Direct Charitable Activities 2016 - 2017

Jefferson e Funders Forum

Affinity Group is of service to grant making organizations that grant outside of themselves for the purpose of:

• ‣ Building leadership, resources, and capacity to support the non-profit sector.
• ‣ Sharing information and perspectives on local philanthropy and the intersection with public funding streams.
• ‣ Cooperatively exploring and developing comprehensive and effective approaches to funding viable community programs or projects.
• ‣ Sharing experiences and leveraging impact on the communities we represent and support.
• ‣ Bringing together representation from all aspects of philanthropy for the purpose of communicating needs, and bringing about change and shared responsibility in and for our community.

GEF staff or contractors:

‣ Coordinated Annual Retreat and speakers with small planning committee; arrange all details for 30+ participants and presenters; registration & coordinate vendor reimbursement. (Philanthropy & Democracy with Daniel Kemmis, Remy Trupin and Peter Pennekamp, Democracy NW & Community Democracy Workshop)
‣ Maintained regular email connection regarding educational opportunities or significant news regarding sector to list of 60+.
‣ Convened 3 quarterly meetings, coordinates facilitators, agenda and speakers for an average of 15 participants and presenters. Provided refreshments and notes for each meeting. (State & Regional 211 Communication Program; Illinois Valley Strategic Plan; Ford Institute for Community Building; SO Non Profit and Community Leadership Capacity Conversation)

Southern Oregon Success: A Preconception 0-24 Collective Impact Initiative

Vision:
We envision flourishing children, youth and families prenatal to 24 in Jackson and Josephine Counties:

‣ All families receive the support to nurture their children.
‣ All children are ready for kindergarten.
‣ All youth succeed in school and life.
‣ We live in a thriving economy.

Mission:
We weave together the talent, expertise and resources of the entire community to promote the well-being, academic success for our children, youth and families.

Our Strategies:
Understand & support our individual missions and goals; Identify & integrate best practices throughout the continuum; Create & promote a shared regional agenda with goals that are collaborative, measureable, and accountable.

GEF Staff and/or contractors:

‣ Support with executive time, office support and miscellaneous expenses the fifth year of a regional initiative as thinking and process partner, serve on the Stewardship and Steering Committee Team for a two county collaboration between public, private, community and voluntary organizations, including existing school districts, workforce development programs, educational service district, county services, other non-profit collaborative projects, coalitions and individuals.
‣ Support development of resources & hiring of staff to support initiative backbone responsibilities including collaborative coordination, meetings, regional communications and events.
‣ Supported staff in reviewing communication tools and developing a logic model framework clarifying annual shared resources goals, activities and outcomes for investors.
‣ Supported Staff & Steering Committee members & Key Leaders to engage with Collective Impact consultant/training to deepen understanding and learn together.
‣ Support the individual organizations as they move forward with resource development that supports the concept and activities connected to the collaborative’s collective vision.
‣ Support staff in development of stewardship & steering committee agendas.
‣ Support as individual thinking partner a variety of non-profit partners and project consultants as requested throughout the fifth/sixth year of organizing.
‣ Support community learning events.
‣ Recruit replacement leadership for Stewardship Committee with Systems experience.
‣ Write funding reports for 2015-2016 funding and results.

Jefferson Regional Health Alliance

www.jeffersonregionalhealthalliance.org

Regional Health and Health System Improvement & Transformation:

Overview and Structure:
In 2004, a small number of interested collaborators and the Gordon Elwood Foundation convened over 60 key community and health care leaders from insurance companies, hospitals, county health departments, the local state university, corporations, school districts, nurses, and physicians, to talk with Peter Senge, MIT researcher and writer, well known for The Fifth Discipline and creating “Learning Organizations.” The immediate outcome from this health care leadership summit was the birth of a “health care think tank” in 2005. The small group named themselves the Jefferson Regional Health Alliance (JRHA) with the purpose to improve the health and healthcare resources of southern Oregonians.

Since then, JRHA has evolved incrementally into a small but mighty non-profit aimed at addressing systemic issues from a higher vantage point, as well as a facilitator/coordinator of regional health care system related initiatives. The Leadership Council meetings function as a vehicle for cultivating relationships among the Alliance members and their organizations that are key to the provision of health care services and necessary to “system re-thinking” in the region. JRHA is also a neutral place from which the community can begin to better coordinate and leverage resources to ensure access to care, improved health status, and a more effective health care delivery system in the region. Council members and sponsors are deeply invested in the health and health care services needed in this primarily rural region of Oregon and northern California.

