Advancing Equitable Healthy Aging Through Cross-Sector Community Partnerships: Policy Pathways for Community-Integrated Care

Purpose: To examine how cross-sector community partnerships can address gaps in care for older adults and propose policy recommendations that support the integration, sustainability, and scalability of community-based models. Method: Drawing on practice-informed insights from MyHealthIowa and the Iowa Community HUB, key policy barriers were identified, including misaligned financing, limited system integration, workforce constraints, and insufficient infrastructure to support cross-sector collaboration. Results: Actionable policy recommendations include reimbursement for community health navigators, expanded federal support for cross-sector community partnerships, integration of community care hub models into health systems, workforce diversification strategies, and the adoption of equity-focused quality metrics. Conclusion: Findings highlight the scalability and national relevance of community-integrated models and underscore the critical role of nursing leadership in advancing policy, redesigning care systems, and promoting equitable, population-centered approaches to healthy aging.