Summit Overview

The Root Cause Coalition’s 9^th Annual National Summit on the Social Drivers of Health will take place at the Hilton Inner Harbor in Baltimore, Maryland on October 6-8, 2024. Sessions will begin in the early afternoon of Sunday, October 6^th and continue through Tuesday, October 8^th. 

Known as the premier convening for all those working toward health equity, Summit attendees represent the cross-sector collaboration needed to achieve our mission of health equity and inclusion for all individuals.  Summit attendees include professionals from all areas of the healthcare sector, community-based organizations, researchers, businesses, and government leaders.

Proposal Considerations

Our goal at the National Summit is to facilitate collaboration between and highlight the incredible work being done across the country by every type of organization working to achieve health equity.  As such, proposals should reflect the cross-sector nature of our work and focus on demonstrable, scalable, innovative ideas and programs. Proposals that feature lived experiences or case studies are strongly encouraged. 

Key areas of focus for the 2024 National Summit include, but are not limited to:

• Racial justice
• Minority health and health disparities
• Food insecurity
• Housing insecurity
• How we speak about social drivers of health (the marketing and communications of SDOH issues)
• The role of technology in achieving health equity
• Women and children’s health
• Mental health
• Economic insecurity

Presentation formats accepted are as follows:

• Keynote Speaker: 60-minute presentation on the main stage with prime audience participation and involvement.  Presentation will emphasize the core message of the National Summit by showcasing/discussing a proven effective program or service that addresses health equity.  Maximum panel size of 4 speakers.
  
• Breakout Session: 45-minute presentations with a focus on sharing best practices, the latest data, and innovative ideas and programs in one or more of our key focus areas.  Presentations that feature cross-sector collaboration, lived experiences, case-studies, and interactive formats are preferred.  Maximum panel size of 4 speakers.
  
• Poster Presentation: One 48” wide x 36” tall poster to display program, research or policy results for conference participants to view and discuss.  Posters will be displayed for the duration of the Summit and featured during several designated times for attendees to discuss projects with presenters.

Upon acceptance, submissions will be selected in each category.  TRCC reserves the right to consider submissions for a different presentation format than originally submitted.  For example, a breakout session may be offered a place in our poster session or as a plenary panel in a general session. Each proposal must be submitted through this form to be considered.

Selection Criteria

Submissions will be evaluated based on the following criteria:

• Applicable and Scalable: The presentation will demonstrate how programs or tools highlighted are able to be scaled and replicated in other organizations or communities.  Presentations should focus on how programs or tools are implemented, not why they should be implemented.
  
• Demonstrated Measurable Impact: The presentation must show measurable results and, where appropriate, highlight how data is used to enhance and develop programs.  Key takeaways from presentations should include lessons learned and the implications for future efforts in health equity.
  
• Collaborative: The presentation will demonstrate successful cross-sector collaboration across traditional healthcare and service sectors and provide pathways for collaboration among organizations.
  
• Diverse: The presentation should feature diverse points of view, whether that be by race, ethnicity, gender identity, background, or profession.
  
• Innovative:  The presentation must show originality and creativity in thought and/or application.  
  
• Clear and Relevant: The presentation will clearly demonstrate in its title and description how the program, service, or topic addresses social drivers of health.  TRCC staff reserve the right to adjust session titles as needed for length and simplicity.
  
• Target Audience: The presentation is appropriate for one of the following target audiences:
  • Foundational: Professionals just beginning to formally develop their work in health equity and social drivers of health.
    
  • Experienced: Those with five to seven years of experience addressing health equity issues.  
    
  • Advanced: Those with more than seven years of experience addressing health equity issues.

Presenter Requirements

• If accepted, all presenters are responsible for their own travel and lodging costs and registration fees.
• If accepted, all presenters will need to sign and agree to the terms listed in TRCC’s Presenter or Poster Agreement form.
• If accepted, presenters must be responsible for tracking and shipping of all presentation materials.
• If accepted, all information provided in the following proposal about the session may be used in Summit printed and digital materials.
• If accepted, all credentials, full titles or name preferences must be included in your proposal to guarantee this information will be properly included in Summit printed and digital materials.
• All presenters of accepted sessions must grant The Root Cause Coalition the right to record video and still images of the presenters and share theses, as well as PDFs of their presentations and any accompanying materials, in TRCC’s printed and digital materials.