As a faith-based healthcare provider, our core purpose is to heal the body, mind and spirit. What that means to us is easing pain and suffering in our communities - whether it’s physical, emotional, spiritual or, in some cases, financial. Our commitment to treating the whole person - not just the body - is reflected in the $185 million we invested in community benefit. Behind those dollars are 166,878 people who needed care but couldn’t afford it.
It is the legacy of our religious founders to serve those who are most vulnerable in our communities and we are proud to carry their work forward. In FY19, our total community benefit investment increased by 3.2% to $185 million, up from $179 million in FY18. What is really exciting is that the increase was driven by programs that serve the broader community. These are programs that provide social needs screening and referral, providing fresh fruit and vegetable vouchers and training the community to identify and respond to a mental health crisis. They are programs that benefit families like the Applebys….
The life of this family was upended when Lee received a depression and dementia diagnosis. Kay, Lee’s wife, was afraid to hope that she and her husband would ever regain their “normal.” Despite their fear and grief, the Applebys placed their faith in the team at CHI Health Immanuel and began specialized treatments. They joined support groups and regularly visited with their doctor. Kay writes, “This past weekend I took pictures of Lee playing in the leaves with his two-year old great granddaughter and picking up wild turkey feathers on a nature hike!” Their normal is returning and so is their joy.
Throughout our more than 135-year history, CHI Health has been a safety net for those needing mental health care. We serve children in schools, clinics and through partial and residential treatment programs. We serve adults in our two free-standing mental health facilities, where we provide acute and emergency care. We serve seniors, like Lee, who get the often shocking diagnosis of dementia. We serve employers through our Employee Assistance Program, and now we are able to broaden our scope of care by offering tele-psychiatry services to communities outside of our major service areas. You can read more about our commitment to mental health in the following pages of this report.
I hope that you will take a few minutes to look through this report, which is a transparent accounting of the dollars we, as a not-for-profit organization, are giving back to the communities we are so proud to serve. Each story is a reflection of our commitment to you. On behalf of the more than 10,000 men and women of CHI Health, it truly is our privilege to serve you.
Gratefully,
Cliff A. Robertson, MD
Chief Executive Officer, CHI Health
Download the CHI Health Community Benefit Report 2019 (PDF)
Download the CHI Health Community Benefit Report 2018 (PDF)
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