Mission Statement
We, at Catholic Health, humbly join together to bring Christ’s healing mission and the mission of mercy of the Catholic Church expressed in Catholic health care to our communities.
Mercy Hospital Service Area
Founded by the Nursing Sisters of The Congregation of Infant Jesus, Mercy Hospital is a 275-bed community hospital and has served the residents of Nassau County and nearby communities since 1913. Mercy Hospital is located in Rockville Centre, New York. Mercy Hospital’s primary service area is Nassau County, but the hospital also serves patients from eastern Queens and western Suffolk. This includes: Rockville Centre, Franklin Square, Valley Stream, Elmont, Long Beach, Island Park, Oceanside, Malverne, Lynbrook, East Rockaway, Uniondale, Roosevelt, Baldwin, East Meadow, Hempstead, Hewlett, Lakeview, Freeport, and Merrick.
Demographics
Nassau County’s total population as of 2020 is 1,395,774 (47.3% male; 49.8% female). Those ages 15-44 represent 35.1% of females; 37.5% of males; ages 60 plus represent 22.6% of males and 26.6% of females; 18 plus represent 77.3% of male and 79.5% of females. The region is predominately White at 58.5% with 10.9% Black/African American (a decrease from 11.5% last report) and 11.7% Asian (up from 9.1%). Hispanic or Latino represent 18.3% of the population1, a two percent increase from the last report.
Geographic description
Nassau County is situated east of New York City and spans 453 miles. It is one of two counties that comprise Long Island, the eastern-most part of New York State. Nassau County is comprised of two cities: Long Beach and Glen Cove and three townships: Hempstead, North Hempstead, and Oyster Bay. Long Island is bounded on the north by Long Island Sound and on the east and south by the Atlantic Ocean. The west of the county is joined to Queens County and Kings County (or Brooklyn). These are two of the five boroughs of New York City. In addition to Nassau County, Catholic Health (CH) serves patients in eastern Queens and parts of western Suffolk County.
Socioeconomic information
In terms of income, 31% of the population earn less than $74, 999 (up from 26.5% in the last report) with 13.5% of that group earning less than $34,999 annually. Of the population, 6.2% of those under 18 years of age live in poverty, while 5.1% of those ages 18 to 64 live in poverty and for those ages 18 to 34 years of age, 6.4% live in poverty.2 The percentage of the population (5 years and over) that speaks a language other than English at home is 28.8%, with Spanish the dominant other language spoken (12.8%) followed by other Indo/European languages (9.9%) and Asian languages (4.9%). In terms of education, for those age 25 and over, 91.6% are high school graduates or higher, 46.7% hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. The percent of the total population uninsured is 4.1%. Of that percent, non-citizens represent 36.3%, Hispanic Latino (43%) and Black/African American (13.6%), Asian (12.8%) and White (43.2%). Of the uninsured, 40.4% earn less than $74,999 household income and 10.1% earn under $25,000 household income. Approximately 8.5% of the total non-institutionalized population is disabled. By race/ethnicity, 11.4% of the Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander population is disabled, 10.8% of the American
1U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Decennial Census
2U.S. Census Bureau, 2016-2020 American Community Survey, Five-Year Estimate
Indian/Alaska Native population is disabled, 9.7% of the White population is disabled, 5.4% of the Hispanic Latino population is disabled and 7.1% of the Black/African American population is disabled. Native American/Pacific Islanders account for less than one percent of the county’s population.3
Income one social determinant of health precludes individuals from low-income communities from accessing preventive and/or medical care due to their difficulty to afford co-payments/deductibles (if insured) or care at all if they are uninsured. The inability to afford co-pays and deductibles consistently rises to the top as a barrier to health care on the LIHC’s Community Health Assessment Survey year after year. The median household income in the past 12 months by race is $124,300 (White), $105,331 (Black), $95,890 (Hispanic/Latino). Mean income for the past 12 months per capita by race is $60,972, $38,622 and $31,976, respectively.4 This is why income is such a driving factor for health disparity and why the region has selected to focus on interventions and strategies that level the playing field for communities that are pockets of poverty in a rather affluent region.
