Minnesota Rondo Social Determinants of Health (SDOH) Accelerator Project - Communities in our state are disproportionately affected by chronic disease and related risk factors and do not have equal access to the conditions and opportunities that support good health. For this proposal, the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) Center for Health Promotion (CHP) will work together with community members and leaders in the Rondo community of St. Paul to conduct an authentic community engagement process to develop an implementation-ready Social Determinants of Health (SDOH) Accelerator Plan focused on improving social connectedness and the built environment. The Rondo community is St. Paul’s historic African American center. The construction of I-94 in the 1960s ripped apart and physically divided this neighborhood, causing harm that has lasted generations and impacted health. Despite physical division, Rondo remains a neighborhood with strong roots and active community movements. Recent, community health needs assessments demonstrate strong interest and need to address social isolation and built environmental factors negatively impacting residents. Today, Rondo is both disproportionately affected by chronic disease and related risk factors and brimming with strengths and momentum to address the conditions that create health. Additional resources and support are needed to leverage this momentum to advance health equity. Using a community engaged approach, the Rondo Accelerator Leadership Team (LT) made up of community members and multi-sector partners will implement two strategies: 1) Convene and coordinate the Rondo SDOH Accelerator Leadership Team, and 2) Develop an Implementation-Ready SDOH Accelerator Plan. This work will lead to two short-term outcomes: 1) increased collaboration and engagement across multisectoral partners, and 2) a completed implementation-ready SDOH Accelerator plan, including all required components. Together we will achieve these outcomes and take important first steps toward dissemination of the plan and aligning the plan and existing funding streams. These outcomes position the work for achievement of intermediate outcomes in the future including implementation of the plan by multisectoral partners and establishing infrastructure and funding for plan implementation.
