Collaboration between the health and community development sectors has gained increased attention as a means of accelerating progress to improve community health. This article, authored by Paul Mattessich of Wilder Research and Ela Rausch of the Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis, appeared in the November 2014 issue of Health Affairs. It offers an empirical perspective on the general status of such collaboration based on results from a national survey of practitioners in the community development and health fields.
Study results show that cross-sector efforts to improve health are widespread across the United States. Community development organizations, including community development financial institutions, support a wide spectrum of activities addressing both social determinants of health and the immediate needs of communities. However, the means of assessing the impacts of these joint community health improvement initiatives appear limited. Authors highlight opportunities for building on present momentum and for measuring results in a way that expands the evidence base on effective collaborative efforts between the two sectors.