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 HOME Full Body Scan Helps Save Lives 25th Anniversary of St. Joseph Health System Community Benefit Childhood Obesity St. Mary Wins ER Award Foundation Grants Help Local Families Ingredient Substitutions |
Community Benefit Strengthening Others – Our Work with Community Organizations Caring for Our Communities Addressing the total health – body, mind and spirit – of each individual and family in the Victor Valley is key to establishing a healthy community. St. Mary Medical Center's mission is to help residents of all ages and social status receive the immunizations, screenings, resources and education needed to live healthy lives. The Medical Center comes closer to fulfilling its mission each year due largely to its many Community Benefit programs. In fiscal year 2007, St. Mary and its staff successfully reached more than 121,000 men, women and children through these programs. This care equaled more than $6.8 million. St. Mary Community Benefit programs focus on serving the most vulnerable members of the Victor Valley by providing them with better access to healthcare and tools to build a better life. Community Benefit is defined as:
Building healthy communities could be an overwhelming task, but to make it more manageable, St. Mary partners with community organizations throughout the Victor Valley to reach the many residents in need. Not only is the St. Mary mission being realized, but it's also strengthening partner organizations to achieve their missions. In the past year, St. Mary has helped organizations that serve key neighborhoods in Hesperia, Victorville, Adelanto and Apple Valley. This assistance comes in the forms of manpower, finances and information sharing. See below for a list of community partners. Reaching the Corners of the Community – Adelanto Clinic In order to serve the population residing on the west side of Interstate 15, St. Mary staff is busy working in the Adelanto Prenatal Clinic. This clinic is a counterpart to St. Mary Medical Center's Healthy Beginnings Prenatal Clinic in Apple Valley. It provides more residents with access to services they may not otherwise receive. Transportation can be a big hurdle when healthcare services are needed, and the Adelanto clinic bridges the gap for families who find it difficult to travel outside of their neighborhoods. An important key to healthy communities is healthy children, which starts before they are even born. The St. Mary Healthy Beginnings program provides mothers-to-be with prenatal healthcare within the first trimester. On top of the mother's health needs, on-staff social service counselors and health workers strive to elevate self-esteem and empower these mothers with knowledge of self-care, childbirth education and community resources. On the Move – Bright Futures Mobile Van One of the most direct and effective ways St. Mary Medical Center extends healthcare services beyond its walls is by sending out its Bright Futures mobile health van right into the neighborhoods that need it the most. In addition to medical care, such as immunizations, physical exams and evaluation of illnesses, the van's staff members offer advice and guidance regarding physician referrals, community resources and how to access health insurance products. Please call 242-2311 for information on the van's schedule. An outreach program called Well Woman is also offered from the van as well as from the Healthy Beginnings stationary clinics in Apple Valley and Adelanto. Funded in part by San Bernardino County's Cancer Detection program, staff members work together to meet the needs of low-income, underserved women. They also develop coordinated resources for women's breast and cervical care in local communities.
 Jenny Rivera, center, an Outreach Specialist from St. Mary Medical
Center, helps to enroll a family from Joshua Circle Elementary
School into a low-cost health insurance program.
Community Partners Adelanto The Community Toolbox • Boys & Girls Club of the Victor Valley • Adelanto School District Apple Valley Apple Valley Unified School District • Paul Swick Family Center • Yucca Loma Elementary School • Lewis Center for Educational Research • Catholic Charities • Apple Valley Chamber of Commerce Hesperia Hesperia Unified School District • Joshua Circle Elementary School • Victor Valley Christian Church • Visting Nurses Association • High Desert Primary Care • Holy Family Church Phelan Phelan Chamber of Commerce – Tough Enough to Wear Pink Campaign Victorville St. John of God Health Services • Lord's Table • Victor Valley College • Victor Valley Union High School District • Silverado High School • Victor Valley Chamber Foundation San Bernardino County First Five of San Bernardino County • County of San Bernardino – Supervisor Brad Mitzelfelt • San Bernardino County Children's Health Initiative • Alliance for Education • American Heart Association • Inland Empire Health Plan (IE HP) • ICUC/PI CO • Office of Social Concerns • Loma Linda University • The United Way Major Funding Partners First Five of San Bernardino County • St. Joseph Health System Foundation • Sisters of St. Joseph of Orange • County of San Bernardino • Verizon • Generous residents of the High Desert
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| Living Well is published quarterly. Its information is intended to educate readers about subjects pertinent to their health. This information should not be considered medical advice or treatment, nor should it be used as a substitute for a physician consultation. © 2008 St. Mary Medical Center. | ||||||||
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(A) Financial Assistance – Write-off
of hospital bills to patients unable to
pay who qualify under the hospital's
financial assistance program.