Key Health Partners
Partnering with community-based organizations is the most effective way to determine how the health priorities will be addressed As part of our collective impact strategies to promote health and well-being for residents in our communities, Mercy Hospital has strong relationships with local and regional community-based organizations, libraries, schools, faith-based organizations, the local health department, local fire departments and municipalities that support and partner with us to reduce chronic disease, mental health and substance misuse, and to promote health equity. Some of Mercy’s partners include: the Long Island Health Collaborative (LIHC), Nassau County Department of Human Services, Catholic Charities and Catholic Faith Network (CFN).
Public Participation
Mercy Hospital, along with CH’s other five hospitals, worked with the Long Island Health Collaborative (LIHC) and the Nassau County Department of Health (NCDOH), and dozens of community-based organizations, libraries, schools and universities, local municipalities, and other community stakeholders to produce this CHNA. NCDOH representatives offered input and consultation, when appropriate, regarding the data analyses conducted by the LIHC and DataGen. Top, high-level findings include a continued prevalence of chronic disease incidence, particularly heart disease and diabetes, obesity, and cancer. Further, surging rates of mental health and substance misuse issues among all demographic categories was found with disparity seen among youth, and low-income communities of color continuing to experience a higher burden of disease overall. In 2022, members of the LIHC reviewed extensive data sets selected from both primary and secondary data sources to identify and confirm New York State Prevention Agenda priorities for the 2022-2024 Community Health Needs Assessment cycle. Data analysis efforts were coordinated through the LIHC, which served as the centralized data return and analysis hub.
3U.S. Census Bureau, 2016-2020 American Community Survey, Five-year Estimates
4U.S. Census Bureau, 2016 – 2020 American Community Survey Five-Year Estimates Results of Community-Wide Survey
Primary data was obtained from a community health needs assessment sent to individuals and a similar survey to community-based organization leaders5. Additionally, we looked at results from two qualitative studies to round out our primary data.6 Secondary data was derived from publicly-available data sets curated by DataGen into its proprietary data analytics platform, CHNA Advantage ™, offering 200 plus metrics to determine health issues within Suffolk County.7 As such, priorities selected for the 2022- 2024 cycle remain unchanged from the 2019 – 2021 cycle selection, and the selected health disparities in which partners are focusing their efforts rests on the inequities experienced by those in historically underserved communities and communities of color.
Community Health Priorities for 2023-2025
Primary and secondary data demonstrate that residents living in Suffolk County are experiencing poor mental health status. The 2021 Robert Wood Johnson Foundation County Health Rankings examining Suffolk County in Quality-of-Life Health Outcomes demonstrates an average of 4.0 poor mental health days per 30 days in Suffolk County.8 Mental health issues have soared in the past two years, spurred in part, by the effects of the pandemic. Using data from the U.S. Census Bureau’s COVID-19 Household Pulse Survey (April 23, 2020 – October 26, 2020), a New York State Health Foundation analysis found that more than one-third of adult New Yorkers reported symptoms of anxiety and/or depression, with racial and ethnic groups of color as well as low-income New Yorkers, reporting the highest rates of poor mental health. However, the 18 – 34-year-old age group reported the highest rates (49%) of poor mental health.9 High school students (grades 9 through 12) fared just as badly. A number of studies found poor mental health along with suicide ideation intensified during the pandemic for high schoolers. An April 2022 analysis of data from the 2021 Adolescent Behaviors and Experiences Survey revealed that 37.1% of students experienced poor mental health during the pandemic, and 31.1% experienced poor mental health during the preceding 30 days.10
5Community Health Assessment Survey (CHAS) assessing responses from individuals, summary report and survey instrument (Appendix A) CBO Survey Analysis 2022, assessing responses from communitybased organization leader, summary report and survey instrument (Appendix B)
6Qualitative Analysis of Key Informant Interviews Conducted Among Community-Based Organization Leaders (Appendix C) Long Island Libraries: Caretakers of the Region’s Social Support and Health Needs: Qualitative Analysis (Appendix D)
7Statewide Planning and Research Cooperative System (SPARCS), New York State Prevention Agenda dashboard, Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS), Extended Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (eBRFSS), New York State Community Health Indicators by Race/Ethnicity Reports, Community Health Indicator Reports, Prevention Quality Indicators, CDC Places, and U.S. Census Bureau.
The CHNA Advantage™ data analytics platform includes these and other state and national level indicators. It also encompasses social risk measures offered by Socially Determined, Inc.
