—dedicated to health improvements across

our State. We owe much of our success to our grantees and partners; the accomplishments of these

grantees are most important to celebrate as we mark this five-year milestone.

People often ask me which aspects of building a new organization bring me the most satisfaction.

Two stand out:

First, i am proud that we have emerged as a trusted, neutral party in the complex effort to improve

health outcomes in our State. We value our ability to convene, to communicate what works and does

not work, and to help the broad health community think about how public policy can lead to better

uses of health care resources.

Second, i am pleased with our ability to adapt. it is stunning how much the landscape of health

care has changed in New York in just five years. The economic crisis emerged in our second year

of operations; the possibility of large-scale Federal health reform emerged in year three. We have

had to be flexible in our strategies while remaining focused on our ultimate goal of improving New

York State’s health system and keeping New Yorkers healthy.

my incredibly engaged Board members, my excellent staff, and especially our ever-growing

community of grantee organizations have helped make our first five years productive and stimulating.

We should all look forward to continuing our shared commitment to make the improvements that

are so important to all of us in the health sector.

James r. KniCKman, President and CEo

april

2 0 0 6James r. Knickman appointed

as first President and CEo.

may

2 0 0 6dr. Knickman begins

work as a one-person

shop out of a

Starbucks in NYC.

June

2 0 0 6Foundation moves to 555 Eighth avenue;

hires first staff members.

July

2 0 0 6New York Times article puts NYSHealth

on the map ("after Four Years, Health

group for the Poor gets Started").

July

2 0 0 6First request for Proposals issued.

6 7

1 Support from New York’s health community

across the country, the field of health philanthropy has

swelled in the last 20 years with the establishment of

hundreds of conversion foundations—philanthropic enti-

ties created as the result of nonprofit health care organi-

zations converting to for-profit status. New York’s health

community recognized the opportunity for a strategic

foundation to foster systemic change and have a statewide

impact. When Empire’s conversion was announced, many

dedicated, committed stakeholders fought to ensure that

as much money as possible would be devoted to NYSHealth.

2 $50 million became $265 million

While the legal wrangling ensued on the heels of the

authorizing statute and Empire’s for-profit conversion in

2002, the value of the estimated assets grew more than

fivefold, to approximately $265 million. This much larger

endowment meant that NYSHealth could invest more

significant resources to improve New York’s health and

achieve greater impact on New York’s health system.

august

2 0 0 6NYSHealth staff numbers four.

september

2 0 0 6NYSHealth hosts its first National Urban Fellow, george Suttles.

December

2 0 0 6First round of grants awarded to 23 New York organizations.

January

2 0 0 7move to 1412 Broadway.

January

2 0 0 7First round of grants announced at NYSHealth inaugural event at the rainbow room in NYC.

YeaRS

ForCes that shaPed Us

N YSHealth began operations in 2006, but

the Foundation’s history began years ear-

lier. in January 2002, the New York State

Legislature authorized the establishment

of the New York State Health Foundation

with 5% of the proceeds from the conversion of Empire

Blue Cross Blue Shield from nonprofit to for-profit owner-

ship. at the time, the assets to establish the Foundation

were estimated at approximately $50 million. How did

the Foundation emerge from these roots? Five key forces

shaped NYSHealth’s early days:

5 Forces ThaT shaped Us (continued)

8 9

3 A Board with a vision

NYSHealth’s authorizing statute dictates that a nine-

member Board of directors govern the Foundation—three

members each appointed by the governor, the Senate

majority leader, and the assembly speaker. What defines

our Board is the desire to make a difference. recognizing

NYSHealth’s unique potential as a neutral organization

whose only interest is the public’s interest, the Board has

pushed the Foundation to set goals and pursue strategies

that will have meaningful impact on the lives of New York-

ers, especially the most vulnerable.

4 A unique niche

NYSHealth’s statewide focus on health is unique among

New York’s foundations. New York State’s health system

is vast and diverse, geographically and culturally. many of

the pressing health challenges we face are similar across

the various regions of our State. a statewide focus allows

NYSHealth to reach beyond a single health care provider

or health promotion organization, and beyond individual

communities, to inform policies and spread solutions on

a wider scale to improve the health of all New Yorkers.

Working collaboratively with partners statewide, we can

learn from one another, seek solutions, and spread good

ideas for improving the health of communities, regions,

and the entire State.

5 Impressive investment returns

While much of the nation’s philanthropic sector experi-

enced significant declines in their endowments in 2007 and

2008, NYSHealth’s investments continued to perform well

during the downturn. in June 2011, the Foundation’s as-

sets were slightly higher than in June 2006. our relatively

stable assets during the downturn allowed the Foundation

to continue to make grants at a steady rate.

February

2 0 0 7Carl Hayden appointed Chair of NYSHealth Board of directors.

February

2 0 0 7Foundation announces first two strategic priority areas for grantmaking: expanding health insurance coverage and addressing the diabetes epidemic in New York State.

march

2 0 0 7NYSHealth staff meets with Senator Kemp Hannon to discuss State's pressing health needs.

