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Building Sustainable Health Systems

Today鈥檚 healthcare leaders are navigating an era of accelerated disruption. Traditional hospital models are under intense pressure from rising costs, workforce shortages, changing reimbursement landscapes, and shifting community expectations. Hospitals and health systems are increasingly challenged by issues that affect multiple areas of the business from strategy to fiscal management to clinical operations.

Financials & Revenue

Workforce

Improving Health Outcomes

Strategic Partnerships

Technology & Digital Innovation

OUR COMMITMENT

We empower hospitals by guiding transformational decisions 鈥� protecting legacy, stabilizing operations, and building the future of healthcare, one courageous step at a time. Our HMA Delivery Systems team works with hospitals, health systems, federally qualified health centers (FQHCs) and associations to support their strategy, clinical 杏吧视频, operations, finance, and value-based care needs. Let us know how we can help your organization.

Five Critical Priorities for Transformation

Financial Reinvention and New Revenue Models

Optimizing operational efficiencies, increasing price transparency, and diversifying revenue through innovations like hospital-at-home.

We offer board- and CEO-level financial, operational, and strategic assessments and tailored scenario planning to evaluate service realignment, restructuring, and sustainable growth.

Workforce Resilience and Sustainability

Investing in staff retention, interdisciplinary team redesign, leadership development, and pipeline programs to stabilize care delivery and safeguard institutional knowledge.

We support clients with strategic workforce planning, interdisciplinary team optimization, and leadership development frameworks to future-proof talent pipelines.

Expanding Access and Improving Health Outcomes

Advancing accessible, high-quality care and strengthening community loyalty.

We guide the development of community health investment strategies, trust-building frameworks, and initiatives to foster patient and stakeholder loyalty.

Strategic Partnerships and Ecosystem Building

Building alliances across systems, payers, technology firms, and community organizations is essential to expanding reach, managing risk, and accelerating innovation.

We bring expertise in strategic partnership development, merger and affiliation exploration, and collaborative ecosystem strategies.

Technology and Digital Innovation

Deploying technology and AI automation to streamline workflows, enhance patient experience, and lower costs is now a competitive imperative.

We partner with hospitals to develop tailored technology enablement roadmaps鈥攊ntegrating digital solutions aligned with operational goals and future-state visions.

Who We Help

We offer a full suite of professional health and human 杏吧视频 consulting 杏吧视频 to clients serving hospitals and health systems, such as:

Critical access and PPS hospitals

FQHCs, rural health clinics, & provider practice groups

Health plans

National, regional and statewide associations

Federal, state, & local governments

Tribal nations & tribal health organizations

Community based organizations

Foundations

Contact Our Experts:

Warren J. Brodine

Managing Director, Delivery Systems

Warren Brodine partners with communities, federally qualified health centers (FQHCs), and payors to deliver optimal patient and community outcomes, supporting … Read more

Rob Ross

Managing Director, Delivery Systems

An experienced healthcare executive, Robert Ross is dedicated to developing solutions to provide quality, accessible, cost-effective care while ensuring the … Read more

Supporting Medicaid Dental Benefit Administrators: Oral health and dental care are vital for the health of communities听

Whether performing under risk-based prepaid ambulatory health plan (PAHP) contracts or non-risk (administrative service organizations), Medicaid dental managed care organizations (MCOs) and dental benefit administrators (DBAs) face the same challenges as Medicaid MCOs, and state Medicaid agencies, including but not limited to:

– Getting into and staying in compliance with state regulatory and contract requirements
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– Understanding and responding to new federal and state rules and regulations
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– Growing market share including success in state procurements, in MCO solicitations for DBAs, and attracting and retaining enrollees

– Improving utilization to meet quality measure targets, medical loss ratios, and margin expectations including increased utilization of preventive oral health care, and decreased utilization of unnecessary care such as avoidable emergency room care for dental diagnoses

– Excelling in benefit administration operations including member 杏吧视频 and engagement, provider network development and provider 杏吧视频, claim/encounter administration, reporting, and other functional areas
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– Managing financial risk including developing or validating capitation rates and developing value-based payment arrangements

The importance of oral health and dental care

Oral health is integral to the overall health and quality of an individual鈥檚 life, and lack of access to oral health care negatively impacts entire populations.

Tooth decay affects 90% of adults 20 to 64 years of age and costs the U.S. about $45.9B in lost productivity in 2015. This frequently results in visits to hospital emergency rooms where care is often palliative but does not treat the root cause of problems¹

Gum disease affects almost 50% of adults 45 to 64 years of age and is a risk factor for nearly 60 other adverse health conditions, including Alzheimer鈥檚 disease, diabetes, and heart disease²

More than half of working-age adults living in poverty have untreated caries (52%), whereas only 1 out of 5 adults with incomes of twice the federal poverty guideline or higher have untreated caries (20%)³

Tooth decay is preventable but impacts nearly 46% of U.S. children. Left untreated, tooth decay can cause chronic pain, impaired development, disfiguration, and social isolation. In severe cases, bacteria from a tooth infection can even travel to the brain and cause death. Caries disproportionately affect children who experience poverty, belong to certain racial and ethnic groups, or are affected by other social factors⁴

OUR EXPERTISE

At HMA, our consultants have led MCOs, state Medicaid agencies, and include senior officials from Medicare, directors of large nonprofit and social 杏吧视频 organizations, top-level advisors, C-level executives at hospitals, health systems and health plans, and senior-level physicians. We know that oral health, access to dental care, and oral health literacy play a vital role in the health of communities supported by Medicaid MCOs. HMA can support the work that DBAs do and the challenges they face in the changing Medicaid environment.

How HMA can help

HMA has decades of experience working with Medicaid MCOs, DBAs, state Medicaid agency dental policy makers, and oral health providers. HMA can:

Provide actionable insights into new federal and state regulations and guidance to help clients understand potential impacts and opportunities for their business. We assist clients to determine what must be done, what can be done, and develop recommendations for what should be done, and to implement those activities. DBAs are frequently performing as PAHPs and are subject to many of the federal rules related to interoperability, prior authorization, access, and eligibility that apply to Medicaid MCOs. HMA provides our Medicaid provider and payer clients with analyses about those rules, which could also benefit DBAs.

Perform validation and compliance support to help clients identify and address any compliance gaps and support clients in validating their own compliance with any state or MCO imposed Corrective Action Plans. We also support clients to grow and strengthen their own capabilities and infrastructure to perform these functions.

Support client growth with end-to-end procurement assistance, including market conditioning and strategy, writing, mock scoring, orals preparation, implementation, and operations stabilization assistance; and with market analysis.

Support delivery system, reimbursement, and provider network design by conducting research and analysis on oral health delivery system approaches, provider reimbursement structures, coverage, and access trends.

Identify, assess, and help implement best practices in oral health care programs related to special populations, including children鈥檚 access to oral health care and dental access in rural communities.

Support quality improvement and utilization management initiatives that increase appropriate and desired utilization and curb inappropriate utilization. This can include help achieving Healthcare Effectiveness Data and Information Set (HEDIS) measure goals and developing oral health literacy programs, achieving accreditation, developing and implementing Performance Improvement Plans (PIPs), and conducting data analysis to understand utilization and evaluate the impact of program changes on utilization.

Provide actuarial 杏吧视频 in support of benefit and program design, capitation rate development, and capitation rate validation.

Design and evaluate value-based payment models that tie provider payments to quality and value.

