Help.Guide.Thrive Launched in Illinois as Community Operations Care HUB

Help.Guide.Thrive Launched in Illinois as Community Operations Care HUB

Help.Guide.Thrive Launched in Illinois as Community Operations Care HUB

New nonprofit formed by The HAP Foundation, IPHA, and IPHCA

Help.Guide.Thrive (HGT HUB), a new Community Operations Care HUB in Illinois, has officially launched as a nonprofit organization founded by The HAP Foundation, Illinois Public Health Association (IPHA), and Illinois Primary Health Care Association (IPHCA). The HGT HUB will support networks of healthcare providers and community-based organizations (CBOs) by coordinating resources and services that address a broad range of health-related social needs.

The launch comes at a pivotal moment in Illinois Medicaid policy. In 2024, the Illinois Department of Healthcare and Family Services (HFS) released an updated Practitioner Fee Schedule that established Medicaid reimbursement for new professions including certified birth doulas and certified lactation counselors. Later this year, Community Health Workers (CHWs) are expected to be added to the fee schedule, further expanding reimbursement for services that address health-related social needs. The HGT HUB is working to ensure community-based service providers are prepared as soon as rules are finalized.

"In partnering with the Illinois Public Health Association and the Illinois Primary Health Care Association, we are committed to supporting peer support professionals and the organizations that employ them so they can receive reimbursement and work more effectively with healthcare systems," said Joseph Matty, President of The HAP Foundation. "Community-based organizations have demonstrated their ability to improve health outcomes for years, yet many lack the infrastructure required to participate fully in healthcare reimbursement systems. The HGT HUB was created to close that gap."

"For decades, IPHA has worked hand in hand with local health departments and community partners across every region of Illinois," said Tom Hughes, Executive Director of IPHA. "Those longstanding relationships give us a deep understanding of how services are delivered on the ground and where coordination breaks down. The HGT HUB builds on that history by creating shared infrastructure that helps communities connect more effectively with healthcare systems and reimbursement pathways."

The mission of the HGT HUB is to help CBOs navigate HFS guidelines, optimize community health outcomes, and achieve long-term financial sustainability. The HUB will focus on sustainable collaboration by establishing standardized documentation, billing workflows, and care coordination infrastructure that enables community-based providers to participate meaningfully in healthcare reimbursement and cross-sector service delivery.

"Community health centers have decades of experience navigating complex Medicaid billing and reimbursement requirements while delivering care in the communities that need it most.," said Ollie Idowu, President and CEO at IPHCA. "Through our work alongside our members, IPHCA brings that frontline operational expertise to the HGT HUB to help community-based organizations better understand billing standards, documentation requirements, and payment workflows so their services can be sustainably integrated into healthcare delivery."

Organizations interested in learning more about the HGT HUB or participating are encouraged to visit https://www.helpguidethrive.org/ for more information.

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