Civitas Networks for Health® is a national collaborative of member organizations working to use health information exchange, health data, and multi-stakeholder, cross-sector approaches to improve health. We were in Anaheim, California, this year for the Civitas Networks for Health 2025 Annual Conference. Join us as we recap selected sessions from this year’s events!
Sunday, September 28, 2025
The 2025 CIVITAS conference kicked off with a few early sessions focused on the Community Information Exchange (CIE) model, which differs from Health Information Exchanges in that CIEs tend to form from grassroots efforts by community-based organizations (CBOs) at the local level. In the session entitled “CIE Perspectives: Centering Community Voice,” panelists from many of the country’s existing CIEs highlighted the importance of community engagement in developing and implementing CIEs. Representatives from California, Michigan, Illinois, Missouri, and Ohio shared insights and lessons learned.
The Chicago Regionwide CIE, in its early phase with 24 pilot organizations, emphasizes a collaborative governance model centered on community engagement. This approach includes clear communication and demonstrating how community contributions are integrated. Their efforts have received positive feedback from lived experience workgroups.
Southeastern Michigan’s Connect4Care, led by UnitedWay and supported by a strong 2-1-1 system, has been operating for seven years and is now transitioning to a more mature governance model. Their experience in Detroit highlights the need to address significant disparities and the value of community engagement, drawing on San Diego CIE’s focus group approach.
Muskegon, MI, has its own CIE with ten years of co-design experience, focusing on addressing health disparities and building pathways out of poverty. They stress the necessity of co-design, acknowledging that such initiatives cannot be undertaken alone. Their pilot for reimbursing services delivered by Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs) and CBOs emphasizes a light burden for CBOs and strong privacy protections.
Columbus, Ohio’s CIE, anchored by Smart Columbus, has engaged 38 partners in its Care Coordination Council. Despite high economic development rankings, the region faces significant disparities in life expectancy. Their approach is rooted in Human-Centered Design and Cross-Sector Stakeholder Engagement and aims to build a culture of data sharing and unified direction.
St. Louis, MO, led by their 2-1-1 program, presented a cautionary tale. While rapid implementation was fueled by COVID, the lack of sustained community engagement led to decreased participation and questions from funders. In retrospect, when organizations find themselves listening mostly to each other rather than to those with lived experiences, CIE efforts can stagnate, lose direction, and lose support. This experience underscores that without centering community voice, CIEs risk becoming disconnected from their core purpose, and institutional discussions can overshadow the community’s real needs. Organizational needs are not the same as the individual-level needs that require the organization’s services.
San Diego, CA, showcased a successful CIE with 142 organizational partners and 360,000 consented individuals served. Key takeaways included the importance of compensating community contributors, building trust with historically harmed communities, and leveraging data to respond to evolving needs, such as the recent uptick in immigration support requests.
Overall, the session emphasized that successful CIEs prioritize community engagement, co-design, clear communication, and demonstrating the practical application of community feedback. While institutional buy-in is important, keeping community members at the center is crucial for sustained success and support.
