LEONARD PARKER POOL INSTITUTE FOR HEALTH

THE LEONARD PARKER POOL INSTITUTE FOR HEALTH ACTS AS A CONVENER, FACILITATOR, INNOVATOR, AND IDEA IMPORTER. IT SERVES AS A RELIABLE SOURCE FOR RELEVANT QUALITATIVE AND QUANTITATIVE DATA, AND MEASUREMENT OF HEALTH IMPROVEMENT, PARTICULARLY FOR THE MOST VULNERABLE COMMUNITIES IN THE LEHIGH VALLEY. FOLLOWING A BELIEF THAT THE HEALTH OF THE COMMUNITY IS ONLY AS GOOD AS OUR LEAST HEALTHY NEIGHBORS, THE POOL INSTITUTE FOR HEALTH ASPIRES TO SUSTAINABLY IMPROVE THE SYSTEMIC FACTORS THAT INFLUENCE HEALTH, SUCH AS EDUCATION, ACCESS TO SAFE AND HEALTHY FOOD & HOUSING, AND OVERALL HEALTH AND WELL-BEING. THE POOL INSTITUTE FOR HEALTH WAS CREATED TO CARRY FORWARD THE LEGACY OF LEONARD AND DOROTHY RIDER POOL AND EXPAND LEHIGH VALLEY HEALTH NETWORK'S LEADERSHIP AND SERVICE FOR HEALTH.TO ENABLE THE POOL INSTITUTE FOR HEALTH TO FULFILL ITS VISION EFFECTIVELY, INSTITUTE LEADERSHIP USES BOTH LOCAL INPUTS AND PROVEN BEST PRACTICES FROM AROUND THE COUNTRY TO DEVISE A SET OF PROCESSES TO CARRY OUT THE WORK. THESE INCLUDE:- USING DATA, BOTH NUMBERS AND STORIES, AND SMALL-AREA ANALYSIS TO MORE EFFECTIVELY UNDERSTAND TARGET NEIGHBORHOODS AND THE LIVED-EXPERIENCE OF RESIDENTS.- PRACTICING AUTHENTIC COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT WITH THE GOAL OF FORGING STRONG PARTNERSHIPS WITH RESIDENTS.- STRENGTHENING CROSS-SECTOR PARTNERSHIPS ACROSS LOCAL NON-PROFITS TO BUILD AND ENRICH PLACE-BASED APPROACHES TO COLLABORATIVELY ADDRESS THE FACTORS THAT AFFECT HEALTH.- DEVELOPMENT OF A "BACKBONE" INFRASTRUCTURE THAT SEEKS TO ADD A MANAGEMENT SUPPORT LAYER FOR CROSS-SECTOR COLLABORATIONS.IN AN EFFORT INCREASE CONNECTIVITY ACROSS COMMUNITY-LEVEL PROGRAMMING AND INTERVENTIONS, THE POOL INSTITUTE FOR HEALTH WILL SUPPORT CROSS-SECTOR EFFORTS AROUND THE FOLLOWING FOUR FOCUS AREAS:- COMMUNITY WELL-BEING: SAFETY, MENTAL HEALTH, OVERALL WELL-BEING- EDUCATION: CRADLE-TO-CAREER PIPELINE- HOUSING: PERMANENT, MIXED-INCOME HOUSING- FOOD AND NUTRITION: ECONOMIC MOBILITY