8https://www.countyhealthrankings.org/app/newyork/2021/compare/snapshot?counties=36_059%2B36_103
9https://nyhealthfoundation.org/resource/mental-health-impact-of-the-coronavirus-pandemic-in-new-yorkstate/#:~:text=The%20proportion%20of%20New%20Yorkers,health%20throughout%20the%20survey%20p eriod
10https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/71/su/su7103a3.htm? s_cid=su7103a3_w
The pandemic made a bad situation worse, especially for youth, as mental health issues and suicides were
already increasing prior to the COVID-19 pandemic11 12 13 14. With the shortage of mental health care workers and the lingering psychological effects of the pandemic, mental health services remain a top priority for the region. The county also saw an uptick in opioid-related overdoses and deaths after having made some gains prior to the pandemic. New York State Department of Health statistics report that for 2020 in Nassau County there were 223 deaths from any opioid, 77 heroin overdose deaths, and 214 deaths involving opioid pain relievers (including illicitly produced opioids such as fentanyl).15 For 2019, the numbers were 173, 47, and 163, respectively via categories listed above.16
Another health disparity identified in primary and secondary research is adult obesity. Nassau County continues to experience high rates of obesity and overweight adults. Twenty three percent of the population (age 20 and older) reports a body mass index (BMI) greater than or equal to 30 kg/m.17 According to the New York State Department of Health, obesity is a significant risk factor for many chronic diseases including type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, asthma, stroke, heart disease and certain types of cancer.
The prevalence of chronic diseases is persistent in the county. Nationally, communities of color experience higher rates of chronic disease. Using diabetes as an example, the American Indian/Alaska Native population represents 14.5 percent of adults 18 or older who are diagnosed with diabetes followed by Black, non-Hispanic at 12.1% and Hispanic overall at 11.8% in the United States. Asians and Whites experience the disease at 9.5% and 7.4% respectively.18 Health providers report that many individuals delayed preventive care and routine screenings due to the pandemic, leading to more complicated cases and unfavorable outcomes. Chronic diseases are preventable conditions sensitive to lifestyle (diet/physical activity) habits but hampered by the obstacles presented by social determinant of health factorsincome/employment, race/ethnicity, food access, housing/neighborhood location, and level of education. The county and hospitals identified in this report through collaborative efforts and facility-specific programming acknowledge and address these determinants regularly.
11https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/66/wr/mm6630a6.htm
12https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/fastats/mental-health.htm
13Weinberger, A. et al. (August 2017) Trends in depression prevalence in the USA from 2005 – 2015: widening disparities in vulnerable groups. Psychological Medicine, 1-10
14Bitsko, R et al. (2018) Epidemiology and impact of healthcare provider-diagnosed anxiety and depression among US children. Journal of Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics, 1-9.
15https://www.health.ny.gov/statistics/opioid/data/pdf/nys_apr22.pdf
16https://www.health.ny.gov/statistics/opioid/data/pdf/nys_jan21.pdf
17https://www.health.ny.gov/statistics/prevention/injury_prevention/information_for_action/docs/202102_ifa_report.pdf
18https://www.cdc.gov/diabetes/health-equity/diabetes-by-the-numbers.html
Mercy Hospital Interventions, Strategies and Activities
Priority Number One: Prevent Chronic Disease
Goals and selected interventions concentrate on Focus Area 4: Chronic Disease Preventive Care and Management, with additional programming addressing other focus areas.
Interventions, Strategies and Activities:
1. Live Better Awareness Campaign: Promote healthy eating and food security to increase skills and knowledge to supply healthy food and beverage choices. The goal is to decrease the percent of adults over 18 with obesity in low-income communities of color.
Process measures:
On 2/8/24, the CH Mobile Outreach Bus visited Mercy Hospital, screened 52 people and took 92 blood pressures. Mercy’s Dietary Department also offered education and healthy snacks.
On 6/6/24, Mercy kicked off its walking campaign, Let’s Walk. The initiative runs through September, attracting an average of 15 walkers each week. Weekly education is offered. Topics include how to manage your blood pressure, proper footwear, diabetes education and stretching techniques. Twentyeight BPs were taken. New this year: exercises at each .5 mile marker.
On 6/13/24, in partnership with Smile Farms, Mercy planted vegetables that are grown at the hospital and distributed to local food pantries weekly. Community and staff volunteer to tend the garden.
