Evaluation of the First Year of the Cross-Sector Innovation Initiative: Lessons Learned in Advancing Cross-Sector...

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Health Services Research
• Community Engagement

Background:

• The Cross-sector Innovation Initiative (CSII) aimed to foster alignment between public health, healthcare, and social services sectors.
• The initiative emphasized community engagement to address health inequities and improve population health.
• The core principle was that cross-sector collaboration, in partnership with communities, enhances the ability to tackle health disparities innovatively.

Purpose of the Study:

• To identify activities undertaken by 10 funded communities during the first year of the CSII.
• To understand the factors that facilitated or hindered sector alignment and community engagement efforts.
• To evaluate the initial implementation of the CSII program.

Main Methods:

• Utilized secondary data from project reports submitted by participating sites.
• Employed primary data collection through observations of peer-to-peer learning events.
• Focused on the first year of the 2-year CSII program.

Main Results:

• Cross-sector alignment requires a sustained focus on long-term objectives.
• Building, strengthening, and maintaining trust and commitment among partners and stakeholders is essential.
• Explicitly including community voice and participation significantly benefits alignment efforts.

Conclusions:

• Sustained commitment to longer-term goals is vital for effective cross-sector alignment.
• Trust and strong relationships among partners and community stakeholders are foundational.
• Meaningful community involvement is a critical success factor for addressing health inequities.