Building a Better Kent County: Collaborating for Health Equity through the SDoH Hub

Research continues to reveal that social determinants of health (SDoH) like food insecurity, housing instability, and limited access to mental health services play a crucial role in influencing health outcomes. These factors account for nearly half of the variation in health outcomes and challenges related to health that our community faces.

The Solution: Kent County’s SDoH Hub  

To address this growing issue, Kent County is stepping up to meet this challenge by fostering collaboration between healthcare systems and social service providers. The creation of a Social Determinants of Health (SDoH) Hub marks an innovative move towards a more connected and holistic approach to community health. For Health Net of West Michigan, this initiative builds upon our work for the past five years as the Kent County Regional Health Collaborative (RHC), and we will continue to play a key role in the development of the Kent County SDoH Hub hoping to establish the following components:

1. Shared Decision-Making: By actively involving community members and local organizations in the decision-making process, the Hub ensures that the voices of those most affected by social determinants are heard and prioritized.

2. Learning and Evaluation: The Hub will focus on identifying, designing, and assessing policies and programs, ensuring that they support thriving individuals and communities.

3. Sustainability: Through weaving together funding from various sources, the Hub will address community-identified needs in a sustainable manner.

4. Community Engagement: To ensure that all phases of planning and implementation are effective and genuine, ongoing involvement of diverse community members will be a staple.

5. Strong Governance: Establishing clear criteria and strategies for partnerships is essential to achieve long-term improvements in health outcomes.

6. Robust Infrastructure: From workforce training to developing a Community Information Exchange (CIE) and HIPAA-compliant billing processes, the necessary infrastructure will strengthen the coordinated approach to reducing health disparities.

7. Data Collection and Evaluation: By building evidence to support health equity strategies, data collection and evaluation will guide continuous improvement.

Initial Steps and Community Feedback  

The journey began in November 2024, when we partnered with the Kent County Essential Needs Task Force, in collaboration with Heart of West Michigan United Way and the Kent County Health Department, to host “The Power of Connection: Shaping the Kent County Social Determinants of Health Hub.” With input from 115 representatives from social service organizations and healthcare systems, several key themes emerged:

• • Strong desire for community involvement in planning and governance
  • Need for coordination across systems and service types
  • Interest in balancing the needs of large and small organizations
  • Questions and concerns about data sharing and funding

Next Steps  

Currently, a planning group is working on funding applications to further the community-wide planning process. Short-term funds from the Kent County Health Department and Heart of West Michigan United Way are already in place to support initial efforts, with further funding opportunities being sought. Upcoming steps include creating a draft Logic Model to evaluate resource needs and desired outcomes, setting meetings with health system leaders, and hosting a virtual convening in summer 2025 to gather more ideas. Workgroups will be established to broaden participation and ensure diverse input. As Kent County takes these pivotal steps, the path to health equity becomes clearer. Through the coordinated efforts of the SDoH Hub, we are building a healthier, more equitable future for all residents. This initiative is not just about addressing immediate needs; it’s about creating lasting change and a model that communities across the nation can utilize to achieve better health outcomes.