Technical assistance and direction for the Consumer Voices for Coverage program

The Foundation's program, Consumer Voices for Coverage: Strengthening State Advocacy Networks to Expand Health Coverage, was designed to support state-based consumer health advocacy networks to increase their capacity to participate in health care reform efforts with key stakeholders, such as businesses, hospitals, insurers, providers and government officials.The Consumer Voices for Coverage National Program Office will provide technical assistance and training to grantee networks of consumer health advocacy organizations within twelve states to help them increase their capacities to advance comprehensive health care reform. The National Program Office (NPO) will focus on helping grantees develop integrated "systems of advocacy," comprised of collaborating organizations that are able to: build and sustain stronger and broader-based coalitions; create effective linkages with grassroots organizations; conduct legal and policy research and analysis; increase media and communications expertise; and develop and implement health policy campaigns. The NPO will also support advocacy organizations in an additional six states to strengthen their visibility and role in national health care reform efforts. The original 12 grantee states will also participate in national-level activities, but their primary mandate continues to be promotion of state-based reform. The NPO will create a learning community among grantees in the eighteen states that will enable them to share strategies and best practices and work collaboratively on common issues. The NPO will also connect consumer advocates from non-grantee states to the learning community when non-grantee states are working on specific policy issues or strategies that are relevant to grantee states. Deliverables will include the development of issue briefs as well as technical assistance and training tools, the delivery of periodic training and technical assistance, the second annual grantee conference, and ongoing delivery of "just in time" strategic assistance to grantees.

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Grant Details

Amount Awarded $1,256,011.00

Awarded on: 12/23/2008

Time frame: 2/1/2009 - 1/31/2010

Grant Number: 61399