Our approach

The commitment to our communities is essential for the health of our state. To support that commitment, our approach and strategies – embed, partner, transform – provide the foundation for that work to ensure all communities can achieve their best health. Funded primarily through proceeds from Blue Cross’ historic lawsuit against the tobacco industry, we invest in community-led solutions, advance policy to improve health outcomes, and drive health narrative change so everyone has the opportunity to achieve their healthiest life.

 

EMBED

Making community health outcomes central to how we do business.

Integrating community into the core of Blue Cross business operations is not merely a moral imperative; it is a strategic necessity. By prioritizing our communities we not only enhance our social responsibility, but also unlock new pathways for innovation and growth. By ensuring that all voices are represented at every level, we can better understand and meet the needs of the communities across the state. This approach leads to the development of products and services that cater to a wider audience, ultimately fostering a healthier market landscape.

Moreover, prioritizing communities within our business allows us to address health and wellness needs across Minnesota and Tribal Nations such as implementing targeted health initiatives and promoting wellness programs and services that are accessible and relevant. Such commitments not only improve health outcomes but also enhance relationships and trust – creating greater sustainability for long-term positive change.

To genuinely embed ‘communities’ into ‘how we do business,’ we’ve adopted a framework of accountability and transparency. This includes setting measurable goals, regularly assessing progress, and being open about both successes and challenges. By embracing these principles, we can lead the charge in creating a more healthy and thriving state.

 

PARTNER

Foster strategic relationships and mobilize community support. 

Fostering strategic relationships and mobilizing community support are essential components for advancing health outcomes within the community. Building strong partnerships with local organizations, communities, businesses, and stakeholders allows for the pooling of resources, knowledge, and expertise, ultimately leading to more effective outcomes. These relationships create a network of support that can enhance the impact of community programs, providing a solid foundation for collaborative efforts. When we collaborate to work toward common goals, we can leverage each other’s strengths, maximize outreach, and amplify the voices of all the communities we serve.

Moreover, engaging with the community is crucial for understanding its unique needs and challenges. Listening to community members and involving them in the decision-making process not only fosters a sense of ownership but also cultivates a culture of participation and innovation. By mobilizing support from the community, organizations can tap into the collective energy and passion that drives positive change. This engagement leads to increased volunteerism, funding opportunities, and a shared commitment to addressing local issues. Strategic relationships, combined with robust community support, create a powerful collaboration that empowers communities to initiate and sustain impactful change, ultimately leading to a more resilient and healthy society.

 

TRANSFORM

Drive policy and systems change to address community health outcomes.

Addressing health outcomes in the community requires a comprehensive approach that involves driving positive policy and systems change at multiple levels. At the heart of this is the recognition that existing policies often might reinforce negative health outcomes rather than mitigate them. To effect meaningful change, we engage in a collaborative process that involves affected communities, policymakers, and experts in health. This involves analyzing current systems—whether in healthcare, food systems, or the commercial tobacco industry—identifying areas where challenges manifest and creating targeted interventions that remove those negative health outcomes.

Furthermore, driving this change demands robust advocacy efforts. Communities must be empowered to voice their experiences and needs, ensuring that policies reflect the realities of those they are meant to serve. Collaboration among government agencies, nonprofits, and private sector partners is essential in building a unified front toward healthier communities. Ultimately, the goal is to create systems where every individual has the opportunity to thrive, making all our communities healthier.

Communities also need to be centered in the health narratives that exist. This means more rounded reporting and increasing positive, accurate representations of all communities in the media. When deficit-based narratives are routinely used to highlight the health of underrepresented communities, they impact and reinforce mindsets, policies and systems around health, often furthering the challenges faced. This can result in more challenging conditions for positive changes in health and wellness for those communities. We work to solve those challenges through our technical assistance to community partners, our program communications, and our media outreach – all aimed to positively highlight all communities’ narratives on health.

 

HEAL

Acknowledge our role and create authentic change to address community health outcomes.

Acknowledging our role is crucial for fostering authentic change and healing the deep-rooted poor health outcomes that continue to persist. We recognize that we play a part in an interconnected web of social, economic, and policy structures that can either result in poor health outcomes or serve as catalysts for transformation. By recognizing our position, we can better understand how our actions contribute to community health. This self-awareness empowers us as an organization to challenge barriers, amplify voices, and advocate for policies that promote health for all communities across Minnesota.

Creating authentic health change requires a collective commitment to disassembling barriers that have long impacted our healthcare systems and broader communities. We must listen actively to the experiences of those affected by such challenges and elevate their insights as vital to our health revitalization efforts. By partnering with communities, we can co-design initiatives that address the root causes of poor health outcomes and promote environments conducive to health and healing.

This work is not a one-time effort but an ongoing journey that demands persistence, humility, and resilience.  As we work together, we cultivate a healthier, thriving society for all.