On 10/15/24 in conjunction with Notre Dame church in New Hyde Park two dieticians presented Cooking for one 15 people attended.
2. Bariatric educational seminars, offered to pre- and post-bariatric surgery patients.
Process measures:
Through September, 624 patients have attended pre-op support groups, weight-loss support groups, nutrition post-op groups and bariatric educational seminars.
3. Free blood pressure screenings are provided at local public libraries, community lectures and mall health fair events with clinical support.
Process measures:
On 2/2/24, Mercy staff and the community celebrated Wear Red for Women’s Heart Health month; 30 blood pressures were taken.
On 2/8/24, our Catholic Health screening bus screened 52 people and took 92 BPS taken, while our dieticians discussed healthy food options.
On 2/27/24, Mercy presented AARP 105 members Heart Health screening with a Mercy cardiologist.
On 3/18/24, Mercy hosted an event at the JCC; 61 members attended a Healthy Aging Tip lecture focusing on heart health.
On 3/25/24, Mercy hosted a wellness seminar with the MTA healthy diet tips; 35 attended.
On 5/2/24, Mercy presented healthy living tips in Mineola to the Golden Seniors Club. Eighty-four people attended.
On 5/3/24, Mercy celebrated Stroke Awareness Month with staff and community, screening 250 people’s blood pressure.
On 6/6/24, Mercy kicked off a walking club with 25 walkers. Twenty-eight blood pressure screening were conducted.
On 8/24/24 The Academy School in Hempstead held an influence day over 1500 people attended and 3 RN’s conducted blood pressure screening to 125 people.
4. BMI screenings
Process measures:
At Mercy’s Family Care Center, 1,525 underserved patients had their BMI checked from January to December 2024.
5. Cancer education workshops, symposium, and events, to provide access and evaluate change in knowledge and awareness of need for cancer screening
Process measures:
On 2/14/24, Mercy conducted a free breast screening, supported by a PinkAid grand. Three patients used the funds.
On 6/2/24, we held a Cancer survivor mass and brunch in which Dr. Lynette Mendoza discussed all new interventions for breast cancer. We had 60 attendees.
On 9/12/24, our annual PINKtember event was held at Mercy Hospital with education and introductions to our community partners. There were more than 500 attendees consisting of employees, survivors, and community members.
On 9/24/24, in New Hyde Park 15 patients were screened for prostate cancer by urologist Dr. Eric Thall.
On 10/16/24 Mercy Breast Health department attended the Breast Cancer Summit for education and outreach.
On 1010/22/24 Dr. Wilson presented Breast Cancer options with hyperbaric treatment at Kennedy Park in Hempstead to 94 attendees.
6. Healthy Sundays: BP and BMI screenings, flu vaccinations, health education and referrals to follow up care.
Process measures:
On 2/2/24, Mercy hosted a Wear Red Day for women’s heart health – 30 screenings.
On 2/8/24, Mercy hosted the St. Francis Mobile Bus and performed cardiac screenings – 52 screenings and did 92 BPs.
On 2/28/24, Mercy hosted a coronary calcium score screening; 12 patients were screened.
On 3/25/24, Mercy hosted a MTA outreach day; 35 screened.
On 5/3/24, Mercy hosted a Stroke Awareness Month event to provide heart health education and 250 BP screenings
On 6/6/24, Mercy kicked off its walking club. Twenty-eight blood pressure screenings were conducted.
On 8/24/24, Mercy held a health fair at the Academy school; 65 BP screenings were conducted.
On 9/29/24, at Our Lady of Good Counsel in Inwood Mercy staff provided 22 flu shots.
On 10/16/24 at Our Church of God in Roosevelt 18 people were given flu shots and BP screenings.
On 12/1/24 at St. Christopher in Baldwin Flu shots and BP screenings were given to 9 people.
7. Chronic Disease Self-Management Program and free lectures, presentations and/or workshops
Process measures:
Mercy’s Diabetes Support Group met 4 times between January-December 2024 and had an average of 15 attendees per session. These participants have also taken a course or class to learn how to manage their condition.
8. Free/low-cost mammography for low-income women
Process measures:
Pink Aid and Mercy offer free mammograms, sonograms, and molecular breast imaging - secondary screening for women with dense breasts to underserved patients who have no insurance.
Twelve women were screened using the PINKaid grant from January through December and four women were treated.