July

2 0 0 7NYSHealth launches its “Conversation With…” series with a session featuring don Berwick of the institute for Healthcare improvement, who later became administrator of the Centers for medicare and medicaid Services.

YeaRS

10 11

Sometimes, the right mix of timing, smart strat-

egy, hard work, and a little luck comes together,

and a project exceeds expectations. if we could

bottle that magic formula, every initiative would

turn out like these five:

1 Expanding affordable coverage for small business employees

opportunities for foundations to have a concrete, tangible

impact on State health policy are rare. much of the work that

strategic foundations do surely informs policy, but actual

change is often difficult to achieve. a pilot to allow small

businesses to buy in to the Family Health Plus Program had

potential to make coverage more affordable, but its original

design needed improvement. With support from NYSHealth,

the Community Service Society (CSS) of New York analyzed

the program and developed actionable recommendations

to increase the program’s success for small businesses

and their employees. With a solid analysis in hand, CSS and

the Foundation undertook extensive communications and

education efforts: we briefed State officials and legislators,

convened a diverse set of stakeholders, and built support

for the recommendations. in 2010, New York State enacted

into statute many of CSS’s recommendations to improve the

Employer Buy-in program. Collectively, the changes to the

program lowered monthly premiums by approximately 25%.

a clear goal, a talented grantee, an effective dissemination

strategy, and good timing all led to a direct impact on New

York State policy and improved health care coverage options

for New Yorkers.

2 Promoting diabetes prevention

in partnership with the New

York State YmCa Foundation

and the State Health depart-

ment’s diabetes Prevention

and Control Program, the

Foundation invested in the

replication of the diabetes

Prevention Program, an ef-

fective—and cost-effective—

model for helping people

with prediabetes to develop

the knowledge, skills, and

behaviors needed to stay

healthy. NYSHealth support-

ed the program in YmCas in

10 regions across the State:

Capital district, Broome County, Buffalo, Long island,

middletown, Plattsburgh, New York City, rochester, Syra-

cuse, and Watertown.

The model is gaining momentum: the Centers for disease

Control and Prevention provided support for an additional

five sites in New York State, and private health

plans have begun to reimburse for the pro-

gram, a key step toward ensuring sustainable

funding for this effective community-based

prevention program. as a next step, we are

exploring opportunities to provide the pro-

gram in community-based settings other than

YmCas to continue to increase the program’s

reach. investing in a proven model, working

with good partners, and focusing on sustain-

ability have been essential to the success and

spread of the program.

3 A roadmap for implementing health reform in New York State

after Federal health reform was signed into

law, it was clear that its success or failure

would depend largely on states’ ability to

implement the law well. With support from

NYSHealth, a team at manatt Health Solutions

september

2 0 0 7First meeting of the Community advisory Committee to ensure the Foundation receives broad input and perspective from people across the State.

December

2 0 0 7NYSHealth launches consortium of the State’s leading research institutions to address the crisis in health insurance coverage.

January

2 0 0 8NYSHealth launches its first "real" website.

January

2 0 0 8NYSHealth staff now numbers 14.

home rUns

5 home rUns (continued)

12 13

and NYSHealth visiting Fellow deborah Bachrach devel-

oped a roadmap report laying out the key decision points,

program elements and options, and actors needed to make

health reform work well in New York State. The report

also included the first-ever estimates of the numbers of

New Yorkers likely to gain coverage under health reform—

1.2 million altogether.

The report is just one example of the importance of a grant

project being about more than money. The roadmap was

timely and credible, and offered rigorous analysis, but

perhaps the most important part of the project was get-

ting it into the hands of policymakers and other health

care leaders who would benefit from the information.

The Foundation generated considerable media attention

for the report, placed commentaries about the findings,

and briefed key stakeholders on the findings. as a result,

health leaders regularly cite the report’s findings, and

several have spoken of the roadmap as their “bible” on

health reform implementation.

4 Meeting returning veterans’ needs

our interest in understanding and addressing the needs

of returning veterans and their families emerged from our

work to improve services for people coping with both mental

health and substance use disorders at the same time. We

identified veterans and their families as an important sub-

population that would benefit from those efforts. as one of

our first steps, we commissioned a report from the raNd

Corporation examining the needs of New York’s returning

veterans and their families. The report helped us under-

stand that, although mental health needs among veterans

are significant, a much broader range of issues must be ad-

dressed to assure veterans’ health and well-being: outreach,

education, employment, and housing, as well as medical and

behavioral health services. The report also found that half of

New York’s veterans prefer to receive care and services in

their communities, rather than at the va, and that we must

do a better job of providing and coordinating services in the

communities that our veterans call home.

To expand community-based services, we have supported

the veterans outreach Center (voC) in rochester, which

connects veterans and their families to a full range of health

and social services. as a next step, the Foundation has

awarded the voC additional funding to spread the model to

other communities throughout New York State. NYSHealth

has also invested in replicating the Buffalo veterans treat-

ment court model in 10 additional jurisdictions in New York

State. The model focuses on rehabilitation and reintegration

of veterans involved in minor criminal acts. The program

has been successful: none of the participants in the Buffalo

program have had additional encounters with the justice

system. NYSHealth has invested limited dollars in improv-

ing veterans’ health, less than $2 million, but we see it as

an important niche area in which we can bring attention to

veterans’ needs, help spread models that work, and lever-

age existing resources.

