WILMINGTON – ChristianaCare has announced a significant investment in community-based resources to the tune of $1.6 million, highlighting its commitment to a continued focus on holistic care for health care patients across the state.
The investments will be divided between 25 community organizations chosen after an internal review by ChristianaCare with grants awarded through the nonprofit health care system’s Community Investment Fund. By law, community benefits are required for all nonprofit health care systems to maintain tax-exempt status.
ChristianaCare’s investment fund has worked to provide $5.6 million to 64 organizations since 2019 in addition to other community benefits provided by the group.
“We all hear about the challenges around food prices and housing, and we know we can’t solve all of that. But we can do our part in supporting that so we can get to better health in our communities,” ChristianaCare Chief Health Equity Officer Bettina Tweardy Riveros told the Delaware Business Times.
This year’s recipients offer programming that cover the lifespan of ChristianaCare’s patients as leaders look to support the whole, holistic health of patients.
“You hear that 20% of health is driven by clinical care while 80% is driven by other factors,” Riveros said. “You have to get that health holistically through these other supports. . . We work to invest and build capacity in those other organizations.”
A look at the list of 25 organizations showcases efforts to improve not just the physical health of area residents through programs such as those found at AIDS Delaware, Westside Family Healthcare and Healthy Food for Healthy Kids, but other holistic views of health, as well.
Grants were also made available to programs like Do Care Doula Foundation which supports birthing families in Kent County, Voices of Hope which supports those suffering from substance abuse disorder, Project New Start as it helps justice-involved individuals and the Delaware Nature Society which focuses on environmental programs.
To make the program a success, Riveros said ChristianaCare surveys its patients and stakeholders so leaders can assess needs in the community which ultimately could enhance health outcomes and work to lower health care costs over time.
“There’s a lot of need in our community. We’re really honored and grateful that we’re able to direct our community investment funds in this way to really meet the patients’ needs. We do screen patients for social care needs like food insecurity, housing needs, needs to modify their homes so they can go back home after surgery or our frail, elderly patients who may need home repair to go home. There’s a significant burden of chronic health. It’s important that we support them going home and these organizations are points of light in our community to help those things happen,” she told DBT.
The Community Health Needs Assessment published in June 2022, which focused on needs specifically in New Castle County, highlighted top needs such as violent crime in the area, chronic health conditions, maternal and child health, mental health and substance use disorders, social determinants of health and access to health care services.
“We’re able to look at key clinical areas like infant mortality and work to address the social determinants of health – like hunger and housing. These organizations are doing amazing work in these different areas,” Riveros told DBT. “This investment allows us to continue connecting to these organizations and help them connect with each other, as well.”
Editor’s note: a correction has been added to reflect Bettina Tweardy Riveros’ last name throughout the article. We regret the error.
