Press Release: Coalition of Limited English Speaking Elderly Receives The John A. Hartford Foundation 2018 Business Innovation Award

        

For Immediate Release: July 31, 2018

CONTACT: Joellen Leavelle, Director, Communications, n4a
P 703.755.0216 / jleavelle@n4a.org

Coalition of Limited English Speaking Elderly Receives The John A. Hartford Foundation 2018 Business Innovation Award 

Chicago—Today, the Coalition of Limited English Speaking Elderly (CLESE) received The John A. Hartford Foundation 2018 Business Innovation Award from the Aging and Disability Business Institute for the innovative partnerships it has created to help older adults with limited English-speaking skills communicate effectively with their health care providers. The award was presented to Marta Pereyra, the Coalition’s Executive Director, at the 43rd Annual Conference of the National Association of Area Agencies on Aging (n4a).

The award recognizes CLESE for developing innovative partnerships with Illinois health plans to provide interpretation services and care coordination assistance. Through their network of more than 50 ethnic, community-based member organizations, including Area Agencies on Aging, they serve approximately 4,000 clients each year, thereby improving the quality of care they receive as they age.

“Thank you for your recognition of CLESE’s work and commitment to limited English speaking older adults in Illinois. CLESE’s leadership in building successful partnerships with managed care plans is essential to ensuring that older adults from minority populations can successfully communicate with their medical plans’ providers. We look forward to growing our services and creating a sustained model of care coordination language access assistance,” said Marta Pereyra, Executive Director of CLESE.

“The ability to understand and communicate effectively with health care providers is an essential component of maintaining one’s health as we age. By helping to break down barriers faced by people who do not speak English, CLESE has improved the health of and increased the likelihood that its clients will be able to continue living at home and in the community as they age,” said Sandy Markwood, CEO of the National Association of Area Agencies on Aging, which leads the Aging and Disability Business Institute. “The partnerships CLESE developed are a terrific example of what can be achieved when community-based organizations work together with Area Agencies on Aging, health care partners and local governments to improve the well-being of older adults.”

Finalist and runner-up to CLESE is Area Agency on Aging, Region One, which serves central Arizona and has partnered with a local long-term care Medicaid provider to provide care transitions, licensed behavioral health and acute care services. n4a also recognized the New York City Department for the Aging for its partnership with OneCity Health Services to improve care transitions and reduce hospitalization rates.

“We extend heartfelt congratulations to the Coalition of Limited English Speaking Elderly as The John A. Hartford Foundation 2018 Business Innovation Award winner, and to their colleague awardees, the Area Agency on Aging, Region One and the New York City Department for the Aging. Each of these organizations has demonstrated innovative and dynamic leadership to create sustainable partnerships with health systems that are improving the care of older adults and people with disabilities from diverse backgrounds,” said Terry Fulmer, PhD, RN, FAAN, President of The John A. Hartford Foundation. “We also extend deep appreciation to all of the community-based organizations that were nominated. Every day, each are linking critically important social services with health care delivery, helping health systems and plans become more age-friendly and better able to serve people with complex needs.”

About The John A. Hartford Foundation Business Innovation Award selection process

Each year, candidates are nominated through an open application process. A review committee of health care representatives, foundation staff and community-based organizations evaluates the applications based on criteria, which include: how well the nominee demonstrates a successful partnership with a health care entity; the impact of the partnership on older adults and people with disabilities; and the degree to which the nominee demonstrates risk in pursuing new approaches to doing business and aligning leadership and staff in new directions.

About The John A. Hartford Foundation

The John A. Hartford Foundation, based in New York City, is a private, nonpartisan philanthropy dedicated to improving the care of older adults. The Foundation has three priority areas: creating age-friendly health systems, supporting family caregiving, and improving serious illness and end-of-life care.

About n4a

The National Association of Area Agencies on Aging (n4a) is a 501c(3) membership association representing America’s national network of 622 Area Agencies on Aging (AAAs) and providing a voice in the nation’s capital for the more than 250 Title VI Native American aging programs. The mission of n4a is to build the capacity of its members so they can better help older adults and people with disabilities live with dignity and choices in their homes and communities for as long as possible.

 About the Aging and Disability Business Institute

The mission of the Aging and Disability Business Institute is to build and strengthen partnerships between aging and disability community-based organizations and the health care system. The Business Institute receives funding from The John A. Hartford Foundation and is led by n4a.

National Association of Area Agencies on Aging

www.n4a.org 202.872.088

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