Improving the Health Status and Quality of Life in Our Community

In May 1996, the Trustees of St. Luke’s Hospital & Health Network established the Bethlehem Partnership for a Healthy Community. The Partnership has grown to become a national model for a successful collaborative initiative of more than 140 participating agencies comprised of local business, government, educational and community organizations whose mission is to improve the health status and quality of life in our community.

St. Luke’s operates two mobile health vans to bring medical and dental services to those most in need. In 2007, the Partnership’s Dental Health Initiative was named one of six finalists in the annual Monroe E. Trout Premier Cares Award, which recognizes organizations nationally for exemplary efforts to improve the health of populations in need throughout the United States.

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Learn more about the programs of the Bethlehem Partnership for a Healthy Community in the July 2008 - June 2009 Annual Report. The information in the document is organized as follows:

• Mission
• Advisory Board Members/Agencies
• Participating/Funding Agencies
• Health Services
• Child Adolescent Health
• Minority Health Disparities Reduction
• Bethlehem Partnership Linkages
• Bethlehem Partnership Strategic Goals

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More About the Bethlehem Partnership

Established – May 1, 1996, through a resolution of the St. Luke's Board of Trustees

Mission – To improve the health status and quality of life of our community

Goals – To improve access to care; to promote child and adolescent health; to eliminate health disparities

• Collaborative, national role model of more than 130 participating partners representing local business, government, educational, social service and community organizations
• St. Luke's provides significant financial and leadership resources to fulfill the mission and goals of the Partnership.
• The Vision Initiative was awarded the Hospital & Health System Association of Pennsylvania Achievement Award. (2008)
• The Dental Health Initiative was named on of six finalists in the annual Monroe E. Trout Premier Cares Award. (2007)

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Making a Real Difference in our Community

FY'08 Highlights of Partnership activities include:

Dental Health Initiative

• Awarded a three-year grant from the Health Services and Resources Administration, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to expand services and hire a pediatric dentist.
• With the help of local philanthropists, plans have begun to replace the current dental van and add a second dental van to expand services to Allentown.
• Van visited 17 sites in the Bethlehem Area School District (BASD) and 16 community schools and agencies; 1,400 children, 701 of whom received care for the first time; and more than $138,000 uninsured care provided
• Dental Health Center at Union Station provided care to 1,200 patients

Vision Initiative

• BASD referred 2,684 children for further testing to the Vision Initiative; 94 percent completed the referral process

Minority Health Initiatives

• Community Primary Care Challenge grant received from PA Department of Health to address access-to-care issues impacting our local minority community. Using the Fowler Family Center as the central service point, the goal is increase the number of persons with health insurance and using a primary care provider; reduce difficulties and delays in receiving care and increase community disease prevention and health promotions activities.

HIV Initiative

• Services to 5,040 contacts included: HIV prevention education, rapid HIV testing, comprehensive risk counseling services, case management and social support and clinical care services

Mobile Youth Health Center

• Contacts with 706 adolescents (11 percent increase from previous year), 558 through BASD and 148 seen at the Valley Youth House shelter
• Services provided to resolve access to care issues, childhood obesity and tobacco use

Maternal Child Health Programs

• This voluntary, evidence-based program providing home visitation in which nurses work with low-income, first-time mothers from early pregnancy through the first two years of the child's life began in December 2001 as part of a statewide initiative. Currently, 367 women are enrolled with a median age of 19.

Other programs include the Asthma Initiative, Fowler Family Center at Donegan, Parent Advocate in the Home, School-to-Work Program, Tobacco Cessation Program.