Project spotlight

Minnesota Medicaid Dental Program Study

The 2021 Minnesota Legislature directed the Department of Human Services (DHS) to conduct a review of Medicaid dental program delivery systems in states that have enacted and implemented a 鈥渃arve out鈥� dental delivery system. This legislation also directed DHS to conduct an analysis of dental provider hesitancy to participate in the Medical Assistance (MA) program as an enrolled provider. DHS contracted with HMA to conduct the analyses mandated in the legislation. HMA reviewed the Medicaid dental program delivery systems in states that have implemented a carve-out dental delivery system, including comparing state program designs, program costs and rates where available, and quality metrics for children one through 20 years of age with at least one preventive dental service within a year. HMA also surveyed dental providers to better understand hesitancy to participate in Medicaid and opinions on policy approaches to improve provider participation.
The final report, available at , described the analysis of state dental carve-out experiences and the dental provider survey results.

Contact our experts:

Sarah Arvey

Associate Principal

Sarah Arvey is a trained medical anthropologist and qualitative researcher with expertise in the impact of social determinants, cultural norms, … Read more

Rebecca Kellenberg

Principal

Rebecca Kellenberg specializes in assisting public and private health care organizations with Medicaid and CHIP policy analysis and implementation. With … Read more

Beth Kidder

Managing Principal

Beth Kidder is a transformative and innovative health care leader with more than 20 years of experience working within the … Read more

Stephen Palmer

Managing Principal

Stephen Palmer, PhD has a broad range of expertise and skills, which enable him to easily join most types of … Read more

Caroline (Carrie) Rosenzweig

Principal

Carrie Rosenzweig is an experienced consultant specializing in health policy analysis, qualitative research, grant writing, and project management. Her research … Read more

[1] Oral Health in America – April 2022 Bulletin, National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research, accessed 4/1/2025,

[2] Oral Health in America – April 2022 Bulletin, National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research, accessed 4/1/2025,

[3] National Institutes of Health. Oral Health in America: Advances and Challenges. Bethesda, MD: US Department of Health and Human Services, National Institutes of Health, National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research, 2021,

[4] Big Hopes for Little Teeth, National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research, accessed 4/1/2025,

HMA helps support Section 1115 Demonstration initiatives across the country

Section 1115(a) demonstrations, informally known as 1115 waivers, are experimental, pilot, or demonstration projects that give states flexibility to design, test, and evaluate state-specific approaches to improve their healthcare programs and better serve eligible populations.

Approved by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), 1115 demonstrations provide alternative options to provide access, coverage, financing, and delivery of 杏吧视频 under the joint federal-state funded programs Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP). Across multiple administrations, HMA has helped states write, design, implement and evaluate their 1115 demonstrations aimed at improving program and population health outcomes. Stakeholders need to optimize their role in shaping and implementing 1115 initiatives with practical solutions and effective engagement strategies with states.

Medicaid and CHIP 1115 demonstrations allow states鈥攁nd their stakeholders鈥攖o test new innovations to improve the health of enrollees and advance program efficiencies. These demonstrations require careful planning, political savvy, policy knowledge, and ongoing support through the application, approval, and implementation phases. In today鈥檚 environment, 1115 programs must be responsive to the policy priorities at the federal level and grounded in solutions that work in the state. Stakeholders need aligned engagement strategies and communications plans to achieve shared goals, including monitoring that drives continuous improvements after implementation.

HMA consultants bring extensive real-world and leadership expertise from decades of working with states and federal agencies prior to joining HMA. We offer the range of 杏吧视频 and support needed to advance 1115 programs, including:

Strengthening healthcare safety net sustainability through financial and operational supports

Developing solutions for complex patient populations such as individuals who are justice-involved or have extensive behavioral needs including substance use disorder

Designing coverage strategies for critical social needs, such as community reintegration of vulnerable populations such as the justice involved, including when these require collaboration with agencies and programs beyond Medicaid

Supporting states in meaningful stakeholder engagement efforts, provider training and guidance, and other activities necessary for successful program implementation

Working with managed care organizations, health plans, providers, and other stakeholders to apply our expertise in implementing 1115 demonstrations

HOW HMA CAN HELP

Providing strategic and operational support to design demonstration programs
With several former state Medicaid directors and former CMS officials on staff, HMA helps states design successful new interventions to address the unique needs of their populations and ensures proposals meet CMS鈥� approval requirements and expectations, including aligning 1115 interventions with evolving federal priorities and objectives for the program. With HMA, states and stakeholders gain valuable insights on strategic engagement and partnerships. 听
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Developing applications for 1115 demonstration proposals
HMA has supported a variety of 1115 initiatives in several states, including developing proposals for new, continuing, and amended 1115 demonstration programs. HMA consultants bring decades of experience in 1115 program design that covers all of the components critical to developing and operating 1115 programs 鈥� policy, actuarial and budgeting, operations, communications, project management, and IT.
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Supporting federal negotiations for approval of state 1115 demonstration proposals
HMA helps states navigate the federal processes to secure approval for their 1115 initiatives. In many cases, HMA joins in active negotiations with the state agency to support federal negotiations. HMA has unique insight into federal approval parameters with former CMS officials.

Operational Support
We help stakeholders鈥攊ncluding state agencies and their partners鈥攎anage the challenges of implementing new Medicaid or CHIP initiatives, with a focus on ensuring efficient integration and improvements in outcomes.

Evaluation and Assessment of section 1115 demonstrations
Federal regulations require evaluation of CMS-approved 1115 programs. HMA designs and conducts evaluation reports that meet federal requirements, such as hypotheses, data sources, and comparison strategies. HMA鈥檚 work on evaluation designs and evaluation reports has been held out by CMS as best practice models to other states for evaluating new policy interventions as well as for ongoing monitoring activities.
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Developing materials for and supporting stakeholder engagement from design to implementation.
HMA works closely with states and their partners to engage stakeholders early in the 1115 process to ensure that communities and local organizations are involved in the planning and implementation of 1115 programs.听

Project Spotlights

HMA has supported approved section 1115 demonstration programs testing new strategies for addressing substance use disorder (SUD), serious mental illness (SMI), and/or serious emotional disturbance (SED) through new flexibilities around the federal institution for mental disease (IMD) exclusion in seven states (Alabama, Colorado, Delaware, Indiana, Missouri, Ohio, and Oklahoma). In addition to initial and extension application support, HMA teams also support the evaluation and financial modeling components of 1115 demonstration development. In the last four years, we have delivered six evaluation designs, two midpoint progress assessments, two interim evaluations, and two summative evaluations approved by CMS. In general, HMA鈥檚 approved evaluation design plans use multiple evaluation methods, including a mixed-methods approach, drawing from various data sources, measures, and analytics, including quasi-experimental methods, to produce relevant and actionable study findings to conduct analyses. Additional 1115 demonstration program development activities include completing budget neutrality estimates and rate setting for new interventions proposed under demonstrations.

California is the first state in the nation to receive approval from CMS to provide detained and sentenced individuals with 90-day pre-release healthcare 杏吧视频 and behavioral health linkages. HMA helps clients build administrative capacity, information technology, pre-release 杏吧视频, care management models, and Medicaid claiming infrastructure to meet their unique needs and leverage this significant state-federal demonstration opportunity. Our planning and implementation support spans the breadth of the CalAIM Justice-Involved Initiative including: the pre-release Medicaid application process, 90-day pre-release 杏吧视频, behavioral health links, Enhanced Care Management (ECM), and Community Supports 杏吧视频.听 In addition to California, HMA supported other states, such as Illinois and Maryland, with the design, approval, and/or implementation of justice-involved demonstrations approved by CMS. Learn more about CalAIM Justice-Involved Reentry Initiative Planning and Implementation Services.

