By MATT PIKE
St. Joseph Post
A new resource is available to help St. Joseph area residents with health questions and even provide a space to host community events.
Healthy Blue President Jeff Davis says the new welcome center in St. Joseph will help with an already complicated health system.
"There are just so many strong resources out in the community but figuring out who you need to call for this and that when you're just really trying to figure out how am I going to get a roof over my head or how am I going to get my kids fed today, we're just here to help ease that burden," Davis tells reporters. "The people can figure it out themselves but it's a whole lot easier if we can kind of take it under our wings and help."
Davis says staff will be on hand at the center to organize community events but will also be there to help those in need find these resources to help better their lives.
It also will help residents renew Medicaid coverage or even enroll in Medicaid.
The Healthy Blue Community Welcome Center will provide information on the social drivers of health as well as even provide a community space for events.
Davis says social drivers of health go beyond the traditional scope of healthcare.
"Social drivers of health are like your housing situation, do you have a house, do you have consistent housing, do you have consistent food, do you have employment, any of those other things that impact your healthcare but aren't in that traditional healthcare vein," Davis explains. "So, we talk about the social factors that impact your health that's really what we're talking about when we talk about social drivers of health."
The new community welcome center will help residents connect with health resources.
Davis says too many people find it too easy to take health for granted, until they have a health scare. . .
"So many of our members, we take care of primarily underserved, so many of our members are facing battles with functioning on a daily basis, resource constraints are very real for our members and if you add healthcare factors to that as well, it can be daunting," Davis says. "It's important for them to realize that there are resources out there for them, there is a path, there are people that care about them, and we want to be that person that can help you."
Davis says the hope is that when people come into the community center they can be greeted by a smiling face and provided with the help they need.