5 Strengthening community health centers

Community health centers deliver affordable, high-quality

care, and it is imperative that they have solid financial foot-

ing and resources to meet the growing demand for primary

care services. The Foundation funded a series of grants

to support New York State’s nonprofit health centers in

their efforts to reorganize, forge partnerships, or merge

with other organizations during a time of financial distress.

one successful outcome of this investment is expanded

access to primary health care in Jamaica, Queens. When

St. dominic Health Center faced imminent closure as

a result of its parent organization's bankruptcy filing,

nearly 4,000 patients were at risk of losing their regular

source of health care. With support from NYSHealth,

the Primary Care development Corporation, the New

York State department of Health, and other funders, the

Joseph P. addabbo Family Health Center, a Federally

Qualified Health Center, acquired the St. dominic Center

and expanded its operations.

Under addabbo’s leadership, the center has thrived, pre-

serving a needed source of care and services in Jamaica.

in one year, the center saw a 500% increase in patient

visits; expanded the range of primary care services avail-

able to include pediatrics, Hiv/aidS services, dental care,

and an onsite pharmacy; and added 20 new health care

jobs in the community. Looking ahead, the Foundation

will award grants early in 2012 to help health centers

in four underserved regions in the State—Central New

York, Western New York, the Finger Lakes, and Long is-

land—expand their capacity to provide primary care. By

understanding the need and identifying the right strate-

gies and partners, the Foundation has provided timely,

targeted support to expand access to primary care for

vulnerable New Yorkers.

march

2 0 0 8NYSHealth launches its statewide diabetes Campaign.

may

2 0 0 8NYSHealth establishes the Center for Excellence in integrated Care to improve care for people who cope with both substance use and mental health disorders at the same time.

may

2 0 0 8Carl Weisbrod appointed Chair of NYSHealth Board of directors.

august

2 0 0 8NYSHealth announces commitment to improving health for veterans and their families.

14 15

to rethinking how we deliver rehabilitation services for

stroke victims, to exploring emerging opportunities in

the telehealth field.

But as the grants got underway, it soon became clear that we

and our grantees had in many instances been too ambitious,

overpromising what could reasonably be accomplished with-

in the scope, timeframe, and budget of the grants. Some of

these were solid projects that did improve care and services,

but did not meet the specific goals and expected outcomes

for the projects. For example, a program in the rochester

area set out to improve home health care for 90-100 elderly

residents who were deaf or hard-of-hearing. The project

made a difference for the clients it did reach, and satisfac-

tion scores with the services provided were very high. But

the scale was not what was expected; only 34 clients were

served during the grant period. in retrospect, project staff

and Foundation staff realized that a more robust outreach

strategy to engage other home health agencies would have

been helpful upfront, and that broader policy issues related

to eligibility and payment for

home health services were a fur-

ther deterrent to participation.

results like this case remind

us that we must be diligent

upfront about setting realistic

1 Be ambitious, but realistic

When we issued our first request for Proposals (rFP)

in July 2006, we received more than 600 proposals to

fund a wide range of projects. Clearly, there was pent-up

demand for resources, and both the applicants and the

Foundation were eager to move full steam ahead with

ambitious projects to improve the health and lives of

New Yorkers all across the State. We awarded 23 grants,

which focused on everything from preventing obesity,

to improving access to care for people with diabetes,

november

2 0 0 8First NYSHealth fall conference, on the individual insurance market.

December

2 0 0 8NYSHealth staff now numbers 18.

January

2 0 0 9Electrical fire breaks out in NYSHealth offices; staff displaced for one month.

april

2 0 0 9Launch of first Economic recovery Fund request for Proposals to help New York State’s nonprofits respond to the economic crisis.

Lessons Learned

N ot every project or initiative works out exactly as planned; if every grant were a home run, we would be

concerned that we were not taking an appropriate level of risk. When we do fall short, or when a project

takes an unexpected turn, the Foundation is committed to learning and sharing what could have been

improved. Here are five important lessons we have learned in our first five years:

Reasons nYsHealTH sTaff COme TO WOrK

I came here because of the mission. i’m from a family with a high risk for diabetes and it’s so important to

see what the Foundation is doing to help prevent and manage diabetes in new York state.”

—elisa nikoloulias, Finance associate

The best part is being part of the process to get the money out of the door to worthy causes. it’s a thrill

to see the end result of how organizations have utilized our funds for the betterment of new York state.”

—ursula stewart, Grants coordinator

I ’ve seen the opportunities we’ve had and the unique ability to both be neutral but also a positive force

in health care. it’s exciting to work with really smart, driven, and dedicated people.”

yasmine legendre, policy analyst

I love what i do and the people i work with; everybody does a great job to make new York better.”

brunnie urena, receptionist/office assistant

For me, nYshealth breaks the stereotype of the ‘ivory tower’ foundation. i’m proud to work at a

foundation that is open, transparent, accessible, and fair.” mark barreiro, senior Grants & operations manager

5 Lessons Learned (continued)

16 17

What happened? The grant scope did not include resources

or plans for marketing the site. although the grantee

developed a high-quality product that could have been

a terrific resource for tens of thousands of New Yorkers,

hardly anyone knew about it.