9. MEDIA MESSAGING for Health Education. Use media such as videos, social, printed materials (letters, brochures, newsletters) and health communications to build public awareness and demand.
Process measures:
Mercy participates in the Long Island Health Collaborative Awareness Campaign (Live Better), which shares information about chronic disease via social media and traditional media platforms (this campaign captures any mentions about chronic diseases and relevant programs/education efforts). The Awareness Campaign also focuses on mental health prevention and treatment programs/education, as well as relevant treatment and prevention programming relative to substance misuse via social media and traditional media platforms.
Walk Safe with a Doc is a community walking event that combines pedestrian safety education with chronic disease education while walking. The Collaborative maintains an active Walk Safe with a Doc chapter for the region.
Talk with a Doc is a Zoom-delivered educational program led by physicians from the region’s hospitals covering a variety of chronic diseases.
Process measures:
On 3/25/24, Stress and Your Health, a lecture was given by Lawrence Ferber, PhD, to MTA officers; 35 attendees.
10. Free stretching classes for the community
Process measures:
On 5/3/24, Mercy offered the Stroke Awareness Fair and more than 250 people attended a free stretching event.
On 5/9/24, Mercy hosted a senior stretching class at Notre Dame Parish with 12 seniors.
On 6/6/24, Mercy’s walking club began, including a stretch program; 35 people were in attendance. This program ended in September.
Priority Number Two: Promote Well Being and Prevent Mental and Substance Use Disorders
Goals and selected interventions concentrate on Focus Area 2: Mental and Substance Use Disorders Prevention, with additional programming addressing other focus areas.
Interventions, Strategies and Activities:
1. Continue to distribute Catholic Health’s (CH) Mental Health Substance Use Disorder Services Guide to CH community partners at all outreach events, including hospital health fairs and Healthy Sunday’s events. The guide is available as a download from the CH website.
Process measures:
Mental health and substance use guides were distributed at the following events:
On 2/3/23, Mercy held a Wear Red Day, offering information to patients, visitors and staff. Thirty people attended.
On 2/27/24, Mercy hosted Heart Health screening at AARP Kennedy Park in Hempstead; 105 people attended.
On 3/18/24, Mercy hosted a Healthy Aging Tip lecture at the JCC in Oceanside; 61 people attended.
On 3/25/24, Mercy hosted an MTA Outreach Day at the hospital; 35 people attended.
On 4/4/24, Mercy hosted Mineola Golden Age group by offering Healthy Aging lecture; 85 people attended.
On 5/3/24, Mercy hosted a Stroke Awareness event at Mercy for 250 attendees.
On 6/2/24, Mercy hosted a cancer survivor brunch and Mass; 60 people attended.
On 8/24/24, Mercy hosted a health fair at the Academy school; 65 blood pressure screenings provided.
On 9/24/24, Mercy hosted a prostate screening event in New Hyde Park; 15 people were screened.
On 10/10/24 Mercy hosted Mental Health day at the hospital education, giveaways and BP screenings were given to 150 attendees.
On 10/29/24 Mercy attended the NCPD wellness fair in Uniondale education was distributed to over 250 attendees.
2. Substance Abuse/Opioid Symposium: multidisciplinary program on substance abuse for the purpose of preventing drug addiction, early intervention and education on warning signs.
Process measures:
Twelve people attend the AA group. They meet weekly throughout the year. A Family Support Group meets weekly and averages 8-10 participants per week.
3. Offer art therapy at the Outpatient Behavioral Health Clinic
Process measures:
An average of 20 people per week participate in the Art Therapy Program.
4. Drug and Sharps Take Back Day.
Process measures:
Drug Take Back Day is currently being scheduled for 2025.
5. Sherpa Program, a free service provided by Family & Children’s Association. Sherpa comprises recovery coaches trained to meet with overdose survivors and their families in the Emergency Department. The team directs people to treatment, offers encouragement and follow-up.
Process measures:
Ninety two individuals at-risk of an overdose received services through the SHERPA program from January to September.
6. Offer an education conference for health care professionals.
Process measures:
This year, the Behavioral Health Department educated St. Charles and Good Samaritan professionals on substance abuse and mental health. This occurs monthly with an average of 15 to 20 participants each month.
St. Joseph Hospital and Mercy Hospital held a stroke conference on September 25th for medical professionals at the Stonebridge Country Club; 250 people attended.