HMA has supported multiple states in developing alternate approaches to Medicaid eligibility and enrollment tailored to their unique policy goals. For example, our consultants have worked with the Indiana Family and Social Services Administration on the program design, approval, and implementation of the Healthy Indiana Plan (HIP), Indiana鈥檚 alternative Medicaid expansion demonstration program. We also supported the Iowa Department of Health and Human 杏吧视频 in developing the Iowa Health and Wellness Plan (IHAWP) 1115 demonstration which provides an alternative benefit design to traditional Medicaid expansion. HMA also supported the Kentucky Cabinet for Health & Family Services (CHFS) with a variety of 杏吧视频 related to its section 1115 demonstration, Kentucky HEALTH, the first community engagement program in the nation approved by CMS.

Webinars and other resources:

HMA Helps NEMT Stakeholders Overcome Challenges

Lack of transportation is a common barrier to accessing healthcare, leading to poorer health outcomes and health inequities. Non-emergency medical transportation (NEMT) is a critical Medicaid benefit that helps beneficiaries access the health care they need. However, the NEMT industry has faced numerous challenges. States, NEMT brokers and providers, beneficiaries, and other stakeholders have struggled with low member satisfaction, transportation network adequacy, and workforce shortages (especially in rural areas), difficulties attaining sufficient Medicaid reimbursement, ride timeliness (e.g. pickup, drop-off, post-discharge), ensuring passenger safety, digitization of records, sufficient funding, and program integrity.

The NEMT industry is also experiencing significant changes and opportunities related to innovation and new technologies, expansion in modes of NEMT transportation (such as rideshare), standardization of tools and metrics, and the introduction of new NEMT models.

HMA has a long history of working with the full range of stakeholders directly or indirectly involved in, or affected by, NEMT, including:

State and county Medicaid agencies
Managed care organizations
NEMT brokers
NEMT transportation provider organizations and vendors
Transportation network companies (TNCs/rideshare)
NEMT associations or commissions
Health systems
Emergency medical 杏吧视频 (EMS)
Transportation insurance providers
NEMT software companies
Medicaid beneficiary and disability advocacy organizations

HMA can help organizations with:

Conducting contract reviews, policy scans, actuarial analyses, and evaluations to identify and address critical challenges as well as best practices in NEMT
Supporting procurement and readiness review activities as well as vendor management and oversight
Performing market analysis and strategic implementation planning for NEMT and other health information technology solutions
Developing and evaluating value-based incentive models for NEMT 杏吧视频

Our team includes:

Former health plan executives, state Medicaid and public health officials, and NEMT provider leads with federal and state NEMT policy and operational expertise
Researchers and evaluators with extensive experience examining the implementation and impact of NEMT policy and operational changes
Actuarial analysts with deep experience in quantitative assessments and analyses of the NEMT benefit

Other resources related to NEMT include:

If your organization is ready to talk about how HMA can help advance your NEMT goals, please contact one of our experts below.

Chip Cantrell

Principal

Caroline (Carrie) Rosenzweig

Principal

Sharon Silow-Carroll

Principal

Tonya Woods-Copeland

Managing Principal

Digital Quality Measurement: A Key Driver to Value

The healthcare industry is on the cusp of a seismic shift in how quality data are collected, analyzed and reported. Beginning in January 2027, new federal interoperability and prior authorization rules will require widespread data exchange, paving the way for full digital quality measurement (dQM) by 2030. This move toward dQM presents enormous opportunity to enhance quality outcomes, strengthen value-based arrangements, and streamline operations. However, it also requires substantial strategic, operational, and technological changes that most organizations simply cannot manage alone.

Regulatory Mandates

Organizations that delay preparing for the 2027 rule risk costly setbacks and non-compliance.

Opportunity for Transformation

dQM drives efficiency and quality improvement, supporting population health initiatives, care coordination, and value-based contracting.

Complexity and Risk

dQM implementation spans multiple departments鈥擨T, quality improvement, analytics, legal, and more鈥攃reating a host of challenges requiring specialized expertise.

Competitive Advantage

Early adopters will have a first mover advantage. This advantage could result in revenue associated with auto-assignment, STARS bonus, value-based purchasing, reduced sanctions and fine, etc.

Why Partner with HMA?

HMA鈥檚 dQM consulting team understands the operational, clinical, and technical dimensions of transitioning to digital quality measurement. Leveraging deep expertise across health plans, provider organizations, and state and federal agencies, we help you plan, implement, and evaluate your dQM strategies at every stage.

1. Speed to Solution

Front-Seat Knowledge: HMA, together with Leavitt Partners, an HMA Company, is actively influencing and shaping national conversations on interoperability and digital measures. Our front-line insights mean you gain rapid access to the latest best practices, regulatory updates, and strategic guidance.
Streamlined Roadmap & Implementation: We help you develop a clear, achievable plan of action鈥攕aving you from the pitfalls of trial-and-error by fast-tracking your implementation and monitoring the results.

2. Cross-Department Coordination

Complexity of Transformation: dQM requires alignment across IT, quality, clinical operations, and finance鈥攐ften a monumental undertaking for organizations already at capacity. Robust change management & strategic planning and communications is crucial for success.
Meet Mandated Timelines: Waiting to act can result in financial risk, stressed operations, and missed opportunities to optimize reimbursement.
Manage Risk: Because digital quality measurement is in an emerging phase, organizations face higher levels of uncertainty. HMA mitigates risk by leveraging our extensive experience and industry partnerships.

3. Proven Expertise and Ongoing Support

Full Project Lifecycle: From early planning and strategy development through implementation and evaluation, we stand by you every step of the way.
Value Beyond Compliance: Our team identifies how dQM can drive broader business goals鈥攊mproving population health, care coordination, and value-based contracting performance..

Ready to Transform Your Quality Measurement?

HMA鈥檚 expert consultants provide the advanced technical, business, and operational skills you need to succeed in today鈥檚 rapidly evolving regulatory landscape. Don鈥檛 let the complexity of dQM derail your strategic plans or burden your teams. With HMA as your partner, you can confidently navigate and optimize your transition to digital quality measurement.

Take the first step toward harnessing the power of digital quality measurement. Partner with HMA to position your organization for success today鈥攁nd well into the future.

Contact our HMA dQM experts to discuss your organization鈥檚 goals and challenges:

Jeff Booth

Principal

Ryan Howells

Principal

Mark Marciante

Director

Sarah Scholle

Principal

Daniela Simpson

Senior Consultant II

David Wedemeyer

Principal

Supporting New York to improve reproductive health outcomes and equity

New York healthcare providers and community-based organizations will have new opportunities to use state funding to strengthen reproductive healthcare infrastructure and improve the quality of maternity care. Governor Hochul鈥檚 proposed FY 2025 budget includes funding to increase access to comprehensive reproductive healthcare, and capital investment for renovations, equipment upgrades, planning, and construction, to help facilities modernize and secure their operations. The proposed budget also provides flexible funding streams for 杏吧视频 and increased reimbursement for hospitals that meet new maternal health quality metrics.

HMA can help your organization

Strategically seek funding to meet your goals and increase access to 杏吧视频

Develop successful grant applications that position your organization for long-term success and sustainability in New York鈥檚 transforming publicly financed healthcare environment

Implement new programs and 杏吧视频 and measure their impact and value

Improve the quality and accessibility of 杏吧视频 you offer.

