Community Benefits at Health First

The Vision of Health First calls for us to “improve lives and communities.  Every person.  Every time.”  To support this commitment, the Community Benefit Department facilitates and documents the numerous ways in which Health First gives back to the community above and beyond the provision of reimbursed healthcare services.

These include charity care, community education, support groups, clinical student training, support for clinics and other community organizations as well as subsidies for the actual costs to provide care to patients insured by Medicaid.  Click here for the 2011 Community Report.

Health First gives back to the community

A system-wide Community Benefit Oversight Committee (CBOC) serves to create focus and accountability with respect to Health First and its charitable and community benefits.  The committee consists of Health First leadership and members of the Board of Directors.  Meeting quarterly, the CBOC has targeted and is addressing three of the major disparities in Brevard County identified in the most recent community health needs assessment survey.  They are:

• Access to primary care and dental care
• Mental health and substance abuse
• Obesity and related health issues

The CBOC has initiated projects including the Faith Community Nursing (FCN) program.  Also known as Parish Nursing, the FCN program incorporates a holistic approach to health and wellness utilizing a parish nurse based at a participating church or synagogue.  By reaching out beyond the walls of Health First, the FCN program can help identify health risks in a setting of familiarity, trust and support so that preventable health problems can be addressed and avoid unnecessary hospital visits.

 In addition, the CBOC is planning the third annual "Caring for Brevard” community service days , slated for February 2012.  The event invites Health First associates, physicians and Board members to lend a hand with various projects to benefit local community organizations.  Last February, Health First partnered with Uptown Painting & Maintenance, US Lawns of Brevard and Tropic-Care of Florida in refurbishing the exterior buildings at the American Red Cross headquarters in Rockledge.  In addition, “Caring for Brevard” volunteers assisted Habitat for Humanity in renovating a home in Melbourne as well as assisting at the Habitat’s ReStore.  For Brevard’s needy residents, 300 cold weather packets were assembled for distribution by the Brevard Health Alliance.  Due to the overwhelming response, additional projects were added which benefitted the following organizations:  Women’s Center of Brevard, Brevard C.A.R.E.S., Prevent! of Brevard, Early Learning Coalition of Brevard County, Healthy Start Coalition of Brevard, and Central Brevard Sharing Center.

Help for Difficult Times Guide

Health First has collaborated with the United Way of Brevard, 211 Brevard and the Brevard Job Link in creating this community resource reference guide for Brevard County residents.