7. Promotion of all programs, events, education offered by Long Island Health Collaborative (LIHC) members who speak to the prevention of mental and substance use disorders. Posts in LIHC weekly communications newsletter, social media postings, cross promotion of member events, programs on all media platforms. Promotion on Catholic Faith Network (CFN) and CH social media, website, and community-targeted publications.
Process measures:
Mercy Hospital works with the Long Island Health Collaborative (LIHC) to disseminate information about the importance of proper nutrition and physical activity among the general public to assist Nassau residents in better managing their chronic diseases and/or preventing the onset of chronic diseases. Mercy Hospital also collaborates with the LIHC to disseminate information about mental health prevention and treatment services and programming, as well as relevant information about substance misuse. Dissemination of information is achieved through the bi-weekly Collaborative Communications e-newsletter, which is sent to 588 community-based organization leaders, and strategic use of social media platforms. These efforts are ongoing.
Priority Number Three: Promote a Healthy and Safe Environment
Interventions, Strategies and Activities:
1. Connect older adults and people with disabilities with evidence based falls prevention programs such as, Stepping On or A Matter of Balance.
Process measures:
Our Fall Prevention Class is offered monthly with an average of 20 attendees each month.
Priority Number Four: Promote Healthy Women, Infants and Children
Interventions, Strategies and Activities:
1. Provide access to professional breastfeeding support at the hospital to reduce barriers to breastfeeding, especially for low-income families.
Process measures:
Forty-two percent of mothers delivering at Mercy are exclusively breastfeeding their babies since birth. Sixty percent are breastfeeding with supplementation.
A Breastfeeding Support Group was recently implemented with weekly meetings and an average of two attendees weekly. This attendance has been consistent through December.
2. Conduct two Best Baby Shower events for families who may not have access to care and wellness education.
Process measures:
To date, there has been one Baby Shower event, on May 11 Eighty-eight participated in the event coordinated by the hospital staff and 25 community partners.
Per discussion with the departments, the hospital has decided to only host one Baby Shower event in 2024.
Priority Number Five: Prevent Communicable Diseases
Interventions, Strategies and Activities:
1. Offer free flu vaccinations at events in underserved communities, at Healthy Sundays outreach, hospital health fairs and other community venues.
Process measures:
On 9/29/24, Mercy hosted a Health Sunday event at Our Lady of Good Counsel in Inwood; 22 flu shots were distributed.
On 11/16/24 Mercy hosted a healthy Sunday at Church of God in Roosevelt 18 flu shots were distributed
On 12/1/24 Mercy hosted a healthy Sunday at St. Christopher in New Hyde park 8 flu shots were distributed.
Living the Mission
The CH mission is the driving force behind all community outreach activities. In addition to the interventions summarized above, St. Francis Hospital, along with the overall system and CH skilled nursing facilities, Catholic Health Home Care and Good Shepherd Hospice, provide additional outreach programs that promote the health care ministry of the Catholic Church and address social determinants of health.
Interventions, Strategies and Activities:
1. Virtual education series streaming on YouTube, providing short videos on various topics
Currently there is a Keeping Your Child Safe at Every Age and Child and Adolescent Mental Health series. These have garnered more than 30,000 total views.
Catholic Health also offers an ongoing Health Tips series discussing topics such as Stroke vs. Aneurysm, What You Need to Know about C-Sections, and Prostate Cancer Awareness, among others. The videos posted since January have had more than 1,200 total views.
The “On-Call with Dr. Jason Golbin” show is designed for physicians and advanced practice providers. In each monthly episode, Catholic Health’s Chief Medical Officer Jason Golbin, DO, speaks with our physician leaders about the system’s emerging technologies and newest clinical resources while offering a glimpse into their personal stories and the compassionate care delivered. These videos have more than 1,500 views in total.
2. Broadcast health-related television shows for the public, in collaboration with Catholic Faith Network, provide education and prevention lectures to improve knowledge related to specific diseases and conditions, preventive care, and up-to-date treatment options.
From January-December 2024, seven shows aired on CFN and are posted to Catholic Health’s YouTube channel with a Catholic Health Cardiologist David D’Agate, DO. The “Stronger Together” series with Dr. D’Agate discusses topics such as cardiac health, sleep, fertility, and access to care. This show airs on CFN every four to five weeks and is promoted via Catholic Health’s internal and external communications, including a substantial social media campaign. In total, these videos have more than 45,000 views. Additionally, a new Catholic Health segment on CFN Live, “Trending Health Topics”, started airing in June and has produced 4 segments in 2024.
