United Community is a coordinated care network of health, education, and social care providers. Partners in the network are connected through a shared technology platform, Unite Us, which enables them to send and receive electronic referrals, address people’s social needs, and improve health, education, and financial wellbeing across communities. United Community is supported by lead sponsors CVS Health and Aetna Better Health of Kentucky and led by our strategic partner, Metro United Way with support from multiple local and national funding partners.

Joining the network is free of cost for community-based organizations and many organizations that are considered part of the safety net, like community health centers, tribal clinics, and mental health centers.

For any additional information, please email DeWana Hadder – Director, United Community at DeWana.Hadder@metrounitedway.org.

The United Community shared data platform serves:

  • Students who fall off track because of social needs and connect them and their families to the appropriate services.
  • Individuals struggling with everything from addiction to job services are connected via a “warm handoff” to wraparound supports to help them overcome barriers to wellbeing.
  • Caseworkers and physicians who need to share vital information about individuals’ needs, choices and living situations that could impact their ability to receive the care they need to become or stay healthy.
  • Community leaders who want visibility into the number and types of services most needed and where gaps exist in available resources.

United Community serves partners in Jefferson, Oldham, Shelby, Bullitt counties in Kentucky and Clark, Floyd, and Harrison counties in Indiana.

History

United Community’s origin story began as a local Unite Us-powered network that was based in the Louisville Metro area.

  • April 2019: The network launched in Jefferson County, Kentucky in partnership with Metro United Way and a collaborative of over 50 partner organizations thanks to the generous support of early investors including title sponsor LG&E KU Foundation, James Graham Brown Foundation, Jewish Heritage Fund for Excellence, Kindred Healthcare, Passport Health Plan, Louisville Metro Public Health & Wellness, Community Foundation of Louisville, and Metro United Way.
  • October 2019: Aetna Better Health of Kentucky joined as a funding partner
  • January 2020: The network expanded to Clark, Floyd, and Harrison Counties in Southern Indiana thanks to the support of the Community Foundation of Southern Indiana and a grant from the Lilly Foundation.
  • February 2020: 100 network partners joined the network.
  • January 2021: Aetna Better Health of Kentucky sponsored and funded statewide expansion of United Community
  • From 2019 – 2021, the network supported over 5,500 community members. Now, we look forward to expanding statewide across Kentucky and Indiana to serve all residents!

United Community Goals

  • Develop a connected, collaborative, community-wide system to coordinate care and services across sectors to address all social determinants of health/education, and offer real-time tracking and reporting.
  • Measurably improve health, education and wellbeing outcomes by coordinating the delivery of health and social services among high needs children, individuals and families.
  • Create “no wrong door” system whereby individuals are channeled to appropriate services based on their unique needs across the health, education and social service sectors, including tracking of client outcomes after referrals to services are made.

EFFICIENCY IMPROVEMENT:

Based on data from Charlotte, N.C., from United Community platform partner, Unite US

  • 10.8 day decrease in intake and client referral

  • 4.6 day decrease in time taken to make a meaningful connection.

  • 29.4 day decrease in time to close a referral

STORY:

UNITED COMMUNITY SAVES LIVES, FUELED BY TECHNOLOGY AND PASSION

United Community offers a “no wrong door” approach. No matter where someone seeks help in the Greater Louisville area, if their need cannot be met where they are, they can get an instant referral to a place where they can get help. This is driven by technology that makes the referral process much more efficient.

Metro United Way’s Director of United Community, DeWana Hadder, is driven to improve social safety nets to better serve everyone. That’s because she’s experienced the system from several sides.

“I’ve needed social services as a child and as an adult,” she said. “There’s no reason why that carried over into my adult life. I really have the aspiration to disrupt multigenerational need.”

Invest in United Community

Title Sponsor:

MADE POSSIBLE BY THE GENEROUS SUPPORT OF:

United Community In the News

FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

Would you like to learn more about joining the network as a partner organization? CLICK HERE to get started.

For any additional information, please email DeWana Hadder – Director, United Community.

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