Heart disease and high blood pressure affect millions of Georgians. Yet, for many people, improving heart health has as much to do with finding basic resources — like food, housing and transportation — as it does getting the right medical care.
A new five-year, $1.75 million grant from the Merck Foundation to the Georgia Health Policy Center at Georgia State University aims to address these barriers to good heart health by delivering more personal support to people in communities who need it most.
The Atlanta Regional Collaborative for Health Improvement (ARCHI) is an organization developed by the Georgia Health Policy Center in conjunction with the Atlanta Regional Commission and the United Way of Metro Atlanta. With support from Georgia State, ARCHI brings a care model into Atlanta communities that pairs a patient directly with a community health worker. This health liaison serves as a single point of contact, helping to coordinate care, find services and guide people through the system.
“Instead of individuals navigating multiple disconnected services, the responsibility shifts to the system to coordinate support and meet people where they are,” says Jeff Smythe , who leads the ARCHI collaborative.
Early results of this community health model are promising, and the new grant aims to support and expand what’s already working with a targeted focus on heart health.
The power of this type of intervention is measurable. Patients working with community health workers have shown significant improvements based on six‑month check‑ins after engaging with the program.
“We’re seeing dramatically improved blood pressure rates, dramatically improved A1C scores, reduced emergency room visits as well as hospital length of stay,” Smythe says.
Overall, 68 percent of patients improved their blood pressure numbers, emergency room visits fell by 39 percent and 91 percent of food‑insecure patients gained access to nutrition support through the hub’s community health workers.
As CEO of the Georgia Health Policy Center, Karen Minyard is energized by the momentum she sees with this opportunity. “It’s proof that when we work together, smart choices can make a real difference in people’s lives — and those wins can spread,” she said.
Even the health liaisons themselves are seeing just how far this person-to-person connection can go. Mikah Fuller (M.P.H. ’24) has been a part of this coordinated effort for a little over two years, beginning as a community health worker before becoming a case manager. After earning her master’s degree in public health from Georgia State, she stepped into a role that lets her do what she loves most — walk alongside people as they rebuild their health and stability.
“If someone is worried about food, work or housing, health can’t be their priority,” Fuller says. “My job is to help them get back into care.”
With people like Fuller on hand to create relationships with the people they serve and address their specific needs, healthcare can be more accessible and more effective.
Fuller remembers working with one client recovering from substance use who was on the verge of losing stable housing. By helping her find a safe place to live, Fuller watched her client’s health improve, but also saw her confidence and momentum return. It reinforced something she sees often: stability makes everything else possible.
“Sometimes people are hesitant to speak up because of what they’ve been through,” Fuller explains. “When they have someone they trust who can help lift their voice, it takes a huge weight off them.”
Learn about the programs and projects at ARCHI and the Georgia Health Policy Center.
For more information about Georgia State University research and its impact, visit research.gsu.edu .