5 Sometimes, we need a little help

in 2007, NYSHealth funded 12 projects through a program,

called Setting the Standard, to help primary care providers

adopt and spread practices to improve care and manage-

ment for diabetes. The 12 sites were diverse in terms of

their experience and expertise working with the chronic care

model and engaging in quality improvement, but only two of

the 12 ultimately achieved their expected outcomes for the

project. an evaluation of the project sites concluded that

even rudimentary technical assistance would have helped

many of the less-experienced grantees to

understand how to assess their performance,

make progress on their goals, and to imple-

ment and spread appropriate models of care.

a better understanding upfront of what the

project would require and what the grantees

needed to succeed might have allowed us to

reshape the program to include more timely

technical assistance and shared learning

across the 12 sites.

expectations for project outcomes given the strategy, size,

and scope of the grant. although we never want to swing

too far in the other direction, and set expectations too low,

having a realistic sense of expected outcomes helps the

grantee plan for and achieve success, and helps the Foun-

dation assess the value of a potential investment.

2 Be flexible, and learn as you go

one of the Foundation’s first rounds of grants was

a good idea, but almost none of the project elements went

according to plan. NYSHealth awarded a grant to Bassett

Healthcare, a network of four hospitals and 23 community

health centers in eight counties in Central New York. The

grantee proposed to expand its Telestroke program—

a telemedicine program designed for stroke patients—and

use it to enhance care for patients with acute emergency

needs in rural upstate New York. The project was aligned

with the Foundation’s interest in increasing access to

high-quality services in an underserved area of the State.

almost from the start, the project team encountered bar-

riers to implementing the project as envisioned: lack of

buy-in from doctors, nurses, and specialists who found the

technology too burdensome or concluded that telemedi-

cine was inappropriate for patients with acute care needs;

lack of interoperability with other technologies needed

for complete consultations; and new State regulations

that made it more cumbersome to credential physicians

to deliver telehealth services.

rather than call it a day when it became clear that the

original strategy could not be effective, the grantee and

the Foundation revised the scope of work for the project,

and Bassett instead focused on expanding Bassett’s

earlier Telestroke initiative to additional hospitals in

the region and on finding other potential uses for tele-

medicine, including home care services and evaluation

of chronic conditions.

Shifting the project focus required open and honest

communication between the Foundation and the grantee

organization, and a willingness on both sides to be flexible

and creative.

3 Know when to say “when”

another example of a good idea that turned into an unsuc-

cessful project because of the external environment is

our work with dairylea, which aimed to increase health

insurance for the State’s agricultural sector. at the time

of the initial proposal, prospects were good for expanding

coverage among farmers, and a goal of covering 1,900 ad-

ditional people in 16 months or so seemed achievable. as the

economy declined, however, and dairy farmers experienced

particularly tough times, the target was clearly unachiev-

able. Even with a flexible approach that allowed the project

to shift focus to helping insured farmers retain their cover-

age, the project could not be successful given the economic

conditions. Ultimately, despite smart ideas, creative thinking,

dedicated project staff, and everyone’s best efforts it became

clear that there was no salvaging the project.

4 If you build it, they may not come

a grant to the Hudson Center for Health Equity and Quality

supported the development of a Web-based tool that al-

lows New Yorkers to go online to learn about health care

coverage options, determine their eligibility for public

coverage programs, and begin the application

process. online enrollment might be more ef-

ficient and accurate than paper applications,

and could increase the number of eligible New

Yorkers enrolled in public coverage programs.

although nearly 800 people logged on and com-

pleted an application for health insurance through

the website during the grant duration, that num-

ber was far less than the 14,000 expected to apply.

august

2 0 0 9NYSHealth President and CEo James r. Knickman launches his Huffington Post column with a blog about integrated care.

January

2 0 1 0deborah Bachrach joins NYSHealth as first visiting Fellow.

march

2 0 1 0NYSHealth hosts conversation featuring former State Commissioner of Health, the late richard F. daines, on New York State's controversial proposed soda tax.

march

2 0 1 0The affordable Care act is signed into law, with the promise to expand health care coverage significantly for New Yorkers.

18 19

more affordable coverage options, and timely information

of coverage changes happening now and in the future as

a result of Federal health care reform.

“Being able to now offer health care benefits has helped me

attract and retain the best possible staff in the industry,”

greenwood said. and, NYC Health insurance Link “allows

me to find the most affordable coverage for my staff.”

2 dOnald COrTrigHTCircleville

at 65 years old, donald

was diagnosed with

prediabetes—a condi-

tion that put him at

high risk for develop-

ing diabetes, heart dis-

ease, and stroke. He

was over weight and

had high blood sugar

and cholesterol levels.

For help in getting his condition under control, donald went

to the middletown YmCa, one of 10 Ys across the State that

have implemented a diabetes prevention program (Y-dPP)

with NYSHealth support.

