Advancing Health Equity: How Projects Funded By the Health Equity in Prevention (HEiP) Initiative Are Working to Improve Health in Communities

In 2013, the Center for Prevention at Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota (Blue Cross) awarded contracts to 13 organizations throughout the state, all working to improve health outcomes and advance health equity through policy, systems, and environmental (PSE) change. The primary goal for this collective work, the Health Equity in Prevention (HEiP) initiative, is to build power among health equity organizations to influence how Minnesota�s communities support health for all. To accomplish this, Blue Cross is working to support organizations� efforts to implement PSE changes; strengthen the leadership, capacity and resilience of organizations; and increase connections among organizations to promote health equity. This report describes the projects undertaken by the organizations and work done during the first two years of the initiative. It highlights PSE changes and strategies that have been implemented during this time, as well challenges that impact the organizations� efforts and a summary of changes in organizational capacity to advance health equity.