BUILDING BLACK HEALTH BETTER

BY ERIC C. HUNTER PHOTOGRAPHY CARE OREGON PRESIDENT AND CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER, ERIC C. HUNTER SHARES THE WORK OF CARE OREGON, A SIGNIFICANT CATALYST FOR HEALTH CARE CHANGE.

of our Black and Brown families are experiencing worse health outcomes than their white peers. They experience higher rates of chronic conditions, such as heart disease and diabetes, many of which can be treated with dietary changes. So, we’re working to get no cost Community Supported Agriculture shares out to members to increase their access to fresh foods. Importantly, we’re doing this work in partnership with farmers from these same communities. Last year, for example, we were proud to add Mudbone Grown to our family of farmers. As a Black-owned farm in east county, they do more than just feed families. They are helping rekindle a connection with the land.

When I think about the future of the Black community in our region, looking to history is important in defining the many challenges that come to mind. Over the past two decades, affordability has had a disproportionate impact on how, and where, many in our community live. It has not just been a strain on family budgets, but on community ties and social connection as the Black community has been pushed further out and dispersed into east county.

As the Chief Executive Officer of the largest health plan serving Oregon Health Plan (OHP) members, this work is personal to me. I know the importance that strong social connections can play in creating opportunity for the next generation and how this community fabric can lift up Black families in particular.

At CareOregon, we prioritize work and investments that will help us Build Black Better.

This means making strategic investments in education and community supports for our youth. In late-2021, we announced a new 10-year partnership with the Boys & Girls Club of the Portland Metropolitan Area, with a particular focus on investing our time and talent in strengthening the Rockwood neighborhood. Many of the families from North and Northeast Portland have been pushed out to Rockwood. The zip code surrounding the CareOregon Boys & Girls Club at Rockwood has the highest percentage of OHP members and youth under the age of 18 in the region, and possibly the state. Investments here can have ripple effects on generations to come.

CareOregon clinical and communitybased teams use the data that we have to identify and address the needs of specific communities. All too often, decisions are made by companies and leaders who look only at global statistics or averages. If you don’t disaggregate the data into meaningful groups you can not ensure that everyone is having their needs met. We know that our members will be most successful if they feel seen and heard by their providers. We’re tackling this issue on every front that we can. We’ve mobilized resources to increase pay for culturally specific behavioral health providers, host listening sessions with Black providers to understand what we can do to increase the number of providers of color who serve our members, and are increasing diversity and trauma informed trainings for our provider network.

There is no silver bullet for improving health outcomes for Black families. It is not something that we can change overnight. I say with confidence that the work we are doing in partnership with the community—standing alongside, not ahead or behind our region’s Black leaders—will help us Build Black Better. It will take all of us working together, investing in the generations here today and those that are yet to come.

We’re taking care of the families on OHP and the providers who serve them. The statistics are stark. Too many businesses in the Soul District while activating the entire community to get out and get healthy together. More than a weekend celebration/race, MLK Dream Run is a summer long series of associated micro-events focused not just on setting future goals and raising the bar for community health awareness and improvement, but also upon achieving the goals we have already set for ourselves in past years.

The theme of the 2023 race, Eyes on the Prize, underscores a time of action, a time of realization of long laid plans and strategies and a time of renewal and rebirth. In keeping our Eyes on the Prize, now is the time to achieve and exceed the major benchmarks of our storied history. We encourage our participants to set their own personal, professional and health goals into action as a tribute to our theme and invite everyone to share on social media, with family, friends, coworkers and community to hold ourselves accountable to our goals. Please tag #MLKDreamRun #EyesonthePrize and #Missionacheivable so we can all support your dream/ achievement of a long, healthy Life journey.