There are also quarterly shows on CFN with Catholic Health President and CEO Patrick O’Shaughnessy, DO. The shows with Dr. O’Shaughnessy and Monsignor Jim Vlaun bring the latest in research and information on medical procedures and advancements.
Additionally, Catholic Health airs a “Catholic Health Update” weekly, highlighting events or activities taking place across the system. These average 75 views per episode
3. Promotion of all programs, events, and education is on the CH website and all CH social media outlets, including Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and LinkedIn.
This includes the promotion of all education, healthy recipes, health tips and support groups. Some of these include education on how to stay hydrated during the summer, facts on various cancers and screening, children’s health and more.
4. Lectures in Catholic schools, local libraries, and other community organizations.
Walk/Talk with a Doc events have been done in collaboration with the LIHC. Talk with a Doc events were done in partnership with AARP. They have asked the LIHC to forego the virtual lectures and replace them with Walk with a Doc events instead. In total, from January 2024-December 2024, there have been 8 events with a total of 140 attendees.
The Catholic Health Speakers Bureau provides speakers to community organizations. From JanuaryDecember 2024, there have been 70 speaking engagements. Topics have included Heart Health, Fitness for seniors, Breast Health, Medication Management, Seasonal Depression, and Sleep Health.
5. Community Outreach Screening Buses
The Catholic Health buses travel across Long Island to different community-based organizations, providing free health screenings, including blood pressure, cholesterol, body mass index and glucose. From January through December, the mobile buses screened 7,562 people.
6. Healthy Sundays
In this volunteer program, we partner with different community organizations to provide BP and BMI screenings, flu vaccinations, health education and referrals to follow up care. In this volunteer program, we partner with different community organizations to provide BP and BMI screenings, flu vaccinations, health education and referrals to follow up care. From January to December, the Healthy Sundays teams screened 1,656 people.
7. Additional Community Outreach
On June 22, Catholic Health held its first system-wide health fair; 150 people attended and 32 people received blood pressure, cholesterol, glucose and body mass index screenings.
A new “Wellness Wednesday” program at Adventure land provides education on Stranger Safety and free health resources. This program ran from June through August 2024. Catholic Health also
participated in Adventureland’s Egg Scramble in March and Pumpkin Park in October, distributing literature and promotional items.
On 5/24/24, 5/25/24, and 5/26/24, CH attended the Jones Beach Air Show and provided blood pressure screenings to a total of 313 people.
CH attended Jazz Fest at the Tilles Center on 7/20/24 and provided literature to hundreds and screened 13 people.
On 7/30/24, CH participated in the Marcum Workplace Challenge at Jones Beach. Each hospital sent a team for a total of 250 employees who participated in the walk/run and helped distribute donated food.
CH was present at events at Bald Hill on 8/17/24 and 8/31/24 and provided literature and blood pressure screening to 18 people.
CH has also partnered with Westbury Music Fair to provide literature and resources. We attended their Food Festival on 9/14/24 as well as held two activations during their other scheduled programming throughout the year. In addition, CH held a CPR training and an emergency preparedness training for Westbury Music Fair staff on 4/2/24 and 5/21/24 for more than 40 people.
CH participated in Oyster Bay’s annual OysterFest on 10/19/24 and 10/20/24 and provided a total of 217 blood pressure screenings between the 2 days.
Additional outreach included hosting a table and providing resources at the Making Strides walk at Jones Beach on 10/20/24. Approximately 2,000 people visited the table.
On 10/28/24, Catholic Health hosted a STEM Workshop event for Catholic School students at the Cradle of Aviation. More than 500 middle school students attended.
In November, Catholic Health Home Care and Good Shepard Hospice held a food drive for Long Island Cares. Employees collected a total of 450 pounds of food.
On December 12, twenty-two employees from Catholic Health sorted and packed food at the Long Island Cares warehouse, preparing it for distribution at food banks across Long Island.
In December, Catholic Health held a Toy Drive, which resulted in the collection of 600 items for the distribution to Our Lady of Miraculous Medal Church’s Gerald J. Ryan Outreach Center.