Better Together: Community Voices, Hospitals And Banks Advancing Housing & Health

The Affordable Care Act (ACA) creates opportunities for community groups and community-based organizations to engage hospitals and health systems in addressing the interconnected issues of housing, health, and community development. A hospital’s Community Health Improvement Plan (CHIP) guides part of its community benefit activities, much like a bank’s Community Reinvestment Act (CRA) plan directs its community investments. In this session, learn how the ACA establishes incentive structures for engagement nationwide; explore a collaborative model from Philadelphia; and hear about the CRA-funded Building Life Opportunities and Options for Mothers (BLOOM), which empowers mothers through a social-enterprise approach that provides stable, affordable housing and creates pathways to family economic mobility.