St. Louis, MO — SSM Health Foundation – St. Louis announces the launch of the SSM Health – St. Louis Community Health Impact Fund, a transformational initiative made possible by a $10 million philanthropic investment from Carolyn Kindle, chief executive officer and owner at St. Louis CITY SC, president of Enterprise Mobility Foundation, and SSM Health System Board Member. The fund is designed to improve the health and well-being of SSM Health patients and the communities served by strengthening partnerships across the St. Louis community and addressing critical social factors that influence health outcomes.
“The Community Health Impact Fund supports our mission of providing exceptional care to those most in need, far beyond the walls of our hospital and clinics” says Jeremy Fotheringham, RN, MHSA, JD, Academic, St. Louis and Southern Illinois regional president at SSM Health. “With this investment, patients will receive help with food insecurity, housing, transportation, and more. We know that health and wellness start at home. This gift provides us with the opportunity to greatly increase our health ministry’s ability to extend our mission into the communities who need it most. Ms. Kindle is adding to a legacy of 5 dedicated Sisters that started service to the St. Louis community over 150 years ago, and her generosity allows us to ensure both of their legacies will continue long into the future.”
“I am proud to support SSM Heath Foundation and initiatives that are expanding access to care, improving outcomes and addressing the evolving needs of patients and families in St. Louis,” says Carolyn Kindle. “The Community Health Impact Fund represents an investment in the long-term health and vitality of our community.”
“Healthcare itself is not enough to help patients with significant social barriers become healthy,” says Dr. Alex Garza, chief community health officer for SSM Health. “The SSM Health – St. Louis Community Health Impact Fund helps us build the ability to try and address the sometimes immense needs of patients who although recover clinically, will struggle to stabilize once they leave our care often because of challenges like lack of food, housing, or transportation for follow-up visits.”
The Community Health Impact Fund initiatives focus on partnering with community-based organizations with expertise in meeting social needs that negatively impact SSM Health’s patients. SSM Health’s current regional food insecurity initiative, known as the Bread Basket Program which partners with the St. Louis Area Foodbank, will be included as an ongoing initiative within the fund. Last year, 3,276 inpatients were served through the Bread Basket Program. Medical Respite will be added as the next initiative. Medical Respite provides a safe place to discharge patients experiencing homelessness when they no longer need to be hospitalized but still need to heal from illness or injury. Medical Respite programs provide a safe, 24/7 staffed environment along with meals, transportation to medical appointments, case management, peer support, and housing navigation. SSM will initially partner with Haven Recovery Homes and LIV Sober Living to continue to build Medical Respite programming within the community. Additional initiatives will be established over time as needed.
For more information or to speak with a representative of the SSM Health – St. Louis Community Health Impact Fund, email Liz Sharpe-Taylor at elizabeth.sharpe-taylor@ssmhealth.com.
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About SSM Health
Nationally recognized for quality and innovation, SSM Health is a Catholic, not-for-profit, fully integrated health system working to advance health equity and empower all people to achieve their full potential.
With care delivery sites in Illinois, Missouri, Oklahoma and Wisconsin, SSM Health provides convenient access to high-quality community-based services as well as world-class academic medicine, clinical trials and research studies. The organization’s footprint includes hospitals, physician offices, outpatient and virtual care services, senior care, comprehensive home care and hospice services, a fully transparent pharmacy benefit company, a health insurance company and an accountable care organization. As one of the largest employers in every community it serves, the organization’s more than 40,000 team members and more than 15,000 providers are dedicated to fulfilling SSM Health’s Mission: “Through our exceptional health care services, we reveal the healing presence of God.” For more information, visit ssmhealth.com or find us on Facebook and LinkedIn.
