Neil D. Steinberg | CEO and president, Rhode Island Foundation
1. The Rhode Island Foundation released its 10-year health plan for the state in January. What part of it do you consider most exciting? I am excited by the overall initiative, and the collaboration among a very senior group of stakeholders. The full list of the health care providers, insurance companies, community groups, medical and public health school, and nonprofit and business leaders who worked to develop this strategic plan is available in the report at rifoundation.org/HealthinRI. The members looked long term and left their stripes at the door. But most exciting is the focus on health and the social determinants with an equity lens to address disparities throughout all communities.
2. The health plan aims to make Rhode Island the healthiest U.S. state. How will that goal be measured? We are very fortunate to have included a local entity, Healthcentric Advisors [Inc.], in our work. They worked with the committee to identify nearly 40 metrics to measure and report on. We hope that this will distinguish this effort from past “shelf documents” and efforts that have not been sustainable.
3. What progress has been made on the foundation’s long-term public education plan? At the Make It Happen RI brainstorming event last December, we received input from hundreds of students, parents, educators, and nonprofit and business leaders and incorporated them into the final plan. R.I. Department of Education Commissioner Angélica Infante-Green has indicated she will leverage this work to inform the RIDE’s next five-year strategic plan.
4. What priorities top the education plan? The big picture is to chart a course and stay the course aiming for a world-class education for ALL students. The top priorities … are creating and sustaining high standards, investing in and supporting educators, committing to meaningful and sustained investments in public education, and instituting coherent, clear and effective governance structures. All of these priorities must include student, parent and educator input.
5. How much money will ultimately be needed to see both the education and health plans through to a successful end? That is a difficult question to answer for 10-year strategic plans. The Rhode Island Foundation is committing $2 million; $1 million to support the strategies in the education plan and $1 million to support the strategies in the health plan. This is above and beyond our annual grant-making and can be used in the first year. We hope to leverage that with support from other entities, potentially attract national funders and leverage existing efforts in both sectors.
Elizabeth Graham is a PBN staff writer. Contact her at Graham@PBN.com.