Columbus has the compassion. Now, we're building the connection.
If your organization serves vulnerable children, teens, or families in Columbus—through healthcare, behavioral health, schools, faith communities, crisis response, housing, recovery, or community support—this initiative was built for the gaps you run into every day.
The Columbus Cares Network Initiative is starting within underserved communities in the Muscogee County School District, where anchor partners are already working together to build a shared system of care. From there, the network is designed to grow outward—expanding across Columbus as more organizations join and strengthen the collaboration. If your work touches any part of that continuum, you have a place here.
We've been saying something needs to change. With your help, something will.
Join us in person or via Zoom. This gathering is for organizations ready to explore meaningful partnership in a growing coordinated care network. We are especially eager to connect with organizations whose services strengthen continuity across the full care continuum.
The Problem We Can No Longer Ignore
If you serve children, families, or individuals in Columbus, you already know this moment: a family you care about needs something you can't provide, so you make a referral and hope for the best. You may never find out what happened next.
Referrals get lost. Follow-ups never happen. Families slip through the cracks—not because anyone stopped caring, but because our systems weren't designed to connect.
The result is duplicated effort, exhausted staff, and children and families who miss out on the coordinated care they urgently need.
This initiative exists to change that. Not by asking any organization to abandon its mission, but by building a shared ecosystem where every referral is tracked, every touchpoint is visible, and every person is seen. It begins the moment we come together—and it grows stronger with every partner who joins.
The Organizations Behind This Initiative
Three convening organizations—the Cornerstone Foundation, Cure Violence Columbus, and Valley Healthcare System—lead the Columbus Cares Network Initiative, with additional anchor partners who have committed to launching together. Between us, they bring clinical credibility, community trust, and the relational reach to make coordinated care real. Our shared commitment makes this initiative ready to move—and ready to grow.
Dr. Jonathan Badgett
Cornerstone FoundationDr. Badgett leads Cornerstone Foundation with a clear conviction: personal and community transformation requires every sector working together. He brings organizational leadership, a passion for whole-person care, and a proven commitment to building bridges between health, service, and faith.
Reggie Lewis
Cure Violence ColumbusReggie Lewis carries relationships that span the full breadth of Columbus's most underserved communities. He has spent years building a trusted network of organizations and churches committed to interrupting cycles of violent crime. Those long-standing relationships form the bedrock of this initiative.
Dr. Asante' Hilts
Valley Healthcare SystemDr. Hilts brings the clinical anchoring that gives this initiative its institutional weight. As CEO of Valley Healthcare System, Dr. Hilts ensures the coordinated care ecosystem is grounded in evidence-based, clinically sound practice from day one.
Register for the September Convening
The first step is a conversation. The September Interest Meeting is the inaugural gathering of this cohort — a time to align around the vision, meet your fellow partners, and confirm your organization's participation in the network.
- A shared overview of the initiative's vision, starting focus, and how the network is designed to launch and grow from within underserved communities in the Muscogee County School District outward across Columbus
- An introduction to the YOUU Health Cloud and the role it plays in helping partner organizations share visibility, track referrals, and coordinate care across the network
- Time for anchor partners and new participants alike to connect with the convening organizations and with one another
- An honest look at where gaps in the current care system exist—and how the network becomes stronger as the right organizations join
- Clarity on how your organization might fit collaboratively, regardless of whether you are already part of it or exploring it for the first time
- A pathway to follow-up conversations throughout the remainder of September for organizations ready to move forward with platform details, onboarding, and next steps
The Columbus Cares Network Initiative is already underway. Convening organizations and anchor partners are committed and ready to move forward together on September 16. If your organization is joining the conversation for the first time, you are welcome here—and the network grows stronger with every partner who brings meaningful services to the table.
By expressing interest, you are letting us know you'd like to attend and explore partnership in this initiative. A member of our team will follow up with confirmed details and next steps.
Tell Us You're Interested
Share a bit about yourself and your organization so we can prepare for the conversation and follow up with final details.