It takes tremendous community involvement to establish a strong and caring community. There are so many very worthwhile non-profit organizations that have an amazing impact on our quality of life, business, education and more.
With frequency we only think of hospitals when someone is hurt or sick. These organizations are important and often overlooked. One such key county employer that plays a vital role in our community is St. Joseph's Medical Center and it's St. Joseph's Behavioral Health Center. Established in St. Joseph's Medical Center commitment to providing access to health care services and improved quality of life in the community is evidenced by the total value of their annual community benefit. In the Fiscal Year 2012-2013, total benefits value that were provided was approx. $70.5 million dollars with another $1.6 million dollars in services provided by St. Joseph's Behavioral Health Center. This included community services, financial assistance to cover unpaid costs of Medicare and MediCal. Both the Medical Center and the Behavioral Health Center are committed to providing access to health care services and improved quality of life in the community.
Some of their programs, along with other St. Joseph's Community Foundation funded programs, include:
The CareVan Program is a mobile medical clinic offering free health services including health screenings, education and referral services, medical diagnostics and treatment. The CareVan provides health care, four days per week, to under-/uninsured persons and Sallaken county with a focus on seasonal agricultural workers.
The Community Diabetes Educational Program is an eight part educational series talk by an RN, certified diabetes educator emphasizing self-management, healthy lifestyles, and reduction of complications. This program is currently taught in English and Spanish and will soon also be offered in Hmong.
St. Joseph's interfaith Caregiver (SJIC) Program provides no-cost services to seniors living independently to enable safe aging-in-place. Through trained volunteers services provided include friendly visiting, respite care, yard clean up, home safety assessments, transportation and referrals.
The Faith Community Nurse Program supports the development of health ministries within a variety of faith communities. This program is a partnership between St. Joseph Medical Center, faith communities, and registered nurses who become Ministry of health in their congregation.
Special Needs Caregiver Program provides the focused expertise of an R.N. which enables St. Joseph Medical Center to serve patients with developmental disabilities in the most effective and caring way. To enhance daily approaches to care, the program strives to offer updated information to staff in an effort to continuously increase their knowledge and understanding that Intellectual Disabilities.
The Dobbins Program is a special program set up as a source of assistance for women 19-39 years of age whose primary care provider has determined that further breast diagnostic testing is needed and who have no resources to cover expenses.
Behavioral Evaluation Services: St. Joseph's Behavioral Health Center provides free Behavioral Evaluations to assess patient needs and risks and to provide referrals 24-hours daily, 365 days per year to anyone who presents at the facility or at community hospital Emergency Departments. These services are provided regardless of the individual's ability to pay or eligibility for care at our facility.
Support Groups & Aftercare Services: St. Joseph's Medical Center and St. Joseph's Behavioral Health Center sponsor support groups and free aftercare groups that support those in the community living with a new or continuing life-affecting diagnosis.