Working together to improve the health of Minnesotans through clear communication.

The Minnesota Health Literacy Partnership, a program of the Minnesota Literacy Council, was formed in January, 2006, to help coordinate health literacy efforts across the state.

The mission of the Partnership is to improve the health of all Minnesotans by promoting health literacy. The Partnership's goals are:

• to train health care providers about health literacy
• to empower patients to ask for clear communication
• to share health literacy resources

Partners benefit from participation through monthly networking and information meetings and by sharing resources, such as a web sites, health education materials and training curricula.  By uniting in a statewide collaborative effort, partners can call attention to the challenge of low health literacy, addressing it in a coordinated and cost-effective fashion.  Partners are also linked to national efforts to improve health literacy.

How does the Partnership work?

The Partnership depends on participation from health care consumers and literacy groups, together with the state’s health and social service agencies and literacy organizations. Representatives of these organizations attend meetings and make decisions about programs and structure. Member organizations sign a letter of agreement, and pay annual dues to participate in the Partnership.

Partnership Support

The Partnership is currently supported mainly through membership contributions.

Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota, an independent licensee of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association has provided funding for an AmeriCorps VISTA volunteer position through July 2010.

Additional grant funding will be pursued for larger projects moving forward.