The Bigger Picture

For a foundation that has embraced the proverbial “big picture” for practically all of its existence, the picture seemed to grow even bigger during our 2018 fiscal year (July 1, 2017 – June 30, 2018). In fact, the Elements of a Healthy Community framework that encapsulates our evolution towards a broader picture of health has organizational roots going back at least as far as 2003. In the fall of that year, the foundation published Resilience: Health in a New Key, a report that declared that health “…is the harmonious integration of mind and body within a responsive community.” It was a notion, and publication, that catalyzed new ways forward for Vitalyst. The Elements of a Healthy Community framework stands on the shoulders of those subsequent collaborations, investments, experiences, and insights. One could even suggest that the picture didn’t grow bigger so much as it became more multi-faceted and clear.

Still, Vitalyst’s 2018 fiscal year (FY2018) was another significant step forward. Statewide collaborators continued to recognize and explore this newer picture of health, and began to tap into cross-sector possibilities that emerge from exploring root causes of community well-being. Here are some of the highlights:

• Vitalyst finished out the 2017 Year of Healthy Communities and continued its work in 2018 as Live Well Arizona. Evaluation of the 2017 calendar-year effort quantified significant buy-in and the call to continue. A highly-rated day-long March 2018 conference with over 300 attendees provided more momentum. The Elements of a Healthy Community framework has become more widely embraced and utilized than any of us could have predicted, producing opportunities that can be catalytic towards practice, policy and systems change.  
• We invested considerably in capacity building and civic participation infrastructure through a breadth and depth of strategies, most notably with Results-Based Leadership training, Facilitation For Accountability training, a deep dive into effective storytelling, and investment into an Agents of Community Transformation cohort.
• Vitalyst collaborated with dozens of entities to advance healthy communities policies and practices in the areas of food, transportation, housing and more. Food systems work saw considerable collaborative progress, and we continued to support key efforts like the Choice Neighborhoods Health Impact Assessment in Phoenix’s Eastlake-Garfield district. 
• We invested in access to affordable quality care and coverage once again. The Cover Arizona Coalition’s 5th year was recognized by the Arizona Capitol Times during this fiscal year. Vitalyst produced three key reports with insights, projections, and recommendations related to Medicaid, the Prevention and Public Health Fund, and telemedicine. 
• Vitalyst cultivated collaboration and innovation, with statewide partnerships driving progress on Mobile Integrated Health and Community Paramedicine, breakthroughs in two key care coordination coalitions focused on diabetes and dementia caregivers, and another group of compelling Innovation Grants.

The 2018 fiscal year (July 1, 2017 – June 30, 2018) became bigger by the week, thanks to collaborators ranging from longstanding partners to health’s relative newcomers. If you missed any part of these efforts, the navigation links above are your invitation to learn more about them, and in the process to learn aspects of what lies ahead on Vitalyst’s road to well-being and healthy communities.

As with any annual report, we include the audited financial accounting of where we’ve been in this fiscal year. We invite you to review the investments we’ve made as a funding partner in the service of our mission and goals.

While we are as dedicated as ever to “staying the question,” our partners have also helped us understand our own unique assets as an organization. In turn, we have reflected on where and how Vitalyst can stimulate high-impact sectors, encourage collaboration at the intersections of those sectors, and raise the health and well-being of our communities over time.

With the close of FY2018, we pause here to express our appreciation for all of the thought leaders, partners, stakeholders and even the curious onlookers who have helped us not only with the work itself, but with the work of better understanding how Vitalyst can continue to cultivate community influence, impact and leverage. We are excited to continue working together towards a future where all communities are healthy and resilient in Arizona.

                       

Essen Otu                                     Suzanne Pfister
Board Chair                                  President & CEO