Our Focus
Improving health through collaboration, convening, knowledge sharing, and strategic investment.
Strategic Initiatives
At any given time, we’re committed to addressing a diverse mix of pressing issues in our region, never losing sight of the equity lens that shapes all our work.
Behavioral Health
By utilizing a statewide, community-level approach we are gaining a deeper understanding of what works and greater insight into the structural barriers limiting a person-centered, recovery-oriented system. Through this work, we and other stakeholders are influencing the field and providing support to reshape it.
Contraceptive Access
The Right Time initiative is based on the simple belief that everyone should have the opportunity to pursue the future they want, including if, when, and under what circumstances to get pregnant. We seek to help individuals take control of their own health by improving information about, and removing barriers to, contraceptive services, recognizing that decisions always rest with the patient.
Crisis Response
Our Diverting to Care initiative focuses on how and by whom behavioral health emergencies are handled because people with mental health or substance use disorders are best cared for in their communities — not in jails or prisons or through law enforcement and criminal justice interventions.
Firearm Injury & Death Prevention
Whether taking the form of homicides, suicides, or accidents, firearm violence deeply impacts all Missourians. Solutions can feel elusive, but change is possible. The more people we bring together, gun-owners and non-owners alike, the closer we will be to finding the approaches we need to put an end to the cycles of firearm injury and death.
Food Systems
Our Food Justice initiative aims to ensure fair access to food that is healthy, affordable, and honors their community and heritage. Approaches focus on access, cultivation, production, and distribution to create a sustainable and just food system.
Infant Mortality
We established the Infant Mortality Reduction Initiative because all babies deserve their best chance to thrive. We work with communities to find solutions that will help more infants live past their first birthday, no matter what part of Missouri they call home.
Medicaid Expansion
Medicaid is a key piece of the safety net in Missouri. The program allows lower-income Missourians to see a doctor when they are sick, get check-ups, buy medications, and go to the hospital. Having health insurance helps people maintain their health, go to work, and take care of their families. Now that Medicaid has expanded in Missouri, awareness and outreach are essential to help people get and stay covered.
Our Changemaking Tools
Our strategic initiatives are just one piece in our portfolio of changemaking tools. Learn more about the many other ways we’re improving health and well-being in our region.
Health Policy & Advocacy
We are a nonbiased source of health policy information for policymakers, organizations, media, and others throughout the region and country. We also work to strengthen Missouri’s field of advocates by fostering increased capacity, diversity, power sharing, and effectiveness.
Learning & Research
Through learning and research, the Foundation and our partners seek to understand the experiences and perspectives of Missourians whose health is affected by a range of systemic injustices.
MoCAP
Through our MoCAP program, we attract federal and national funding for health- or prevention-focused organizations by spreading awareness about opportunities and offering free technical support and consulting services to eligible groups.
Opportunity Fund
Through our Opportunity Fund, we’re challenging outmoded ways of thinking and testing concepts that explore ways to disrupt the status quo.
Strategic Communications
Strategic communications touches all aspects of our work as we strive to raise awareness, share the stories of real Missourians, increase impact, and build unifying messaging.