For nearly 150 years, SSM Health has been devoted to social justice, working to ensure better health for all and continually seek out new ways to address social determinants of health – factors such as access to clean and safe housing, education, and food and job security that contribute to people’s well-being.
In 2021, our community benefit spending totaled $395 million across our four states, and was used to improve access to health care for the uninsured or underinsured, train the next generation of health professionals to care for those in need, and fund innovative programs to address the most pressing health needs of our communities.
Our ongoing collaborations with community organizations to address social determinants of health include:
- Feeding the Hungry — In Southern Illinois, SSM Health St. Mary’s Hospital - Centralia and SSM Health Good Samaritan Hospital - Mt. Vernon are partnering with the University of Illinois Extension and local food banks to hold mobile markets. In 2021, more than 5,700 households received food and nutritional education materials in a drive-through setting that helped to ensure those in need obtained provisions while limiting the spread of COVID-19.
- Visiting the (Formerly) Imprisoned — In Wisconsin, SSM Health St. Clare Hospital – Baraboo has joined with its local public health organization to provide peer support and services to formerly incarcerated members of the community. Last year, SSM Health funded an education navigator to provide educational services and one-on-one support to 108 individuals who had been in the justice system.
- Sheltering Those Who are Homeless — SSM Health Saint Louis University Hospital, SSM Health Cardinal Glennon Children’s Hospital and SSM Health St. Mary’s Hospital - St. Louis are collaborating with the St. Patrick Center (a nonprofit organization established to address homelessness) and The Salvation Army to support programming designed to serve the housing insecure and those living with homelessness. In 2021, more than 200 individuals received services to address immediate social needs plus support leading to housing solutions. Of those served, 63% reported improved housing stability.
- Serving Neighbors in Need – SSM Health St. Mary’s Hospital - Jefferson City worked with Catholic Charities of Central and Northern Missouri to purchase and renovate a building surrounded by low-income housing in what is known as the Shikles Center. This facility, opened in 2021, houses multiple programs including a food pantry, health and nutrition offerings and immigration services. The senior food box program, operated out of the center, distributed 46,584 pounds of food to 195 households in 2021. Additionally, health screenings were provided to 156 individuals.
- Respite Care Partnership – Earlier this year, SSM Health Oklahoma entered into a partnership with Cardinal Community House and Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Oklahoma City to provide respite care for patients experiencing homelessness. Under the agreement, medically stable patients can now be discharged from our hospitals to Cardinal Community House, a safe and medically appropriate place to rest and heal after their hospitalization. Catholic Charities provides on-site case management services to connect patients with housing and other social support. The respite shelter is the first of its kind in Oklahoma City, and is part of St. Anthony Hospital - Oklahoma City’s strategy to address homelessness in the communities it serves.
- Community Participation through Anchor Strategies – On a national level, SSM Health provided seed funding to support the launch of the nonprofit Healthcare Anchor Network, a collective of more than 1,000 hospitals working together to improve health equity and build more inclusive and sustainable local economies. In St. Louis, we became a founding member of the St. Louis Area Anchor Network.
We are grateful for the contributions of the SSM Health team members and our many partners that support this work to improve the health of the communities we serve.
