Working Together to Build a Healthier Harris County
Improving community health requires more than any one organization can accomplish alone. The Harris Collaborative brings together healthcare providers, public health agencies, behavioral health organizations, health plans, and community partners to improve health outcomes for Harris County residents with complex needs.
Facilitated by Harris Health, the Collaborative members (City of Houston Health Department, Community Health Choice, Harris Center for Mental Health and IDD, Harris County Public Health Department, and Harris Health) create a shared framework for aligning priorities, coordinating services, and focusing resources where they can have the greatest impact. By working together across traditional boundaries, members can better address both medical needs and the social factors that influence health.
What We Do
The Harris Collaborative serves as a conduit for sustained collaboration across organizations that share responsibility for community health. Members work together to:
• Identify populations with complex health needs
• Coordinate community-focused strategies and services
• Develop solutions that reduce barriers to care
• Measure progress through shared goals and accountability
Our First Initiative: Integrated Care Cohorts
The Collaborative's first initiative is the development of Integrated Care Cohorts, a model designed to improve care coordination for people with complex health needs. These cohorts use shared data, coordinated care navigation, and community partnerships to connect individuals with the services and support they need.
The first cohort will focus on improving heart health outcomes in Northeast Houston, where rates of hypertension and heart disease are significantly higher than many other areas of the county. Collaborative partners are working together to reduce preventable cardiac deaths by improving blood pressure control, increasing access to preventive care, addressing non-medical drivers of health, and strengthening care coordination across organizations.
Looking Ahead
The Harris Collaborative represents a long-term commitment to advancing health for all community residents through coordinated action. By bringing together organizations around shared goals and measurable outcomes, the Collaborative is building a stronger foundation for healthier communities across Harris County.