The Call for Proposals issued by the CHRC this year had three strategic priorities: (1) Building capacity; (2) Addressing health disparities and promoting health equity; and (3) Reducing avoidable hospital utilization.  The Call for Proposals generated a total of 43 applications requesting $18.6 million.  Following evaluations by independent reviewers and presentations made to the CHRC in February, the Commission voted to award 11 grants totaling $1.1 million in year-one funding.  These applicants project serving more than 28,300 Marylanders during the course of the programs.  Several of these grants involve innovative community-hospital partnerships, which are designed to help promote care coordination and reduce avoidable hospital costs, all in support of the state’s new All-Payer Model.