CATCH Greater Houston Achieves National Recognition in Health at Home Challenge
CATCH Greater Houston has proudly announced that it is among the winners of the Phase 1 Health at Home Challenge, a prestigious national initiative spearheaded by the Administration for Community Living (ACL) within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The competition highlights innovative solutions aimed at supporting older adults and individuals with disabilities who are dually eligible for Medicare and Medicaid.
The challenge specifically endorses community care hubs that are adept at improving health outcomes, promoting independence, and curbing healthcare costs. CATCH Greater Houston has made remarkable strides as a community care hub within a national consortium that includes the Oregon Wellness Network, which operates across eight states. Furthermore, CATCH serves as the principal lead of the Texas Hub Network, collaborating closely with the Texas Health and Human Services Commission. This dual recognition underscores CATCH's pivotal role in fostering improved healthcare access in the Greater Houston area.
The Health at Home Challenge aims to enhance the lives of millions of individuals who face multiple chronic conditions and functional limitations. With a focus on innovative community care networks, ACL seeks to impact up to one million beneficiaries nationally. Following a successful Phase 1, both of CATCH’s teams will continue to the Implementation Accelerator phase, which runs from August 2026 to July 2027. During this period, ACL will finalize selections for up to five Phase 2 winners who will then move on to Phase 3 for scaling awards set for August 2027.
Janice Sparks, the Executive Director of CATCH Greater Houston, emphasized the team’s commitment to improving patient care within the community. She remarked, "Houston is not just participating in this work — we are helping lead it. For the people we serve, that means more days at home, fewer trips back to the hospital, and someone whose job it is to make their care make sense. Our founding partners believed in this model first, and our health systems chose to build it with us."
CATCH Greater Houston collaborates with various committed partners, including the Houston Health Department, Memorial Hermann Health System, Harris Health, Baylor St. Luke’s accountable care organization, and UT Physicians. Patients under CATCH are referred from hospitals, primary care practices, and health plans, ensuring a seamless entry into its comprehensive care services.
The organization focuses on five core services: navigation, care coordination and management, care transitions, evidence-based health promotion, and nutrition assistance. This means that individuals eligible for both Medicare and Medicaid are afforded vital support, including safe transitions home after hospital stays, personalized care plans aided by nurses and community health workers, fall prevention, chronic disease management, and meal deliveries that cater directly to their needs.
One of the innovative aspects of this initiative is the implementation of a unified electronic medical record system across all eight hubs in the national consortium. Known as AthenaOne, this system is a groundbreaking initiative for community-based care, harnessing data analytics to identify at-risk individuals early and to assess crucial metrics such as days spent at home and total care costs. The outcomes of this national approach will be evaluated by the UTHealth Houston School of Public Health, ensuring accountability and effectiveness.
For residents of Greater Houston who wish to learn more about the offerings of CATCH, additional information is available at their website, www.catchgh.org, or they can reach out by phone at 832-509-6141. This initiative is not only beneficial but transformative, promoting an integrated approach to healthcare that bridges gaps in services for vulnerable populations in our community.
CATCH Greater Houston exemplifies the power of community-driven healthcare solutions. By bringing together a network of healthcare providers and leveraging technological advancements, CATCH is poised to make significant strides in the realm of home-based healthcare. As they look to the future, they continue to inspire hope and connect individuals with the support they need to thrive in their own homes.
The challenge specifically endorses community care hubs that are adept at improving health outcomes, promoting independence, and curbing healthcare costs. CATCH Greater Houston has made remarkable strides as a community care hub within a national consortium that includes the Oregon Wellness Network, which operates across eight states. Furthermore, CATCH serves as the principal lead of the Texas Hub Network, collaborating closely with the Texas Health and Human Services Commission. This dual recognition underscores CATCH's pivotal role in fostering improved healthcare access in the Greater Houston area.
The Health at Home Challenge aims to enhance the lives of millions of individuals who face multiple chronic conditions and functional limitations. With a focus on innovative community care networks, ACL seeks to impact up to one million beneficiaries nationally. Following a successful Phase 1, both of CATCH’s teams will continue to the Implementation Accelerator phase, which runs from August 2026 to July 2027. During this period, ACL will finalize selections for up to five Phase 2 winners who will then move on to Phase 3 for scaling awards set for August 2027.
Janice Sparks, the Executive Director of CATCH Greater Houston, emphasized the team’s commitment to improving patient care within the community. She remarked, "Houston is not just participating in this work — we are helping lead it. For the people we serve, that means more days at home, fewer trips back to the hospital, and someone whose job it is to make their care make sense. Our founding partners believed in this model first, and our health systems chose to build it with us."
CATCH Greater Houston collaborates with various committed partners, including the Houston Health Department, Memorial Hermann Health System, Harris Health, Baylor St. Luke’s accountable care organization, and UT Physicians. Patients under CATCH are referred from hospitals, primary care practices, and health plans, ensuring a seamless entry into its comprehensive care services.
The organization focuses on five core services: navigation, care coordination and management, care transitions, evidence-based health promotion, and nutrition assistance. This means that individuals eligible for both Medicare and Medicaid are afforded vital support, including safe transitions home after hospital stays, personalized care plans aided by nurses and community health workers, fall prevention, chronic disease management, and meal deliveries that cater directly to their needs.
One of the innovative aspects of this initiative is the implementation of a unified electronic medical record system across all eight hubs in the national consortium. Known as AthenaOne, this system is a groundbreaking initiative for community-based care, harnessing data analytics to identify at-risk individuals early and to assess crucial metrics such as days spent at home and total care costs. The outcomes of this national approach will be evaluated by the UTHealth Houston School of Public Health, ensuring accountability and effectiveness.
For residents of Greater Houston who wish to learn more about the offerings of CATCH, additional information is available at their website, www.catchgh.org, or they can reach out by phone at 832-509-6141. This initiative is not only beneficial but transformative, promoting an integrated approach to healthcare that bridges gaps in services for vulnerable populations in our community.
CATCH Greater Houston exemplifies the power of community-driven healthcare solutions. By bringing together a network of healthcare providers and leveraging technological advancements, CATCH is poised to make significant strides in the realm of home-based healthcare. As they look to the future, they continue to inspire hope and connect individuals with the support they need to thrive in their own homes.
Topics Health）
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