1 mOnique greenWOOdBedford-Stuyvesant, Brooklyn

The owner of akwaaba Bed & Breakfast since 1995, mo-

nique greenwood is committed to providing health care

coverage for her employees. Today, greenwood has opened

additional locations in New Jersey, Washington, d.C., and

Pennsylvania, but believes that the true mark of her suc-

cess as a small business owner was being able to offer

health care benefits.

greenwood now easily finds information about plans and

pricing through NYC Health insurance Link, developed by

the Human resources administration’s office of Citywide

Health insurance access with support from an NYSHealth

grant. The Web-based tool, at www.nyc.gov/hilink, helps

New Yorkers find a health insurance plan that best fits

their health care needs and budgets. Business owners

like greenwood can search for and compare health plans,

including those with low and high deductibles; those with

and without particular benefits like prescription drugs;

and those with in- and out-of-network provider choices.

The tool provides users with a full range of comprehen-

sive health plans available in New York City from every

carrier, tips to help consumers and business owners find

* some names have been changed.

Lives We’ve toUChed

NYSHealth pursues ambitious goals to improve health

on a large scale, statewide. We want every New

Yorker to have health insurance coverage and access

to affordable health care. We want fewer people to

develop diabetes, and more people with diabetes to

get the right care. We want people who have both mental health and

substance use disorders to receive the services they need to address

both conditions at the same time. as we keep an eye on larger goals

to achieve widespread changes to health care policy and practice, we

also are motivated by the people that the Foundation and our grantees

are helping every day. Here are some of their stories:*

april

2 0 1 0NYSHealth moves across the street to 1385 Broadway, where staff decry orange walls.

april

2 0 1 0NYSHealth awards the first of three grants to help New Yorkers affected by the devastating January 2010 earthquake in Haiti.

June

2 0 1 0New office space floods; staff assumes locusts will be next.

July

2 0 1 0NYSHealth cited as “donor of the day” in the Wall Street Journal.

august

2 0 1 0NYSHealth releases “implementing Federal Health reform: a roadmap for New York State,” outlining the key tasks required to make the most of the affordable Care act in New York State.

5 Lives We’ve ToUched (continued)

20 21

over the course of the 16-week Y-dPP program, donald

learned how to make important changes in his diet and

exercise habits. Before joining the program, he had not

realized that the types of food and how much he ate were

major contributing factors to his condition. The classes

taught him to be more aware of the total amounts of fats

and calories he consumed each day and to become more

physically active. donald started walking more, riding a

bicycle, and doing some form of exercise most days. Useful

tools like a food and activity tracker and a calorie-counter

book also helped to keep donald motivated. as a result of

the Y-dPP instruction he received and the lifestyle changes

he made, donald lost more than 22 pounds and his blood

sugar and cholesterol levels are now down.

“The Y-dPP classes have educated me in a way that i would

not have predicted prior to these classes,” said donald.

“The positive changes that i have seen are life-changing.”

3 alan s.Bronx

alan was in relatively good health until he developed

a tumor in 2008 and began radiation treatments at the

age of 27—a devastating turn for him, his wife, and their

two-year-old son. When he was not in the hospital, alan

was exhausted and sick from his treatments. and while

his employer adjusted his schedule to accommodate

his illness, alan was only able to work a day or two per

week for a few hours at a time at his job as a manhattan

hotel agent.

Bills began to pile up and alan fell behind on his rent. in

addition to his life-threatening disease, alan and his family

faced a lawsuit from their landlord for overdue rent and

barely had money to buy food. The family didn’t know where

to turn for help. Then a social worker at the hospital con-

nected alan with a lawyer named Brian from LegalHealth,

a division of the New York Legal assistance group, an

NYSHealth grantee that brings together legal and medi-

cal professionals to improve the lives of low-income New

Yorkers with serious health concerns.

With Brian’s help, alan and his family were able to gain

access to food stamps and short-term disability—provid-

ing them with enough resources to cover their expenses

during alan’s treatment and recovery. Brian also helped

alan apply for Social Security disability and when his initial

application was denied, Brian assisted him with the appeal.

Eventually the family was also able to recover several

months in back payments to help pay their landlord for the

rent owed. These resources helped to pull alan and his

family back from the brink during a critical time.

4 mr. PHarochester

mr. Pha knew no one in the United States when he arrived

in rochester in 2009 as a refugee from Burma. But within

his first week here, he was able to find a place to stay,

receive a health screening, and get school placement as-

sistance with help from rochester general Hospital and

the hospital’s local refugee resettlement partners. Just

one year earlier, the only health care option for refugees

like mr. Pha was through costly trips to the emergency

department; the last two clinics that had been serving refu-

gees in rochester had closed their doors. With NYSHealth

funding, rochester general Hospital was able to fill the

void, starting a sustainable health care program that now

provides primary care services for thousands of refugees.

Through this program, when mr. Pha arrived in rochester,

he underwent an initial health assessment, was assigned

a primary care provider, received health-related materials

in Burmese, and had access to a translator when meeting

with doctors. in addition to receiving health care services,

mr. Pha took a course through rochester general Hospi-

tal designed to help refugees develop their interpreting

skills. Two years later, mr. Pha is in sound health and has

a full-time job, and he remains committed to giving back by

staying connected with the rochester refugee community.

