NLGA is publishing State Strategy Perspectives from NLGA members and NLGA Partners from September 2020 – January 2021. State Strategies in Health was published in October of 2020 and January of 2021.
| January 2021 Lt. Governor Jeanette Nunez, Florida | “Highlights 2020 Successes as an Advisor to Florida’s Department of Health” · Appears in English & Spanish promoting COVID info & health screenings · Asked residents fully recovered from COVID to donate their plasma · Chaired the Re-Open Florida Task Force Executive Committee |
| The Pew Charitable Trusts | “10 Years of Data Show Dental Therapists Boost Productivity and Revenues” · Dental therapists provide preventive and routine restorative care · These midlevel providers maximize resources and expand workforce. · State OK of dental therapy may increase oral health care to underserved areas |
| Alzheimer’s Association | “CDC, Alzheimer’s Association Release New Action Brief on Dementia Caregiving” · 16-M Americans provide unpaid care for dementia patients valued at $244-B · To support this, states may establish a respite care infrastructure and increase and align services & Medicaid to enable people with dementia to remain at home. |
| Americans for the Arts | “Strengthening Mental Health with The Arts” · 1/3 to ½ of Americans are reporting anxiety or depression, 3X the previous year · Arts are proven effective in reducing anxiety and increasing satisfaction—improving both quality of care and the financial bottom line, for all incl military |
| Lt. Governor Dianne Primavera, Colorado | “Improving Health Care for all Coloradans” · Her Offc of eHealth Innovation disrupts the status quo · In 2-yrs, reduced health ins cost for individuals in private market by 20.2% · Offc of Saving People Money on Health Care coordinates 10 state agencies |
| Lt. Governor Garlin Gilchrist, Michigan | “Addressing Racial Health Disparities & Rolling Out Vaccines” · LG chairs the Michigan Coronavirus Task Force on Racial Disparities · Implementing policies saw percent of Black Michiganders’ COVID deaths drop from 40% in the spring to just 5.7% in early Fall. |
| Novo Nordisk | “The Disproportionate Impact of Obesity on Racial & Ethnic Minorities” · Multiple factors cause obesity to disproportionately impact minorities · Access to the full continuum of obesity care – intensive behavioral therapy, pharmacotherapy, and bariatric surgery – is essential to obesity management |
| CAQH | “A Way to Preserve Scarce Medicaid Resources During COVID & Beyond” · CAQH’s nonprofit ‘COB Smart’ is a unique coordination of benefits solution where >45 health plans contribute eligibility data to a registry then shared w/ commercial and govt participating plans, to identify medical overlaps before claims are paid with 99.5% accuracy. One plan reported an 80:1 return on investment. |
| American Traffic Safety Services Association (ATSSA) | “Accident Prevention: Safer Roads, Work Zones, and School Routes” · Safe routes to schools include pavement markings, bike lanes, more · Work zone safety improves w innovation like incl work zone safety in driver’s ed · Guardrail, pavement markings, traffic signs and signals makes roads safer |
| “Helping Governments Promote Factual Information About COVID-19” · Google is helping governments offer accurate information on COVID-19 to constituents by offering government entities free search ad credit for use through the end of 2021, as well as a volunteer account manager from Google |
| OCTOBER 2020 Lt. Governor Billy Nungesser, Louisiana | “Outdoor Recreation Helps Mental & Physical Health” · By Aug 2020, LA State Parks had 48% more visitors than the previous year. · The state offered stay 3 nights, get a 4th night free. · Parks added hand sani; gave out State Parks masks; & sanitized 2ce daily. |
| The Alzheimer’s Association | “CDC Awards Grants to States to Build a Health Infrastructure for Alzheimer’s” · 14 states got CDC funds to grow health capacity for Alzheimer’s. · CO, GA, HI, IA, ME, MN, MS, NV, NC, OK, RI, VT, VA, & WI got grants. · NLGA’s Alzheimer’s rep can help you with this or the next round of grants. |
| Americans for the Arts | “Strengthening Healthcare Systems thru the Arts” · When arts are part of the healthcare experience, the result is shorter hospital stays, less depression, and less medication which equal reduced costs. · This can be poster art in the room, craft carts, musicians, or much more. |
| Alkermes | “Awareness & Screening – First Steps to Address Alcohol Use Disorder” · AUD is a chronic brain disorder characterized by an impaired ability to stop or control alcohol use despite consequences. · FDA-approved MAT for alcohol dependence w/ therapy can aid recovery. |
| Lt. Governor Tim Griffin, Arkansas | “An Innovative & Comprehensive Reorganization of the State’s Human Services” · To improve efficiency & effectiveness, do extensive outreach within the dept. · Integrated human services delivery is holistic & ensures coordination. · Consider consolidating physical county offices for 1-stop services |
| Lt. Governor Josh Green, Hawaii | “Housing is Healthcare” · HI’n homeless have higher rates of mental illness & addiction & shorter lives. · Housing HI’s chronically homeless would save $300-M/yr in Medicaid savings. · Solutions include tiny homes, 1-stop PPP health care, treat mental illness |
| Lt. Gov. Bethany Hall-Long, Delaware | “Being a Resource to Vulnerable Communities is One Key to Health Improvement” · LG hosts bi-weekly calls for Black, Latino, non-English speaker & faith leaders · Focus on joint accountability among the state & health, community, & business communities and the general population |
| Consumer Healthcare Products Association | “Safe OTC Medicine Use, Storage, & Disposal” · Self-care products have $146-B value to the U.S. healthcare system by helping reduce unnecessary doctor visits, increase work productivity, & more · Visit www.MyOldMeds.com to find the closest local drug collection bin |
| American College of Cardiology | “Telehealth and the Public Health Emergency” · Support continued robust use of telehealth by supporting greater uniformity in state licensing and ensure appropriate reimbursement for access and sustainability. |
| Lt. Governor Boyd Rutherford, Maryland | “Addressing the Opioid Epidemic and Mental and Behavioral Health Services” · Increase qualified professionals thru reciprocity standards · Update the “emergency facility” definition to allow evaluations beyond ERs · Combating opioids incls. inter-agency coordination & more resources. |
| Abbott | “Good Nutrition is an Important State Strategy for Healthy Aging” · Establish malnutrition public health goals and quality measures · Ensure quality malnutrition care is included in preventive and social services, patient safety, care transitions, and population health strategies for older adults. |
| Anthem | “Whole Person Care Improves Quality & Outcomes in Medicaid” · Studies show integrating mental health (MH) and substance use disorders (SUD) services into the physical health services of Medicaid managed care organizations (MCOs) improves outcomes. |
| Biogen | “Impacts of Climate Actions on Human Health” · Help under-resourced healthcare clinics identify & address climate risks, such as extreme heat, to improve patient health · Model the impacts of climate actions on human health, specifically brain health |
| Sandoz | “Improving Health System Sustainability with BioSimilars” · Biologics are complex treatments made from living organisms, such as bacteria or yeast—which treat diseases like cancer or chronic disease. · Biosimilar filgrastim saved the US healthcare system about $1.2-B 2016 -2020 |