Mission:
efferson Regional Health Alliance is a collaboration of regional community leaders from all sectors acting in a leadership role to improve the health and health care resources of southern Oregonians.

JRHA leadership serves as a platform for collaboration in order to improve health and health care resources. In order to do this, JRHA has set up a series of short-term outcomes to strive for, which will eventually lead into long-term goals.

Desired Short and Long Range Outcomes:

‣ The organization facilitates relationships and leverages resources by creating a unique and sustainable system of support and interconnectedness between organizations and individuals to bring attention to community health issues and health care delivery system breakdowns in order to improve the health and health care systems of southern Oregonians.
‣ Community Health Indicators show improvement and use of emergency room for primary care issues is reduced through improved access to care.
‣ Sustainable programs are created: JRHA identifies, incubates, and then releases projects in a sustainable form.

Earlier Projects:

‣ End of Life Care: COHO initiated 2010. Conversations about end of life care are valued and respected in a community where 1) each person facing the final stages of life does so with the greatest possible dignity and comfort; and 2) health for our community is improved with the support of a cultural shift in the perspectives on end of life. www.cohoroguevalley.org.
‣ Opioid Over- Prescription Epidemic: A community standard was created to support patients and their providers in the appropriate management of chronic pain, narcotic use, and addictions, www.southernoregonopioidmanagement.org/. This project continues on its own with support from Oregon Health Plan insurers and lead by the champion Dr. Shames.
‣ Jefferson Health Information Exchange: Initiated 2011 and became its own non-profit in 2013. JHIE is the secure, electronic exchange of health information authorized by stakeholders in the health care community – such as health care providers and public health agencies – to drive timely, efficient, and patient-centered care. This exchange of health care information improves patient care and reduces costs by fostering careful collaboration and lowering administrative burden. JHIE revolutionizes patient care, breaking down silos with information available to authorize providers when and where it is needed – quickly and securely. In 2016, what began as the Jefferson Health Information Exchange, morphed again with new branding to be Reliance Health Information Exchange. www.reliancehie.org.
‣ Health Care Reform: 2011-2013 JRHA supported dialogue and innovative timely action for the transformation of the Oregon Health Plan system during the evolution of national and state healthcare reform. At the legislative, fiscal, and operational levels, JHRA supported regional stakeholders in piloting new ways of working through collaborative dialogue and systems development. Three Coordinated Care Organizations now serve the region as managers of Oregon Health Plan enrollees as part of Oregon’s Health Reform. allcarehealthplan.com, jacksoncareconnect.org, primaryhealthjosephine.org.

Long-Term Goals:

‣ Relationships and resources are leveraged to bring attention to health and health care systems in order to improve health for southern Oregonians.
‣ The organizations and individuals responsible for the health of the community are interconnected creating a unique and sustainable system of support for all members of the southern Oregonian region.
‣ Current systems are transformed, reducing economic, cultural and system barriers, to improve health and access to health care services while the cost of health care services are reduced.

These goals are facilitated through JRHA's activities, made possible by local resources.

Activities:

‣ Coordinate Leadership Council meetings and networking to further mission.
‣ Sponsor community legislative & education conferences as identified by Council.
‣ Convene stakeholders & community around identified community health issues to surface critical questions, increasing efficiencies and outcomes.
‣ Coordinate essential resources toward collaborative goals and identified projects.
‣ Conceive, design, and put into practice new ways of interacting and organizing stakeholders and resources.
‣ Serve as high level network hub for health care reform at state & national levels to promote sustainable health practices in our community.
‣ Raise financial support annually from members and community to support coordination of collaboration efforts.
‣ Create charters and mission with the collaborative groups guiding the early formation of new projects.
‣ Initiating implementation of these identified projects supporting and guiding the creation of a purposeful infrastructure.
‣ During 2016 Board Retreat the Following Three Areas of Focus were initiated by the members:

+ Creation of a single Regional Community Health Assessment.
+ Behavioral Health Mapping Project taking a systemic approach to understanding what the demands, existing services and gaps are in our region to support our residents.
+ Promotion of Adverse Childhood Experiences Study awareness throughout the community as a leverage point for improving health and the social determinants of health long term.