He helps fellow refugees navigate some of the american

systems that may be unfamiliar or confusing, like bus and

other transportation schedules and public school enroll-

ment for their children.

“i now have opportunity and hope here. it’s a better life,”

said mr. Pha.

5 CeCilia nOlasCOBushwick, Brooklyn

Cecilia’s grandson Javier suffered from

asthma and had symptoms every night

until the family got help from the NYSHealth-

supported Healthy Homes initiative of make

the road New York. This program engaged

community health workers to conduct

home visits to help nearly 200 residents of

Bushwick—which has one of the highest asthma rates in

the nation—address the asthma triggers in their home,

including dust, rodents, mold, mites, and lead. The program

also provided legal services and advocacy, connected par-

ticipants to health care coverage and services, and con-

ducted community education and outreach. make the road

staff helped Cecilia persuade her landlord to fix the mold

and a bathroom leak in the family’s apartment. These

changes resulted in a significant decrease in Javier’s

asthma symptoms—he experienced symptoms only month-

ly, rather than daily—and improvements in his overall health.

august

2 0 1 0First investments in YmCa diabetes Prevention Program to prevent those at highest risk of diabetes from developing the disease.

november

2 0 1 0NYSHealth begins to consider new strategic priorities for 2013 and beyond.

January

2 0 1 1NYSHealth releases a seminal report by the raNd Corporation on the needs of New York State’s returning veterans and their families.

april

2 0 1 1First NYSHealth regional conference on diabetes in Brooklyn.

22 23

care services when people are in crisis. a prevention

agenda, a healthy living and community health agenda,

and a primary care agenda that keeps people from health

care crises all need to emerge. and, they have to include

attention to the most vulnerable in our State. The Founda-

tion will continue to invest in community-based programs

to help New Yorkers with diabetes—and those at high risk

for developing the disease—to develop skills and behav-

iors to help prevent diabetes and manage complications

of the disease.

3 Be transparent and communicative.

Being clear about what projects we fund, how we make

our funding decisions, and how we invest our resources

is essential to NYSHealth’s role as a responsible stew-

ard of the resources entrusted to us. NYSHealth has

how we organize and pay for health care in our State. it is

important that we emerge with a stronger health system,

more people covered with good insurance and access to

care, and a more logical payment system. NYSHealth will

continue to support analysis of the key issues related to

health reform implementation in New York State and to

serve as a neutral convener of the health care providers,

policymakers, payers, consumers, and others who have a

role to play in shaping a reformed health system.

2 Focus on health outcomes more than medical care services.

it is essential that we shift our thinking to focus on main-

taining health rather than just paying for discrete health

Looking forward to the future, we need to set

goals about what we hope to accomplish

as an organization. We have two types of

goals: some that focus on what we hope to

accomplish related to health improvements

in New York, and others that focus on how we act as an

organization and a partner to our grantees. Five key

aspirations emerge:

1 Make the most of opportunities related to health system reform.

Both Federal health reform and the pressures of the

economic crisis create a moment of substantial change in

asPirations For the next Five Years

June

2 0 1 1First statewide conference on meeting the needs of returning veterans and their families.

september

2 0 1 1NYSHealth report finds that hospital readmissions cost $3.7 billion annually in New York State.

october

2 0 1 1New York State medicaid rolls hit 5 million people.

october

2 0 1 1First statewide conference on the role of community health workers.

november

2 0 1 1NYSHealth has a staff of 20 and assets of approximately $275 million. The Foundation has awarded nearly $70 million in grants throughout New York State.

5 aspiraTions For The nexT Five Years (continued)

24 25

always placed a high premium on transparency and

accountability: trying to make our grant application and

approval process as clear as possible, posting grant

outcome reports to our website to share lessons from

individual investments, making the Foundation’s finan-

cial statements easily accessible. With the launch of our

new website in early 2012, we will share publicly our

organizational Scorecard, which tracks our progress

toward specific performance targets related to our

program goals; our ability to communicate, learn from,

and replicate our work; our reputational capital; and

our overall effectiveness as an organization. and, as we

grow in experience and have more lessons to share, we

are focused on improving the way we capture and share

lessons and stories more effectively.

4 Leverage and spread, even beyond New York.

NYSHealth’s financial resources are relatively modest;

the $15 million or so we spend annually is 0.03% of what

New York’s medicaid program spends. our approach has

been to focus on how we can leverage limited dollars

to achieve the most impact. NYSHealth has worked to

collaborate with other funders and partners to support

and replicate promising programs; to provide assis-

tance other than our grant dollars to help programs and

organizations to succeed in and to sustain their work;

and to spread effective programs, lessons, and models

throughout New York State. much of what we are learn-

ing and doing in New York has national implications, as

well. The leadership, innovation, and energy that are the

hallmarks of New York’s health system can inform and

shape national policy and practice, and as leaders we can

help to ensure that New Yorkers are well positioned to

take advantage of Federal resources.

5 Stay focused and strategic.

The most consistent feedback we hear from our stakehold-

ers and grantees is that NYSHealth should stay the course.