Identify potential partners with whom to collaborate to expand new and existing 杏吧视频

Anticipated opportunities include:

Proposed in Governor鈥檚 Budget	Opportunity Summary
Safety Net Transformation Program Funding	Would dedicate additional funding to support partnerships between safety-net hospitals and other healthcare organizations.
Reproductive Freedom and Equity Grant Funding	Would distribute $25 million in funding for the program with focus on strengthening access to comprehensive reproductive care.
Strengthening of Reproductive Healthcare Infrastructure	Would invest an additional $5 million in the Reproductive Freedom and Equity Grant Fund and security grant funding to expand capital investment support for providers; enables renovations, equipment upgrades, planning and construction to help facilities modernize and secure their operations.
Fair reimbursement for Abortion Services	Would invest an additional $20 million to enhance a new flexible funding stream to allow providers to better adapt to the impact of the incoming federal administration and ensure that providers are fairly reimbursed for providing abortions.
Safeguarding of Abortion as Emergency Medical Care	Codifies abortion as protected emergency medical care in New York State and requires hospitals to provide this stabilizing emergency medical care, reinforcing access to abortion 杏吧视频 when medically necessary.
Increase in Hospital Reimbursement for High-quality Maternity Care	Increases Medicaid rates for hospitals that meet maternal healthcare quality metrics.
Expansion of Medicaid Coverage for Fertility Treatment	Extends coverage for fertility preservation 杏吧视频 to Medicaid members undergoing medical treatments that may lead to infertility and expands eligibility for the Infertility Reimbursement Program.

HMA鈥檚 nationwide team of experts include:

Former state directors of Title X, Title V Maternal and Child Health programs, and the Children鈥檚 Health Insurance Program (CHIP)

Former senior officials from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services and the Health Resources and Services Administration

Advocates and former leaders of community-based organizations, foundations, and other programs that support reproductive health

Clinicians with experience providing a full range of reproductive health 杏吧视频

Social workers and behavioral health professionals working to integrate approaches that address social and behavioral health needs

Program development, strategic planning, and technical assistance experts working to implement innovative models of perinatal care and policy change to address social and economic drivers of maternal health

Experts in value-based payment and operations related to innovative models of perinatal care from the payer and provider perspectives

Researchers and evaluators with extensive experience examining the implementation and impact of policy and operational changes

Our Maternal & Child Health Team at HMA

HMA bring together experts from a full spectrum of reproductive health 杏吧视频 including policy, clinical, operations, and research. We work with clients to reach shared goals of supporting maternal and child health, expanding access to the full spectrum of reproductive health 杏吧视频, reducing high rates of maternal and infant mortality and morbidity, and addressing deep and persistent racial disparities in birth outcomes and the inequities that drive them. We help clients stay ahead of the curve in publicly funded healthcare by providing technical assistance, resources, decision support and expertise.

Contact our experts:

Heidi Arthur

Principal

Heidi Arthur has over 20 years of experience in delivery system redesign to promote community-based access to health and human … Read more

Jodi Pekkala

Principal

Jodi Pekkala is an experienced health care quality measurement and improvement researcher and consultant with over 15 years dedicated to … Read more

Diana Rodin

Associate Principal

Diana Rodin has more than 15 years of experience conducting policy analysis and program evaluations, providing technical assistance and developing … Read more

Caroline (Carrie) Rosenzweig

Principal

Carrie Rosenzweig is an experienced consultant specializing in health policy analysis, qualitative research, grant writing, and project management. Her research … Read more

Sharon Silow-Carroll

Principal

Sharon Silow-Carroll specializes in health policy research and analysis. She has more than 25 years of experience collaborating with public … Read more

Elizabeth Wolff

Principal

Elizabeth Wolff, MD, MPA is a physician executive who utilizes her expertise in population听health, quality improvement, and practice operations to … Read more

HMA can help your community prioritize and plan Opioid Settlement Fund expenditures

HMA partners with state, county, and local government entities nationwide to strategically allocate opioid settlement funds, driving impactful solutions for opioid use disorder (OUD) and overdose prevention. Through collaboration with policymakers, engaged stakeholders, and community members, we help clients develop funding priorities that enhance public health outcomes and improve quality of life. Our team has extensive experience working with counties across the U.S. to design and implement effective OUD programs. By fostering partnerships with clients, community advisory boards, and local organizations, we co-create community engagement strategies, tools, and plans that ensure meaningful participation in decision-making and sustainable program success.

We have a successful track record developing strategic expenditure plans for opioid abatement settlement funds that align with key funding priorities to drive measurable improvements in quality of life for individuals experiencing OUD and to implement effective overdose prevention initiatives.

How HMA can help

Community-Driven Fund Allocation 鈥� Effective use of opioid settlement funds depends on robust community engagement and feedback, ensuring investments align with local needs and priorities.

Expert Facilitation of Consensus Building 鈥� HMA鈥檚 unique ability to navigate complex community dynamics enables us to diffuse tensions, validate diverse perspectives, and drive stakeholder alignment for impactful decision-making.

Data-Backed Strategic Planning 鈥� Our comprehensive data collection and analysis identify persistent challenges, best practices, and targeted actions across the continuum of care (prevention, intervention, and treatment), culminating in a final report that informs sustainable solutions.

Elevating Community Voices 鈥� We prioritize the insights of individuals with lived experience, healthcare providers, and tribal partners to ensure funding priorities reflect the real needs of those affected by OUD.

Blueprint for Sustainable Impact 鈥� The expenditure plan serves as a strategic manual for the effective use of opioid settlement funds, integrating state requirements with community-driven priorities to maximize long-term success.

OUR EXPERTISE

With deep expertise in opioid settlement fund expenditure planning and a proven track record of success, HMA is uniquely positioned to help organizations nationwide design and implement effective OUD programs. Our team brings unparalleled experience in strategic planning, community engagement, and policy development, ensuring that funding is maximized for sustainable impact. We leverage strong partnerships and customized engagement strategies to drive data-driven, community-centered decision-making.

For recent examples of our work:

Lake County, California

Cabbarus County, North Carolina

Contact our experts:

Charles Robbins

Principal

Charles Robbins has been transforming communities for the past three decades. His extensive community-based organization career spans healthcare, child welfare, … Read more

Increasing the Cultural and Linguistic Accessibility of Services

in Health and Healthcare frame how to improve healthcare quality and reduce disparities through a whole-person approach. Implementation of the CLAS standards demonstrates respect for individuals and responsiveness to their health needs, cultural beliefs and practices, preferred languages, and other communication needs. These standards guide the provision of high-quality care to people from all cultures and backgrounds, as well as persons with disabilities and rural populations. The 15 CLAS standards focus on governance, leadership, workforce, communication, language access, engagement, continuous improvement and accountability.

Quality

Provide 杏吧视频 that are responsive to diverse backgrounds across the US

Equity

Reduce persistent health disparities experienced by racial, ethnic, linguistic, sexual, and gender minorities; persons with disabilities; and rural populations

Experiences of Care

Respect the whole individual and respond to the individual鈥檚 health needs and preferences

Cost

Reduce total cost of care by addressing health disparities

WHY CARE ABOUT CLAS?

In 2022, Forbes reported that health inequities cost the US health system $320 billion now and could reach $1 trillion by 2040

What We Do

Our experts work with states, Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinics (CCBHC), behavioral health organizations, health systems and providers, health plans, and public health organizations to develop CLAS programs, assess gaps in the cultural and linguistic accessibility of 杏吧视频 across a system, and provide tailored technical assistance and trainings. Adherence to CLAS standards is required by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) for initiatives like the CCBHC model due to its positive impact on programming, outcomes, and disparity reduction.

Our CLAS Work

Indiana Statewide Evaluation of Community Mental Health Center (CMHC) CLAS Compliance

HMA completed a comprehensive assessment of Indiana鈥檚 24 CMHCs to evaluate the strengths and needs regarding CLAS standards. We provided coaching, technical assistance, and webinars to support the CMHCs to set goals, build action plans, operationalize CLAS standards, and align CCBHC demonstration preparation and CLAS efforts.