Resources Leveraged and Involved in Supporting JRHA and projects of JRHA:

‣ Leadership from Business, Health Care, Insurance, Public Health, Public sector, Workforce, Philanthropy, Higher Education, Veterans Administration, Nursing, Physicians, Technology
‣ Financial support: Asante System, Providence Medford Medical Center, Rogue Valley Council of Governments, Gordon Elwood Foundation, La Clinica, Rogue Community Health Center, Jackson County HHS, Josephine County HHS, Siskiyou Community Health Center, Pacific Source, HealthNet, Additions Recovery Center, AllCare, Jackson Care Connect, Jackson County Mental Health, Medford Fabrication, On Track, Options of Southern Oregon, PrimaryHealth of Josephine County, PrimeCare IPA, VA Southern Oregon Rehabilitation Center & Clinics.
‣ In– kind Support with office space, supplies, staff support: Gordon Elwood Foundation
‣ Collaborative Manager position was hired in 2015 to support the board, Executive Committee, Ad Hoc committees and assist in promoting health projects in the community.
‣ Advisory support from Communities Joined in Action; Southern Oregon University Nursing Program; Rogue Community College; Rogue Workforce Partnership;

Measures of performance achieved to impact the target region:
See www.jeffersonregionalhealthalliance.org/ Reports.

People served by collaborative action:
JRHA’s many activities and far reaching initiatives to affect the health and health care resources of the region has the opportunity to impact all of southern Oregon's and northern California's eight counties, which is home to approximately 515,000 people.

GEF Staff /JRHA Staff

‣ Member of JRHA board.
‣ Meet with potential funders as requested.
‣ Ongoing thinking partner with new collaborative manager and executive committee.

The Urban Medford Bear Creek Greenway Corridor Team

“A collaboration of individuals and organizations that promote a thriving
urban Medford Bear Creek Greenway corridor through the convergence of art,
environmental stewardship and recreation.” Guiding Principles:

‣ Economic Revitalization
‣ Strengthen Community
‣ Diverse Collaboration
‣ Increase Safety
‣ Promote Environmental and Individual Health

Team Vision
We envision an ecologically healthy Bear Creek, a well-travelled Greenway and a fully appreciated Hawthorne Park with green spaces that make up the corridor from 10thStreet to McAndrews Road through the revitalization of the urban Medford Bear Creek Greenway corridor.

The health of Bear Creek is reliant on the removal of invasive vegetation and reestablishment of native plants along the bank which creates a more sustainable habitat for returning Salmon. A beautiful and safe Greenway trail offers easy access for all citizens and includes adequate lighting and inspiring artwork including an installation on the I-5 overpass pillars. The upgrades to Hawthorne Park will facilitate community festivals throughout the year. The revitalized corridor helps re-invigorate civic pride of place, generates new opportunities for downtown businesses and reestablishes habitat for the wildlife in and along Bear Creek.

When complete, the urban Medford Bear Creek Greenway Corridor will be vastly improved as a local and regional asset. It will encourage healthy activity in a restorative environment. It will be a place of pride for community members and an attraction for visitors. It will creatively unite our urban center with our distinctive natural environment.

Goals:

1. Promote walkability, recreational use and safety of the urban Medford Bear Creek Greenway.
2. Promote use of Medford Parks and the Bear Creek Greenway trail to encourage healthy activity for Rogue Valley community and visitors.
3. Improve ecological habitat of Bear Creek including riparian corridor, water quality, fish, and wildlife.
4. Promote use of art to increase the vitality and livability of the downtown and urban Medford Bear Creek Greenway Corridor.

Strategies:

1. Engage diverse stakeholders in a collaboration demonstrating the value of private & public partnerships in accomplishing the mission and goals to reach vision.
2. Build upon the previous work of others to realize our vision for the corridor.
3. Engage residents to achieve our vision and maintain a healthy corridor for future generations.
4. Cultivate leadership & financial resources to carry forth the vision for the corridor.
5. Build community participation in the project.

Current Team Members:
Jenna Stanke, Jackson County.
Lee Mills, Bear Creek Greenway Foundation.
Amy Thuren, Consumer Credit Counseling Center.
Craig Tuss, Greg Stabach, Rogue Valley Council of Governments.
Molly Kreuzman, Coyote Trails.
Halle Riddlebarger, Medford Food Coop.
Brian Sjothun, Medford Park & Recreation.

2015 Fall & Spring 2016 Bear Creek Clean Up Project:
Convened meeting with Craig Tuss, RV Council of Governments. Foundation created web based registration form through foundation’s website and webmaster; networking the event and provided financial support for the volunteer lunch.