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Blue Cross Foundation focuses on social determinants of health

Our purpose is to look beyond health care today for ideas that create healthier communities tomorrow. Over the past several years, the Blue Cross Foundation has conducted research, convened local and national leaders, and consulted with communities in an exploration of where to best target resources to most effectively fulfill that purpose.

As a result of our findings, we’re making a long-term commitment to address social determinants of health in Minnesota. By addressing key factors such as social connectedness, early childhood development, housing and the environment, we believe we can help promote health, prevent illness and premature death, and make Minnesota’s communities healthier and stronger.

Our long-term, $10 million commitment combines grantmaking with foundation operating programs in four strategic initiatives: health and immigrant integration, children’s health, health leadership and public policy.

  • Healthy Together, a grantmaking program focused on the intersection of health, immigrant integration and social adjustment. This program bridges our new upstream health focus with a former priority to help people with unique cultural needs navigate the health care system.
  • Growing Up Healthy: Kids and Communities, a grantmaking program to engage community-based health, early childhood development, housing and environmental organizations in improving children’s health and well-being. The program builds on lessons learned from our Growing Up Healthy in Minnesota program that removed barriers and increased preventive care for children, especially those from ethnic and minority communities.
  • A Leadership Institute to recognize and develop community leaders to effectively address the connections between health and social, economic and environmental issues.
  • An initiative to build public and policy support for the social, environmental and economic conditions that promote health.

Our goal is to improve the health of Minnesota communities long term and close the health gap that affects many Minnesotans. While Minnesota is one of the healthiest states in the nation, many Minnesotans do not share that health — particularly people of color, new Americans and people living in poverty.

Many health problems such as asthma, diabetes and some cancers are strongly associated with poverty, recent immigration to the U.S. and membership in a racial minority group. By addressing social determinants of health, we believe we can help close the gap and truly call Minnesota the healthiest state in the nation.

Programs : Our New Direction