Delaware Division of Substance Abuse and Mental Health (DSAMH) CLAS Training & Mini-Grants

HMA collaborated with DSAMH to develop a strategy to increase cultural responsiveness of substance use disorder (SUD) 杏吧视频. This included implementing a CLAS mini-grant program to provide technical assistance and training for SUD 杏吧视频. We developed and delivered a CLAS 鈥渢rain-the trainer鈥� curriculum for staff, focusing on culturally and linguistically responsive opioid use disorder (OUD) 杏吧视频 for African American and Latine communities. We also created a CLAS standards assessment to frame community-based organization and provider improvement strategies.

CCBHC Transformation Projects Across the Country

Disparity reduction is key to the CCBHC model. Nationally, the HMA CLAS team offers technical assistance to states on how to embed CLAS standards into planning grant and demonstration grant applications. For states that have been awarded CCBHC funding, we can provide training on how to incorporate CLAS standards and disparity reduction strategies into various aspects of their operations. These include community needs assessments, advisory boards, policies and procedures, staff training, program operations, state administrative codes, quality improvement and assurance initiatives, as well as data collection and analysis processes.

Our CLAS Approach

HMA鈥檚 team tailors its support based on each client鈥檚 needs. HMA takes the following general approach to assess and implement CLAS standards:

Assess CLAS standard gaps at organization, system or state level focused on the three CLAS domains: Governance, Leadership and Workforce; Communication and Language Assistance; and Engagement, Continuous Improvement and Accountability

Provide tailored technical assistance and coaching to close gaps drawing on our team鈥檚 cultural and linguistic diversity and lived experiences with 杏吧视频 that are inaccessible to persons with disabilities, as well as persons from racial, ethnic, linguistic, cultural, sexual, and gender minority groups

Design and facilitate training and webinars to address wide scale gaps. Webinar topics may include – using Continuous Quality Improvement (CQI) processes to reduce disparities; increasing language access through translation and interpretation best practices; how to use community needs assessments to identify disparities; and structuring advisory boards for maximum impact

Assist programs and states in developing a CQI strategy to monitor and adjust initiatives to ensure CLAS and disparity reduction initiatives are making demonstrable change

Contact Our Experts:

Nora Carreras

Associate Principal

Nora Carreras is a proven leader and team builder with expertise in social determinants of health (SDOH) and non-profit management. … Read more

Rachel Johnson-Yates

Associate Principal

Rachel Johnson-Yates is a licensed mental health and addiction counselor, public speaker, and educator with a demonstrated track record of … Read more

Leticia Reyes-Nash

Office Managing Principal

Leticia Reyes-Nash is an accomplished, innovative executive leader with 20 years of experience leading policy advocacy, projects, and community engagement, … Read more

Reem Sharaf

Senior Consultant

Reem Sharaf is a licensed clinical social worker and behavioral health leader with 15 years of experience in program development … Read more

Madeleine (Maddy) Shea

Principal

Maddy Shea has a passion for health equity and the federal, state and local cross-sectoral expertise to guide community health … Read more

Doris Tolliver

Managing Principal

Doris Tolliver is a strategic thinker specializing in racial and ethnic equity, organizational effectiveness, change management, and business strategy development. She … Read more

HMA works with states to add Respite Care programs

Expanding access to medical respite care for individuals who are unhoused or have no stable housing and are too ill to be discharged to the streets but not sick enough to stay in the hospital and require some supports to recover from their illness or injury.

Medical respite, or recuperative care, according to the National Institute of Medical Respite Care (NIMRC) is 鈥渁n intervention that provides post-acute medical care for individuals experiencing homelessness who are not sick enough to warrant hospitalization, but who are too frail or ill to recover safely in a shelter or on the streets.鈥�

Respite care benefits both providers and patients and saves money. According to a , respite care results in a 24% reduction in Medicaid cost per enrollee, 30% decrease in hospital admissions, 38% reduction in emergency department visits, and a 92% attendance rate at follow up appointments within 30 days of hospital discharge.

Medical respite is not a housing service. Housing support 杏吧视频 like housing stability, shelter, and supportive housing are critical components of the housing support system. Medical respite is the bridge and a safe transition from the medical care system back to the community and other needed 杏吧视频 and supports. By providing a safe bed, clean restrooms, nursing assistance, and healthy meals, medical respite 杏吧视频 can improve health outcomes and begin a process of addressing other critical health-related social needs, such as stable housing.

HMA offers a full suite of professional health and human 杏吧视频 consulting 杏吧视频 to organizations across the country. In Minnesota, HMA helped write the legislation that helped Minnesota Medicaid give coverage for respite care and has expertise in creating this model that can be used in other states. Many states lack this benefit and even in Minnesota, where it is now covered, there is a shortage of providers.

Project Spotlight: Minnesota Recuperative Care Benefit

THE TASK:

Legislation was passed requiring Minnesota鈥檚 Department of Human Services (DHS) to create a recuperative care benefit through Medicaid. Stakeholder engagement to discuss Medicaid options and to define the benefit. Recuperative Care was not well developed in MN and there were few beds operating in the state.

HOW WE HELPED:

HMA engaged interested individuals as guided by DHS. This included interviewing individuals with lived experience. Our Medicaid and recuperative care SMEs walked everyone through understanding the service and defining the service. In addition, we educated interested parties about the pathways in Medicaid including a state plan amendment and the various waiver options. The group came to consensus with DHS on a state plan amendment. HMA wrote the legislative language and report to support this direction.

THE OUTCOME:

The legislative language was approved. The state plan amendment was submitted and approved by CMS. Recuperative care is now a Medicaid benefit in Minnesota.

HMA can help states, providers, and communities create this benefit, implement effective respite 杏吧视频, and adapt the set of national standards for Medical Respite given your state and community needs including:

Safe and quality accommodations

Environmental 杏吧视频

Care transitions into medical respite from other settings

Access to high quality post-acute clinical care

Care coordination and wrap-around 杏吧视频

Safe care transitions out of medical respite to the community

Quality improvement

HMA can also provide technical assistance, help with alternate payment models, workforce and strategic planning to support respite care.

Contact our experts:

Tia Cintron

Managing Director, Housing and Health Solutions

Tia Cintron听is a seasoned executive with over 35 years of experience in housing and healthcare. She has led impactful programs … Read more

Kenneth Cochran

Principal

Kenneth Cochran is a healthcare executive with more than 20 years leveraging his clinical, business and academic background to deliver … Read more

Paul Fleissner

Managing Principal

Working to integrate 杏吧视频 across systems and communities, Paul Fleissner is a seasoned executive who has developed programs and policies … Read more

Margaret Kirkegaard

Principal

Dr. Margaret Kirkegaard has extensive front line experience and an impressive breadth of knowledge about healthcare and its delivery. A … Read more

HMA helps expand and support FQHCs across the country

Community Health Centers (CHCs), also known as Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs), are community-based health care providers that are vital lifelines in medically underserved areas.

Funded by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), they provide comprehensive primary and preventative care, dental 杏吧视频, mental health and substance use 杏吧视频, and supportive 杏吧视频 like transportation and translation, for patients to access health care. In addition, we have supported more than 20 states to write their CCBHC planning grant applications to initiate a state-run CCBHC model. Most recently, we had 100% success rate for our FY23 planning grant applications, resulting in four states receiving one year planning grants to build a state-run CCBHC model.

