Author Archive for: amy-clary
About Amy Clary
Amy Clary is a senior policy associate at the National Academy for State Health Policy (NASHP), where she works on projects related to health systems performance. Prior to joining NASHP in January 2015, she worked for the American Federation of Teachers in Washington, DC, where she developed resources for the health care workforce on the implications of health care delivery system reforms. She also spoke to diverse audiences about health reform’s impact on employer-sponsored insurance. She holds a PhD in American literature from the University of Louisiana at Lafayette, a BA from Bates College, and a Certificate of Achievement in Public Plan Policy from the International Foundation of Employee Benefit Plans.
Entries by Amy Clary
The State of States: How Governors Plan to Address Health-Related Social and Economic Factors in 2020
February 24, 2020 in Policy Blogs, Featured News Home Chronic Disease Prevention and Management, Health Equity, Housing and Health, Infant Mortality, Integrated for Pregnant/Parenting Women, Maternal Health and Mortality, Maternal, Child, and Adolescent Health, Population Health, Social Determinants of Health /by Elinor Higgins and Amy ClaryState of the state speeches provide critical insights into governors’ policy proposals that impact the health of their residents. Last week, the National Academy for State Health Policy (NASHP) highlighted the health care issues governors raised in their 2020 addresses. This week, NASHP examines how governors addressed the social and economic issues that heavily impact […]
Three Ways State Health Policymakers Can Effectively Prepare for an Infectious Disease Epidemic
February 10, 2020 in Policy Blogs, Featured News Home Chronic Disease Prevention and Management, Population Health, Social Determinants of Health /by Amy ClaryAs the coronavirus spreads around the world, state health policymakers with experience preparing for Ebola and Zika outbreaks know that emergency preparedness begins long before symptoms appear. An effective response requires well-coordinated cross-sector collaboration between public health infectious disease strategy and state Medicaid and emergency management policies. State health officials from Texas, Pennsylvania, and Florida […]
Transforming Systems to Improve Health Upstream: Lessons from Washington’s Accountable Communities of Health
January 17, 2020 in Policy Washington Blogs, Featured News Home Behavioral/Mental Health and SUD, Chronic and Complex Populations, Chronic Disease Prevention and Management, Cost, Payment, and Delivery Reform, Health Equity, Health System Costs, Healthy Child Development, Maternal, Child, and Adolescent Health, Oral Health, Physical and Behavioral Health Integration, Population Health, Primary Care/Patient-Centered/Health Home, Safety Net Providers and Rural Health, Social Determinants of Health /by Amy ClaryFive years ago, Washington State launched a collaborative regional Accountable Communities of Health (ACH) model to improve the health of communities across the state. These ACHs have evolved into independent organizations that are integral to the state’s health system transformation efforts. A 2019 evaluation by the Center for Community Health and Evaluation found this ACH […]
Identifying Gaps in Federal Oversight of Hospitals’ Community Benefit Investments – Opportunities for State Policy
December 2, 2019 in Policy Featured News Home Community Benefit, Health Equity, Hospital/Health System Oversight, Population Health, Social Determinants of Health /by Trish Riley, Amy Clary and Elinor HigginsOregon and Connecticut Hold Hospitals Accountable for Meaningful Community Benefit Investment
August 29, 2019 in Policy Connecticut, Oregon Blogs Community Benefit, Cost, Payment, and Delivery Reform, Health Equity, Health System Costs, Hospital/Health System Oversight, Population Health, Social Determinants of Health /by Amy Clary and Elinor HigginsTax exemptions for nonprofit hospitals cost states billions of dollars in lost tax revenue each year. In return, hospitals are required to invest in activities and services that benefit their communities. Some states, including Oregon and Connecticut, are going beyond federal requirements by holding hospitals accountable for making meaningful investments in the community’s health and […]
States Take Action to Improve Health through Housing
August 19, 2019 in Policy Blogs Behavioral/Mental Health and SUD, Chronic and Complex Populations, Chronic Disease Prevention and Management, Cost, Payment, and Delivery Reform, Eligibility and Enrollment, Health Coverage and Access, Health Equity, Housing and Health, Long-Term Care, Maternal, Child, and Adolescent Health, Medicaid Managed Care, Medicaid Managed Care, Medicaid Managed Care, Medicaid Managed Care, Population Health, Social Determinants of Health /by Amy ClaryOn a single January night in 2018, approximately 553,000 people in the United States experienced homelessness, either sleeping on the street or in a variety of shelters, and those numbers have been gradually increasing since 2016. The risk of homeless also looms large for many who are housing insecure, including 25 percent of renters nationwide […]
Across the Nation, State Leaders Are Tackling the Global Issue of Environmental Protection
May 22, 2019 in Policy Blogs Chronic Disease Prevention and Management, Health Equity, Population Health, Social Determinants of Health /by Amy ClaryThe profound connection between the environment and human health makes headlines primarily when things go wrong: when air pollution triggers asthma attacks, water is tainted by toxins, and tick- and mosquito-borne diseases spread, propelled by a changing climate. But some state leaders see the health of the environment as a critical and continuous state policy […]
Resources to Help States Fund Health-Related Social and Economic Needs
April 29, 2019 in Policy Charts, Reports Accountable Health, Blending and Braiding Funding, Chronic Disease Prevention and Management, Community Benefit, Housing and Health, Population Health, Social Determinants of Health /by Elinor Higgins and Amy ClaryFederal funding can help states improve housing, employment, and other life conditions for their vulnerable residents. This table highlights new programs, including public-private investment opportunities from the US Treasury, integrated care models from the Center for Medicare & Medicaid Innovation, and recent federal initiatives to combat the opioid crisis. It also features key longstanding sources, […]
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For individuals living with complex, often chronic conditions, and their families, palliative care can provide relief from symptoms, improve satisfaction and outcomes, and help address critical mental and spiritual needs during difficult times. Now more than ever, there is growing recognition of the importance of palliative care services for individuals with serious illness, such as advance care planning, pain and symptom management, care coordination, and team-based, multi-disciplinary support. These services can help patients and families cope with the symptoms and stressors of disease, better anticipate and avoid crises, and reduce unnecessary and/or unwanted care. While this model is grounded in evidence that demonstrates improved quality of life, better outcomes, and reduced cost for patients, only a fraction of individuals who could benefit from palliative care receive it. 
