My colleague, Marcus Escobedo, and I have been on the road quite a bit lately with our dog and pony show about one the newest initiatives borne from our strategic plan: The Change AGEnts.
Since we have been getting a lot of questions (and interest) and because some of you may not have had the opportunity to see us in person, we thought it would be helpful to put together this FAQ.
What is the Change AGEnts Initiative?
As many of you know, two years ago the Hartford Foundation engaged in a strategic planning process which has led us to transition from our signature faculty development and other academic programs to a more downstream, practice-centered focus. In order to make this change, we know it is vital we build on our greatest asset: the incredibly passionate and expert people who have been part of Hartford-funded efforts over the past 20 years.
In September 2013, we will bring the Change AGEnts concept to our Trustees and with their blessing, we hope to establish an initiative that capitalizes on the energy, expertise, and enthusiasm of the individuals that have been affiliated with the Hartford Foundation to make real and sustained change in the practice environment to improve the health of older Americans.
This change may take a number of forms. We heard from one group of scholars interested in making hospital care for dementia patients safer. We know of several former grantees interested in influencing their state’s plan for integrated care of the dual eligible population. One of our scholars recently told us she wanted advice on how to connect with local nursing homes to expand her program to reduce bacterial infection rates. We want to support Change AGEnts in this kind of work and more.
The Change AGEnts Initiative will provide leadership and skill development for those who have demonstrated commitment and expertise in caring for older adults and who want to move that knowledge into practice. The initiative will connect people in new ways and provide resources to advance better geriatric care. We think this is the right approach at the right time. Through the Change AGEnts, we can be more nimble in our grantmaking and respond to the rapidly changing health care environment. We will also be able to incubate ideas and activities that may lead to larger grant initiatives.
Who should be interested in the Change AGEnts Initiative?
The Change AGEnts Initiative will be designed to bring together anyone who has been part of Hartford-funded efforts and is interested in catalyzing change in practice—the way health care is delivered to our aging society. We want to engage Hartford grantees, scholars, and fellows to collaborate across our traditionally funded areas in medicine, nursing, and social work, putting their geriatrics expertise to work in real-world health care organizations.
We freely admit that over the years we have built some high-walled disciplinary silos. It is time to tear them down and share tools, resources, and opportunities to arm AGEnts with the knowledge and skills to collectively enact change. We will build on the work of existing alumni groups such as our Fagin Fellows and Archbold Scholars in geriatric nursing and transition their experiences and products into the new initiative.
Why would the Change AGEnts work be of interest to me?
For those interested, the AGEnts initiative will offer opportunities on two levels.
1) Change AGEnts Community. We will foster a community of leaders in practice change and provide skill-building and support through mentorship, webinars, conferences, convenings, consultancies, and small grants programs. We will build a virtual platform (web site, AGEnts profile pages, searchable database of Hartford grants organized by research interest and geographical location) to connect community members and provide resources and tools.
2) Change AGEnts Practice Networks. We will also launch a series of networks designed to tackle specific problems related to care of older adults. These networks will be composed of 12-14 Hartford grantees who represent different disciplines, backgrounds (e.g., academia, practice, policy), and varying stages of professional development. The networks will be funded for up to two years and largely self-determine the exact problem they want to address and the change they will accomplish. The first two networks will focus on Dementia Caregiving and Patient Centered Medical Homes. Network participants will be selected through both an invitational process and an open call. We hope to launch several more of these networks over time, some of which may evolve from Community members coming together. Some networks may lead to larger grant initiatives.
When can we expect to hear more details about the Change AGEnts?
Marcus and I will be bringing this initiative for approval to our Trustees at the September 2013 Board meeting. If all goes well, we will be starting this work in October with an official launch event at the 2013 Gerontological Society of America annual meeting in New Orleans.
What should I do if I am interested in being an AGEnt?
Read our blog. We will be posting updates as we have them, especially around September. We will also be profiling Hartford grantees who have been forerunners to this initiative—people who have inspired us to create the Change AGEnts Initiative. Stay tuned.
Also, talk to us. We want to continue to maximize our greatest asset—the 1,000+ people who have been part of the Hartford family for the past 20 years—to make real change to improve health of our aging population. So, tell us what you think of this initiative; we are hoping to create something that is of interest and value to you.
Start now. Who wants to go first?