FQHCs partner with HMA for expert guidance in strategic planning, board development, finance and operations, clinical improvement, understanding federal and state policy, advancing health equity, grant writing, community health needs assessment, expanding practice scopes, and executive coaching. HMA鈥檚 consultants bring extensive real-world and leadership experience and expertise working with FQHCs prior to joining HMA, offering FQHCs a range of 杏吧视频 and support with:

Health equity initiatives
Financial reimbursement and diversification
Solutions for complex patient populations such as individuals who are uninsured, low health literacy, non-citizens, justice-involved, homeless
Responding to rapidly evolving Medicaid/Medicare policy
Addressing difficult workforce recruitment and retention efforts

In addition to working with FQHCs, HMA works collaboratively with multiple Primary Care Associations (PCAs) to leverage our expertise benefiting multiple FQHCs.

How HMA can help

HMA鈥檚 FQHC value-based payment team has extensive experience working with PCAs, Health Center Controlled Networks, and FQHCs to form integrated delivery systems focused on the Medicaid and Medicare populations to help them progress along the CMS Framework for Value鈥恇ased Payments commensurate with their readiness. Current and recent projects have included PCAs and FQHCs in New York, Illinois, Rhode Island, Oklahoma, Wisconsin, Missouri, North Carolina, Montana, and Indiana.

HMA Principal Art Jones, MD, MPH, was the architect of the first FQHC APM in the country that transitioned payment from fee-for-service to capitation. It was adopted by the FQHC he led as CEO and four other Chicago-area FQHCs in 2001. In 2017, HMA helped the Washington Health Care Authority, the Washington Primacy Care Association, and its FQHC members develop a capitated FQHC APM. Since then, HMA has worked with PCAs and FQHCs in New York, Illinois, Rhode Island, Oklahoma, Wisconsin, Missouri, North Carolina, Montana, and Indiana to develop their own capitated FQHC APMs.

HMA Principal Art Jones, MD, MPH, partnered with five Chicago area FQHCs and five hospitals to establish Medical Home Network in 2011, the prototype clinically integrated network focused on underserved communities. Driven to solve social drivers of health and seeking to demonstrate that in the safety net, technology can be deployed to deliver superior outcomes, the network has grown to include 14 FQHCs and three health systems with more than 180,000 Medicaid beneficiaries with delegated responsibility for care management and global risk. It supports 80 FQHCs in eight states in Medicare ACOs. Another HMA principal was CEO of one of the founding FQHCs at the network鈥檚 inception. This model has been replicated in other states to benefit communities of need.

FQHCs in some states receive general revenue funding to support operations. HMA has extensive experience with federal-directed payment program rules that can secure matching federal funds that at least double and sometimes as much triple total funding depending on the state鈥檚 federal match rate for Medicaid. Directed payment programs require a value-based payment component. HMA has worked with three state PCAs to develop their programs.

HMA consultants assist FQHCs and their clinically integrated networks in assessing the value-based payment arrangements being offered by managed care plans and proactively designing proposals to take to payers. In many cases, HMA joins in active negotiations with the payer.

HMA has several clinically licensed consultants with experience working at and with FQHCs in their pursuit of value-based care. This includes assisting in NCQA Patient-Centered Medical Home certification, implementing care management programs, and designing and implementing new clinical models of care made uniquely financially feasible under APMs.

HMA has several experienced consultants helping individual FQHCs, State PCAs, and FQHC-led clinically integrated networks with their strategic planning process.

HMA has consultants focused on helping providers, including FQHCs, improve their billing and collections systems to improve cash flow and revenue.

HMA experts are uniquely positioned to help FQHCs and other organizations develop strategies and write for New Access Point and Service Area Competitions.

We believe in a data-driven approach to drive actionable insights. We start with an efficient assessment of your current state and prepare a roadmap for success. After our thorough and rapid assessment, our consultants work with your organization on any aspect of implementation to ensure a sustainable, high-performing empanelment environment that drives operational quality and optimizes
current and future revenue streams. A high-performing empanelment environment leads to optimized PCP continuity of care, accountable PCP and care teams driving clinical quality improvement, readily available appointment slots, and patient retention and productivity goals.

No matter the size, HMA empowers FQHCs to thrive in an ever-changing healthcare landscape. With deep expertise at every level, HMA teams partner with FQHCs nationally to address a wide range of operational challenges, including designing innovative school-based care, and expanding community health centers, optimizing scheduling and empanelment, integrating behavioral health care and strategically adopting telehealth solutions, we help FQHCs seize opportunities. Our experience extends to selecting and implementing cutting-edge IT systems for population health management, optimizing participation in the 340B program, and maximizing workforce capacity. HMA is dedicated to ensuring that FQHCs deliver exceptional care to those who need it most.

State PCAs frequently ask HMA to speak on various value-based payment-related topics at annual conferences.

Project Spotlight

Community Health Center, New York

HMA assisted the community health center in creating its strategic approach to value-based care. The project included analysis of current clinical and financial performance under managed care arrangements, workforce optimization, and opportunities to identify shared savings on total cost of care.

Health Center Strategic Planning, California

HMA worked with the board of directors, community stakeholders, clinicians, and staff to create a theory of change and then identify internal and external opportunities for expansion, quality improvement, and financial growth.

Community Health Center Service Area Competition (SAC) Grant, Ohio

HMA supported a CHC in completing its needs assessment and writing its SAC grant.

PACE readiness, Illinois

HMA consulted with an FQHC in Illinois to analyze, plan for, and apply to open a Program for All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE) focused on the Latinx population.

Learn more about our work

WITH PROVIDER ORGANIZATIONS

with GRANT WRITING

Contact our experts:

Warren J. Brodine

Managing Director, Delivery Systems

Warren Brodine partners with communities, federally qualified health centers (FQHCs), and payors to deliver optimal patient and community outcomes, supporting … Read more

Melissa Corrado

Principal

Melissa Corrado offers a powerful blend of program development, training and implementation expertise to HMA clients. Prior to joining HMA, … Read more

Iliana Gilman

Principal

Committed to health equity, Iliana Gilman has a proven track record of increasing patient access, fortifying cross-sector partnerships and coalition … Read more

Art Jones

Principal

Art Jones, MD, has 27 years of experience as a primary care physician and chief executive officer (CEO) at a … Read more

Jill Kemper

Associate Principal

Jill Kemper has extensive experience improving access to care and care delivery, especially for vulnerable or complex patient populations and … Read more

Margaret Kirkegaard

Principal

Dr. Margaret Kirkegaard has extensive front line experience and an impressive breadth of knowledge about healthcare and its delivery. A … Read more

Greg Vachon

Principal

Dr. Greg Vachon brings a wide range of experiences to consulting engagements providing expertise, insightful analysis, innovative solutions and effective … Read more

Housing 杏吧视频 and supports are critical to the mission of improving health for all Americans

Homelessness in America has hit a record high and housing instability is widespread. Millions of Americans are vulnerable to inadequate housing and half of all U.S. renters are spending far more than the recommended 33% of their income on rent.

For many Americans, housing costs are out of reach, as 13 of the 20 largest occupations in the U.S. pay less than the housing wage. This housing crisis is impacting overall health and well-being and utilization of healthcare. Individuals and families struggling with homelessness often experience lower infant birthweights, mental health challenges, chronic disease, and higher mortality.

HMA works at the intersection of housing and healthcare in a variety of ways, including policy, programs, financing, and evaluation. A safe and secure place to live is fundamental to all of the healthcare and human 杏吧视频 work we do at HMA. Our experts have developed and worked within programs in public housing authorities, hospital housing partnerships, shelters and transitional housing, post-incarceration transition and 1115 waiver supports, rural housing, and other housing supports.

HMA experts are former state and local public health leaders, directors of community-based organizations, and former senior officers from key federal agencies, setting us apart from other consulting companies.