We agree! We cannot possibly take on every challenge or

opportunity that New York’s health system has to offer;

the need is too great and our resources too limited. To be

effective, we need to make smart choices and stay focused

on the key strategic areas in which we can have the most

impact. at the same time, we want to remain flexible and

nimble enough to meet the evolving needs of New York-

ers as the landscape changes, and as new opportunities

emerge within our areas of focus.

1.2 million more New Yorkers are poised to gain health care coverage by 2014.

26 27

Action for a Better Community

Active Minds

Actors Fund of America

Adirondack Medical Center

Affinity Health Plan (Coalition of New York State Public Health Plans)

AIDS Community Services of Western New York, Inc.

Albany Medical College

American Cancer Society - Eastern Division (Albany)

American Cancer Society - Southern New York Region

Amida Care

Anthony Jordan Health Center

Benjamin J. Leeman, M.D., P.C.

Beth Israel Medical Center - Division of Endocrinology

Better World Advertising

Bridges To Excellence

Brooklyn Alliance, Inc.

Brooklyn Community Foundation

Brooklyn Hospital Center

Brownsville Community Development Corporation

Buffalo Psychiatric Center

Callen-Lorde Community Health Center

CapitalCare Medical Group

Catholic Charities of Onondaga County

Center for Effective Philanthropy

Center for Excellence in Health Care Journalism

Center for Governmental Research

Center for Health Care Strategies

Charles B. Wang Community Health Center

Children’s Defense Fund

City University of New York (CUNY) - Hunter College of New York

City University of New York (CUNY) - Hunter College School of Social Work

City University of New York (CUNY) - Lehman College

Coalition of Behavioral Health Agencies

Columbia University - College of Dental Medicine

Columbia University - Mailman School of Public Health

Commission on the Public’s Health System

Common Good Institute

Community Catalyst (MergerWatch)

Community Health Care Association of New York State

Community Health Care Services Foundation

Community Health Center of Buffalo

Community Service Society of New York

Consumers Union

Cornell University

Cornell University - Joan & Sanford I. Weill Medical College

Dairylea Cooperative

Delmar Family Medicine

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Health Center

Empire Justice Center

EPIC - Every Person Influences Children

Excellus Health Plan

Family Health Network of Central New York

The Floating Hospital

Foundation for Long Term Care

Foundation for Quality Care

Fractured Atlas Productions

Frances Schervier Home and Hospital

Fund for Public Health in New York

Genesee Valley Group Health Association

Georgetown University

Glens Falls Hospital

Grantmakers for Effective Organizations

Grantmakers in Health

Greater New York Hospital Foundation

Greenwich House

Haitian American Cultural and Social Organization

Hartwick College

Health and Welfare Council of Long Island

Health Association of Niagara County

Health Management Associates

Health Ministry of the Southern Tier, Inc.

Health Research (Center for Health Workforce Studies)

Health Research

granteesHealthcare Association of New York State (HANYS)

His Branches

Home Aide Services of Eastern NY (The Eddy)

Hospital Educational and Research Fund

Hudson Headwaters Health Network

Hudson River HealthCare

Ibero-American Action League

Institute for Community Living

Institute for Family Health

Institute for Leadership

Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America

Island Peer Review Organization

Jamaica Hospital

Jericho Road Ministries

Jewish Board of Family and Children’s Services

Joseph P. Addabbo Family Health Center

Joslyn Levy & Associates, LLC

Keuka Family Practice Associates, LLP

Korean Community Services of Metropolitan New York

Lake Research Partners

Lansingburgh Family Practice

The Lewin Group

LIPIX, Inc.

Long Beach Medical Center

Long Island Community Foundation

Long Island Home (South Oaks Hospital)

Low Income Investment Fund

Make the Road New York

Manatt Health Solutions

Manhattan Institute for Policy Research

Manufacturers Association of the Southern Tier

Marcellus Family Medicine

Marianne LaBarbera, M.D.

Mary Imogene Bassett Hospital,

Mathematica Policy Research

MDRC

Medicare Rights Center

Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center

Mental Health Association of New York City

Monroe Plan for Medical Care

Montefiore Medical Center - The Care Management Company of Montefiore Medical Center

Mosholu-Montefiore Community Center

Mount Sinai School of Medicine - Center to Advance Palliative Care

Mount Sinai School of Medicine - Department of Health Policy

Nassau Health Care Corporation

National Association of Social Workers (New York State Chapter)

National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse at Columbia University

National Committee for Quality Assurance

National Council on Aging

National Multiple Sclerosis Society - NYC Chapter

National Opinion Research Center

National Urban Fellows

National Urban League

NDRI State, Inc. (National Development and Research Institutes)

New York Academy of Medicine

New York Association for Brain Injured Children

New York Blood Center

New York Chapter, American College of Physicians

New York City Alliance Against Sexual Assault

New York City Health and Hospitals Corporation

New York City Health and Hospitals Corporation - Bellevue Hospital Center

New York City Health and Hospitals Corporation - Elmhurst Hospital Center

New York City Health and Hospitals Corporation - Harlem Hospital Center

New York eHealth Collaborative

New York Health Plan Association Council

New York Health Purchasing Alliance (HealthPass)

New York Immigration Coalition

New York Lawyers for the Public Interest

Over the Last 5 Years… NYSHealth has awarded 335 grants to 234 grantee organizations, totaling $68.4 million.

