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Community Health Improvement

BJC Community Health Improvement aims to eliminate health disparities in under-resourced communities and give all people the opportunity for a healthy, productive life. This proactive approach focuses on the social and economic factors that are root causes of health inequities.

By removing the barriers to health in everyday life, BJC Community Health Improvement will elevate the overall well-being of those in communities that have endured generations of disinvestment.

AREAS OF EMPHASIS:

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FINANCIAL WELL-BEING

BJC is leveraging its economic power to support community and economic development, advance diverse business growth, and expand workforce diversity. By doing so, BJC will create more opportunities for all people to thrive.

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HEALTHY FOOD

BJC is addressing inequities in diabetes by promoting healthy food access and active lifestyles. BJC will increase awareness of proper nutrition and give people, including youth, the tools to prevent and manage Type 2 diabetes.

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INFANT & MATERNAL HEALTH

BJC is committed to an environment that supports the health and well-being of Black infants and mothers. We are working to eliminate racial disparities by partnering with doulas and building clinical care teams that reflect the community.

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SCHOOL WELLNESS

BJC is collaborating with schools in their efforts to support the health and well-being of their students and families, year-round. BJC will increase access to existing services and behavioral health programming in schools and community hubs.

IMPACT INVESTMENTS:

  • As an anchor of the community, BJC HealthCare is taking funds from existing accounts and depositing them into two St. Louis banks that serve the Black community.
     
  • Midwest BankCentre, led by the only Black bank CEO in St. Louis, has branches throughout the City of St. Louis and North St. Louis County.
     
  • St. Louis Community Credit Union has more than 80% African-American membership and is the financial institution of a large percentage of BJC employees.
     
  • BJC deposits will allow these two financial institutions to make loans to individuals and businesses in the City of St. Louis and North St. Louis County.
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WITH COMMUNITY BANKS, DOLLARS DEPOSITED LOCALLY STAY IN THE ST. LOUIS REGION

DIABETES PILOT PROGRAM

  • Working with BJC HealthCare’s Christian Hospital, Community Health Improvement has launched a food-focused pilot program to reduce the effects of Type 2 diabetes in high-risk patients.
     
  • The one-year effort focuses on North St. Louis County residents who face food insecurity.
     
  • In collaboration with North Sarah Food Hub, Operation Food Search and My Blooming Health, the program provides nutrient-dense, culturally-appropriate meals in a community that is oversaturated with high-calorie, cheap food alternatives.
     
  • The 30-week intervention to lower blood sugar levels also includes nutrition counseling, diabetes education and social support.

Community Wellness Hubs

BJC HealthCare established Community Wellness Hubs in neighborhoods across the City of St. Louis and north St. Louis County. These hubs are trusted gathering places that connect community members to essential programs, services and spaces that advance health equity, improve health outcomes and enhance quality of life. Programs and services provided in the hubs are designed based on insights from community residents and community organizations, free of charge.

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