We understand the complexity of designing and implementing change beyond the theoretical level – we have walked in the shoes of our clients and understand how to provide insight that is meaningful, actionable, and realistic.

Organizations we support

Federal, state and local government agencies

Managed Care Organizations

Public Housing Authorities

Community-based health/behavioral health and human service organizations

Provider organizations (FQHCs, CCBHCs)

Schools and universities

Departments of behavioral and public health

Healthcare systems and providers

Philanthropic organizations

Jails and correctional facilities

We Help Our Clients

Transform their community鈥檚 response to homelessness

Improve local housing delivery systems

Facilitate new or expanded community partnerships

Address systemic barriers

Build capacity of local partners and resources

Help with targeted impact improvements

Scale interventions to match resources and need

Increasing system capacity

Provide management tools for improved decision making

Planning and implementation support for continuum of homeless 杏吧视频

Affordable housing needs assessment

Consultation on shelter and outreach team best practices

Project Spotlight

The problem:
With new funding available and a homelessness crisis growing more acute, the JOHS requested an evaluation of the department鈥檚 effectiveness and barriers, as well as the governance model over all homelessness response functions.

How we helped:
HMA conducted a discovery process consisting of 40 stakeholder interviews with local elected officials, County and department staff, and contracted service providers. We also reviewed key contracts, policies and procedures, and other foundational documents; and completed a summary of national best practices to inform future program development. This resulted in a summary of gaps, opportunities and recommendations that HMA presented to a joint meeting of County and City Commissioners, and HMA continues to assist in implementation

The outcome:
HMA presented leaders with findings and recommendations, including reforms to provider payment, system governance, inter-agency partnerships and more). Subsequent contracted initiatives to support implementation include the renegotiation of an Inter-Governmental Agreement and action plans to improve to the shelter system and street outreach systems.

The problem:
Tens of thousands of residents of HUD assisted senior housing in California are dually eligible for Medicaid and Medicare and have complex medical, behavioral health, and health-related social needs. Affordable housing developers, owners and operators do not have financing to enhance resident supports to prevent homelessness, avoidable hospitalizations, or institutional care transitions. While evidence shows that Medicaid, Medicare and D-SNP plans and healthcare providers would reduce avoidable inpatient and urgent care costs from enhanced resident 杏吧视频, mechanisms to partner with housing organizations have been elusive due to different incentive structures, infrastructure, and cultures in each sector.

How we helped:
Through contracts with LeadingAge California, HMA supported California housing organizations to develop a compelling value proposition for strategic discussions with payers, providers, and foundations. HMA is developing a financing plan and gap analysis to braid and blend Medicaid, Medicare, D-SNP, workforce, behavioral health, and other funding streams to sustainably support enhanced 杏吧视频 provided by trusted, culturally and linguistically responsive on-site service coordinators.

The outcome:
California DHHS and Department of Aging leadership endorsed the goals of the CICH model and are guiding next steps to develop the infrastructure and braided/blended financing plans. Two health plans in southern California are interested to partner in piloting the model.

The problem:
Housing and community development organizations are trusted resources in low-income rural and urban communities across the US; and they were instrumental during COVID in engaging high-risk communities in prevention activities. While housing and community development organizations are a natural place for successful CHW programs, most CHW models and training programs have been developed for healthcare organization environments.

How we helped:
HMA co-led a cohort of NeighborWorks network organizations to co-design three housing and community-development organization-centered CHW program models and a toolkit covering every element of standing up and sustaining a CHW program within housing and community development structures, values, and resources. We provided coaching and technical assistance to learning cohort participants to test toolkit components.

The outcome:
Web-based toolkit

The problem:
The organization has requested assistance with establishing healthcare partnerships, designing health care 杏吧视频 to meet resident health needs in each affordable housing development, and identifying opportunities to expand health and wellness 杏吧视频.

How we are helping:
HMA is providing guidance in service planning, partnerships, resources, budgeting, and strategies. This may include identification of potential health care partners, design of the health care model, assistance with budgeting for health care service costs, and other consultation as requested.

The outcome:
HMA presented leadership with insight on how to expand embedded health 杏吧视频 to optimize resident health across their housing portfolio, assisted with the design of health care 杏吧视频, and helped to build healthcare partnerships.

Our HMA experts are ready to help your organization support your communities.

Contact our experts:

Boyd Brown

Associate Principal

Boyd Brown is a seasoned policy and operational leader in behavioral health, housing and homelessness, and human service operations including … Read more

Michael Butler

Associate Principal

Michael Butler is an experienced strategist and evaluator working across a wide array of health and human service sectors including … Read more

Tia Cintron

Managing Director, Housing and Health Solutions

Tia Cintron听is a seasoned executive with over 35 years of experience in housing and healthcare. She has led impactful programs … Read more

Anthony Federico

Senior Consultant

For 15 years, Anthony Federico has worked in housing, homelessness, and healthcare across the government, community-based organization (CBO), and consulting … Read more

Paul Fleissner

Managing Principal

Working to integrate 杏吧视频 across systems and communities, Paul Fleissner is a seasoned executive who has developed programs and policies … Read more

Dena Hasan

Associate Principal

Dena Hasan is a forward-thinking executive with over 20 years of experience in public and private sector healthcare and social … Read more

Trish Marsik

Principal

Trish Marsik has extensive experience supporting providers, healthcare organizations, and local and state governments to improve behavioral health 杏吧视频, including … Read more

Charles Robbins

Principal

Charles Robbins has been transforming communities for the past three decades. His extensive community-based organization career spans healthcare, child welfare, … Read more

Madeleine (Maddy) Shea

Principal

Maddy Shea has a passion for health equity and the federal, state and local cross-sectoral expertise to guide community health … Read more

Nicholas Williams

Associate Principal

Nicholas Williams is a social sector leader, analyst, writer, and consultant with extensive experience and proven results in academic, business, … Read more

HMA fosters harm reduction from street to suite

HMA鈥檚 trusted experts have a wealth of harm reduction experience, from training volunteers for community outreach to managing state procurement processes for harm reduction tools, to policy analyses at all levels of government.

Our consultants have worked with stakeholders of all walks of life including people with lived and living experience of drug use, sex work, and homelessness. In fact, we believe in talking to them first to understand local needs and feasible solutions.

What is harm reduction?

The term 鈥渉arm reduction鈥� is often used to describe:

provision of risk reduction tools, like condoms, naloxone, and sterile syringes;

approach of meeting people where they are and supporting them at their own pace, without judgement, to pursue self-determined goals; and,

philosophy that promotes equitable access to resources for people who use drugs and struggle to meet basic needs due to the impact of social structures.

The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) defines harm reduction as a practical and transformative approach that incorporates community-driven public health strategies 鈥� including prevention, risk reduction, and health promotion 鈥� to empower people who use drugs and their families with the choice to live healthier, self-directed, and purpose-filled lives.

The President鈥檚 National Drug Control Strategy is the first-ever to champion harm reduction to meet people where they are and engage them in care and 杏吧视频.

People are dying from drug overdose at an alarming rate in the U.S. For the fourth year in a row, we have lost over 100,000 people (enough to fill the University of Michigan stadium). Many of these deaths are preventable. Harm reduction interventions proven to stop overdose deaths include making the overdose reversal drug naloxone available to all at risk of overdose, reducing barriers to medications that treat opioid use disorder, and providing supervised drug consumption 杏吧视频 for rapid overdose response. Moreover, successful harm reduction programs rely on reducing the stigma of drug use and people who have an addiction.

How HMA can help

Harm reduction is more than handing out naloxone or syringes; it’s a nonjudgemental approach that affirms participant autonomy and engages people in care over the long term.