GranTees (continued)

2928

New York Legal Assistance Group

New York State Academy of Family Physicians (AFP)

New York State Catholic Health Plan (Fidelis Care New York)

New York State Dental Foundation

New York State Unified Court System

New York State YMCA Foundation

New York University - College of Dentistry

New York University - College of Nursing

New York University - Robert F. Wagner Graduate School of Public Service

New York University School of Medicine

New Yorkers for Accessible Health Coverage

Nonprofit Finance Fund

Northeast Business Group on Health

Northeast Community Council

Northeast Health

Northern New York Rural Behavioral Health Institute

Northern New York Rural Health Care Alliance

Northern Oswego County Health Services

Northwest Buffalo Community Health Care Center

NYC Human Resources Administration’s Office of Citywide Health Insurance Access (OCHIA)

NYCRx

One River Grants

Our Lady of Lourdes Memorial Hospital

P2 Collaborative of Western New York

Paraprofessional Healthcare Institute

Partnership for Results

Peter Forman, M.D.

Philanthropy New York

Phipps Community Development Corporation

Planned Parenthood of New York City, Inc.

Planned Parenthood of Northern New York

Plattsburgh & Clinton County Chamber of Commerce

PMB Healthcare Consulting

Preferred Health Partners

Primary Care Development Corporation

Project Equinox

Project HOPE-The People-to-People Health Foundation (Health Affairs)

Project Renewal

Public Health Solutions

Queens Library Foundation

Rapha Family Medicine

RAND Corporation

Real World Foundation

Research Foundation for Mental Hygiene

Riverdale Family Medical Practice

Robert Morrow Family Practice

Rochester General Hospital

Rochester Institute of Technology

RotaCare

Rural Health Network of South Central New York

S2AY Rural Health Network Inc.

Safe Space NYC

Schenectady Inner City Ministry

Seneca Nation Health Department

Seton Health System

Small Business Majority

Smith House Health Care Center

Social Interest Solutions

Social Ventures (Ithaca Health Alliance)

Southern Tier Community Health Center Network (Universal Primary Care)

Southern Tier Health Care System

Southwestern Medical Associates

Spitfire Strategies

St. Joseph’s Hospital Health Center

St. Lawrence County Health Initiative

Sunset Park Health Council (Lutheran Family Health Centers)

SUNY - University at Albany - Center for Excellence in Aging Services

SUNY - University at Buffalo - Department of Family Medicine

Syracuse University - Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs

Taconic Health Information Network and Community (THINC)

Tides Center

Transition Network

UB Family Medicine

Unite Health Center

United Hospital Fund of New York

United Neighborhood Houses of New York

United Way of Long Island

Unity Health System

Unity House of Troy

Universal Fellowship of Metropolitan Community Churches

University of Michigan

University of Rochester

University of Rochester - Environmental Health Sciences Center

University of Rochester - Starlight Pediatrics

Uptown Medical

Veterans Outreach Center

Village Center for Care

Visiting Nurse Service of New York

Welsh Analytics

Westfield Memorial Hospital

What To Expect Foundation

William F. Ryan Community Health Center

Working Today (Freelancers Union)

Young Adult Institute

YeaRS

James r. KnickmanPresident and Chief Executive Officermark BarreiroSenior Grants and Operations Manager

Carl Weisbrod (Chair)Partner HR&A AdvisorsClinical Professor and Academic Chair New York University Schack Institute of Real EstatePaul BaderPrincipal Starcraft Press

Laray BrownSenior Vice President for Corporate Planning, Community Health, and Intergovernmental Relations New York City Health & Hospitals CorporationJo-ann CostantinoChief Executive Officer, The Eddy

angela diaz, m.d., m.P.h.Jean C. and James W. Crystal Professor of Pediatrics and Community and Preventive Medicine Mount Sinai School of MedicineLucy n. Friedman, Ph.d.President The After-School Corporation

John t. LaneManaging Director (Retired), J.P. MorganJohn L. Palmer, Ph.d.University Professor and Dean Emeritus Syracuse University, Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairsrobert g. smith, Ph.d.Founder and Chief Investment Officer Smith Affiliated Capital Corp.

Staff (as of November 1, 2011)

Board of directorS (as of November 1, 2011)

Brian ByrdProgram Officermaureen CozineCommunications Directoramy driverDirector of Finance and Operations

margaret L. FigleyCommunications Officeramy a. LeeSenior Program AssistantYasmine LegendrePolicy Analyst, Diabetes Policy Center

Jacqueline martinezSenior Program Directormichele mcevoyCommunications Associateelisa nikolouliasFinance Associate

Barbara notarile Executive Assistantdavid sandmanSenior Vice Presidentamy shefrinProgram Officer

nick smirenskyChief Investment OfficerBronwyn starrProgram AssociateUrsula d. stewartGrants Coordinator

Brunnie UrenaReceptionist/Office Assistantnormandy W. villaProgram Assistant