Health Equity

Improving Health Equity

A healthy life depends on everything from housing to food to income to wellness. Catholic Health has been on the forefront of addressing the total needs of Long Islanders and our patients through our faith-based mission. It’s our way of improving health equity for the communities we serve. 

Housing: New Hope’s inpatient, residential program to address addiction.  

Homelessness affects thousands of Long Islanders, many of whom suffer from substance abuse. They need an inpatient, residential substance abuse program to address their addiction. New Hope, located in Freeport, NY, provides a safe and sober environment for those who need stabilization and help with recovery.

Food: Financial support for local non-profits that address food insecurity. 

Food insecurity affects children, families, veterans and the elderly who live on Long Island. They may have limited resources to buy food or limited access to healthy choices. At Catholic Health, we support food drives through grants from the Mother Cabrini Health Foundation and collaboration with Island Harvest. 

Income: Financial assistance for those who need our services.

High costs limit access to care for low-income Long Islanders. Some can’t afford to buy health insurance or pay for co-pays and deductibles, even with government subsidies. At Catholic Health, we provide nearly $90 million every year in charity care to those in need. 

Learn more about financial assistance at Catholic Health

Wellness: Community health for vulnerable and underserved populations. 

Health disparity makes it difficult to live healthy lives. Some can’t access care because of who they are and where they live. At Catholic Health, our community outreach professionals host dozens of “Health Sundays” and screen thousands of vulnerable and underserved Long Islanders every year. We also treat 2,000 uninsured patients at the Bishop McHugh Health Centers and provide 6,000 free dental visits at the Stephen B. Gold Dental Clinic. 

Learn more about community health at Catholic Health

Catholic Health participates in the Long Island Health Collaborative (LIHC) to improve health outcomes for Long Islanders. The efforts are summarized in the Community Health Needs Assessments and Plans for our hospitals. They serve as a roadmap for Catholic Health’s leadership to drive our efforts.