Here are just a few 杏吧视频 HMA can offer to help clients establish, expand, or improve 杏吧视频 for people who use drugs, respond to overdose and infectious disease syndemics (combinations of two or more diseases or health conditions that interact within a population, often due to social and structural factors and inequities), and prevent the next drug crisis.

HMA provides training and technical assistance to a range of clients 鈥� from community-based organizations conducting outreach, to medical providers wishing to better serve their patients, to large hospital systems wishing to incorporate drug user health into their systems. HMA can:

Plan, coordinate and evaluate learning collaboratives.
Provide 1-1 coaching to staff and teams.
Produce and implement industry-specific toolkits aimed at reducing overdose, like for construction businesses, restaurants or harm reduction vending machines.
Train different audiences and teams, including youth treatment providers, primary care settings, and carceral settings, on harm reduction.
Support startup of new naloxone distribution and/or syringe 杏吧视频 programs and develop capacity building plans for program growth.
Improve access to medications for opioid use disorder.

A quality improvement (QI) strategy is vital for healthcare organizations to maximize patient outcomes and satisfaction, achieve efficiency, and ensure compliance with regulations. HMA can:

Apply established QI models to increase reach of harm reduction and drug user health 杏吧视频 within community-based programs, government agencies, and provider programs and systems.
Plan, assess, and evaluate QI efforts.
Increase team buy-in for harm reduction as a QI initiative.
Provide QI tools such as rapid assessment participant surveys, risk screeners, provider checklists, and guides.

Many funding opportunities require (or can benefit from) a detailed assessment of the community鈥檚 need for the 杏吧视频 being funded. Our experts can help gather both quantitative data and qualitative stakeholder input to ensure that the client鈥檚 proposed plan targets the populations, communities, and gaps in service for which resources will be most impactful. HMA can:

Conduct interviews and focus groups with people who use drugs and the service providers they interact with to identify local needs and solutions.
Assess and predict drug user health syndemics using infectious disease and overdose metrics.
Demonstrate trends among diverse populations, including youth and racial, ethnic, sexual, and gender minorities .
Guide efforts to integrate harm reduction into a broader continuum of care, including prevention and treatment interventions.

The legal landscape related to drug use varies across communities and does not always facilitate a public health approach. HMA can:

Identify policy options and facilitate choice of the most effective and feasible one for the client鈥檚 local context.
Evaluate new or existing policies that impact people who use drugs such as Good Samaritan laws, opioid treatment program regulations, and criminal charges.
Apply statistical methods to policy evaluation such as time-interrupted analysis.

Multi-sector collaboration is essential to develop sustainable, impactful solutions to reduce physical and structural harms related to drug use. HMA can:

for expansion of behavioral health treatment and overdose prevention approaches such as safer supply.
Design social media campaigns that center the voices of people most impacted by overdose.
Strategize, create, and plan marketing and communications campaigns for harm reduction, stigma reduction, or program promotion.
Facilitate and multi-sector alliances to generate and implement strategies for policy change.
Build harm reduction resource libraries for stakeholder use.

HMA consultants work with clients to review program efficacy and cost efficiency based on process, outcomes, costs and more, considering quantitative and qualitative data sources and using data-driven tools to assess and measure impact. HMA can:

Conduct environmental scans of jurisdictional resources to highlight opportunities for and threats to harm reduction programs .
Build maps that overlay various metrics of drug user health, including infectious disease burden, overdose, and socio-economic indicators.
Map overdose fatality and naloxone saturation to prioritize distribution efforts in areas of high-need.
Conduct regression analysis to identify risk profiles and predictive values to evaluate impact.

Project Spotlight

COMPASSIONATE OVERDOSE RESPONSE SUMMIT

Contact our experts:

Anika Alvanzo

Principal

Dr. Anika Alvanzo is a distinguished healthcare executive with over 20 years of experience in specialty addiction treatment, behavioral health … Read more

Jennifer Bridgeforth

Associate Principal

Jennifer Bridgeforth is a dedicated executive with more than 17 years of experience in the healthcare industry. She is a … Read more

Ana Bueno

Senior Consultant

Ana Bueno is a bilingual senior consultant with over 20 years of experience leading nonprofit organizations and delivering strategic solutions … Read more

Mayur Chandriani

Senior Consultant

An experienced non-profit manager, Mayur Chandriani is committed to programs focused on immigrant healthcare, maternal and child health and community … Read more

Liddy Garcia-Bunuel

Principal

Liddy Garcia-Bu帽uel has the vision, passion and expertise to effect organizational and systematic change. She takes a collaborative approach. She … Read more

Rachel LaFlame

Research Associate

Rachel LaFlame, MPH, is a driven, early career professional interested in the intersection of public health and policy. She is … Read more

Nicole Lovitch

Research Associate

Nicole Lovitch is a skilled generalist researcher in the public health and healthcare space. Prioritizing partnerships that bridge gaps between … Read more

Trish Marsik

Principal

Trish Marsik has extensive experience supporting providers, healthcare organizations, and local and state governments to improve behavioral health 杏吧视频, including … Read more

John O鈥機onnor

Managing Director

John O鈥機onnor is a seasoned executive with extensive management, program, strategy, media, fundraising and advocacy experience in dynamic foundation, corporate … Read more

Charles Robbins

Principal

Charles Robbins has been transforming communities for the past three decades. His extensive community-based organization career spans healthcare, child welfare, … Read more

Deborah Rose

Principal

Dr. Deborah Rose is a licensed clinical psychologist with demonstrated success designing and scaling new behavioral health initiatives. She has … Read more

Erin Russell

Principal

Erin Russell is a harm reduction expert with a strong foundation in public health and equity. She has 15 years … Read more

Emily Wilson

Associate Principal

A multi-disciplinary public health leader, Emily Wilson is passionate about bringing people together to solve the most pressing problems in … Read more

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HMA 杏吧视频 - Spotlight

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HMA Spotlight

Building Sustainable Health Systems

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OUR COMMITMENT

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Who We Help

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HMA Spotlight

Supporting Medicaid Dental Benefit Administrators: Oral health and dental care are vital for the health of communities听

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HMA Helps NEMT Stakeholders Overcome Challenges

HMA has a long history of working with the full range of stakeholders directly or indirectly involved in, or affected by, NEMT, including:

HMA can help organizations with:

Our team includes:

If your organization is ready to talk about how HMA can help advance your NEMT goals, please contact one of our experts below.

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HMA Spotlight

Digital Quality Measurement: A Key Driver to Value

Regulatory Mandates

Organizations that delay preparing for the 2027 rule risk costly setbacks and non-compliance.

Opportunity for Transformation

dQM drives efficiency and quality improvement, supporting population health initiatives, care coordination, and value-based contracting.

Complexity and Risk

dQM implementation spans multiple departments鈥擨T, quality improvement, analytics, legal, and more鈥攃reating a host of challenges requiring specialized expertise.

Competitive Advantage

Early adopters will have a first mover advantage. This advantage could result in revenue associated with auto-assignment, STARS bonus, value-based purchasing, reduced sanctions and fine, etc.

Why Partner with HMA?

Ready to Transform Your Quality Measurement?

Contact our HMA dQM experts to discuss your organization鈥檚 goals and challenges:

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HMA Spotlight

Supporting New York to improve reproductive health outcomes and equity

HMA can help your organization

Anticipated opportunities include:

HMA鈥檚 nationwide team of experts include:

Our Maternal & Child Health Team at HMA

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OUR EXPERTISE

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HMA Spotlight

Increasing the Cultural and Linguistic Accessibility of Services