Latest NWA Health Summit Focuses on ‘Meeting People Where They Are’
| The University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) Institute for Community Health Innovation brought together health care professionals and thought leaders at the Northwest Arkansas Health Summit on May 21 to strategize ways to meet communities where they are to improve health across Arkansas.
The summit was supported by Heartland Whole Health Institute, the Northwest Arkansas Council and other community partners. More than 200 people from across the state came to the Fayetteville Town Center to discuss “Meeting People Where They Are,” the theme of this year’s summit, in an effort to better understand barriers to meeting the needs of various communities in Arkansas.
“Arkansas is an incredibly rural state, and it’s easy to think people can just drive to a clinic, but for many people access to health care is out of reach. They may be an hour and a half or two hours from a clinic and not have reliable transportation,” said Pearl McElfish, Ph.D., director of the Institute for Community Health Innovation. “So, our theme of ‘Meeting People Where They Are’ is really all about how health care providers can make sure people have access in their communities right where they live, work and play, each and every day.”
Attendees at the health summit engage with one another during a session about meeting people where they are.
That theme was highlighted throughout the day through panels and sessions by health care experts from across Arkansas, as well as a session on Medicaid reimbursement for community health workers by Ben Tiensvold from the Community Health Worker Collaborative of South Dakota. Earlier this spring, Arkansas lawmakers approved measures to allow Medicaid reimbursement for services provided by community health workers and doulas.
“It was really exciting to see connection and brainstorming happening across different organizations (at the summit),” Tiensvold said. “That is really unique to both South Dakota and Arkansas; we’re not afraid to talk to each other and to have those conversations to better the health of our communities.”
The day also featured a keynote from Arkansas Minority Health Commission Interim Director Kenya Eddings; a panel with Arkansas State Reps. Aaron Pilkington and Denise Garner, and Nell Smith and Cassie Cochran of the Arkansas Department of Health; and more.
“Improving health outcomes really takes all of us: community partners, health organizations and legislative leaders coming together with a commitment to improve the health of Arkansans,” McElfish said. “We had the honor to discuss policy implementation, community health workers, and what value-based care can look like in Arkansas. All of these things can come together to improve health outcomes.”
