ST JUDE HOSPITAL

PRIORITY 3: HOMELESSNESS AND HOUSING LACK OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING CAN HAVE NUMEROUS NEGATIVE IMPACTS ON INDIVIDUALS, FAMILIES, AND COMMUNITIES. WHEN BASIC NEEDS, SUCH AS HOUSING, ARE NOT MET, IT AFFECTS A FAMILY'S EMOTIONAL, PSYCHOLOGICAL, DEVELOPMENTAL, AND PHYSICAL WELL-BEING. OVER THE LAST FEW YEARS, ORANGE COUNTY HAS BEEN FACING A CRITICAL HOUSING SHORTAGE. IT HAS BECOME INCREASINGLY DIFFICULT FOR LOW-INCOME COMMUNITIES THAT WORK IN ORANGE COUNTY TO AFFORD LIVING THERE. CONSEQUENTLY, FAMILIES MUST SEEK SUBSTANDARD HOUSING WITH MULTIPLE FAMILIES LIVING IN ONE DWELLING. AFFORDABLE HOUSING IS DEFINED AS AN INDIVIDUAL OR FAMILY SPENDING 30% OR LESS OF THEIR GROSS INCOME ON HOUSING. LOW-INCOME COMMUNITIES IN ORANGE COUNTY CAN EXPECT TO SPEND OVER 50% OF THEIR GROSS INCOME ON HOUSING. IN 2023 THIS NEED WAS ADDRESSED BY: 1. HOUSING CHAMPIONS PROGRAM TRAINED 807 RESIDENTS TO ADVOCATE TO THEIR LOCAL JURISDICTIONS AROUND ISSUES OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING. HOUSING CHAMPION RESIDENT ENGAGEMENT EFFORTS WITH PLANNING AND CITY COUNCIL PROMOTED STRONGER POLICIES IN THE 2021-2028 HOUSING ELEMENT. THREE CITIES COMMITTED TO CONDUCTING STUDIES AROUND INCLUSIONARY HOUSING ORDINANCES IN THEIR HOUSING ELEMENTS. SUPPORT FOR APPROVAL FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING PROJECTS RESULTED IN THREE PROJECTS TOTALING 183 UNITS OPENED IN CENTRAL ORANGE COUNTY. 2. HOMELESS NAVIGATOR PROGRAM HAS A LICENSED CLINICAL SOCIAL WORKER (LCSW) HELPING PATIENTS EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS CONNECT TO SERVICES AND IDENTIFY AN APPROPRIATE DISCHARGE DESTINATION. 3. HOSPITAL PATIENTS REQUIRING HOUSING AND RECUPERATIVE CARE WERE CONNECTED TO ILLUMINATION FOUNDATION. ILLUMINATION FOUNDATION PROVIDED CASE MANAGEMENT AND CONNECTS PEOPLE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS WITH HOUSING, MEDICAL CARE, MENTAL HEALTH AND WORKFORCE SERVICES. PRIORITY 4: HEALTHY EQUITY AND RACIAL DISPARITIES: EVERYONE SHOULD HAVE A FAIR AND JUST OPPORTUNITY TO ATTAIN THEIR FULL POTENTIAL AND THAT NO ONE SHOULD BE DISADVANTAGED, EXCLUDED, OR DISMISSED FROM ACHIEVING THAT POTENTIAL BASED ON INHERENT CHARACTERISTICS SUCH AS RACE, ETHNICITY OR GENDER IDENTITY. WE WORKED ON STRATEGIES THAT INCREASE INCLUSION, DIVERSITY AND MULTICULTURALISM, BOTH WITHIN OUR ORGANIZATION AS WELL AS THE BROADER COMMUNITIES OF SOUTH ORANGE COUNTY. THE NEED FOR INCREASED HEALTH EQUITY AND THE PRESENCE OF HEALTH DISPARITIES BY RACE ARE KEY PRIORITIES TO ADDRESS. IN 2023, THE ISSUE OF HEALTH EQUITY AND RACIAL DISPARITIES WAS ADDRESSED BY: 1. INTEGRATED PREVENTION AND ADDRESSING RACIAL DISPARITIES WERE CORNERSTONE ASPECTS OF EACH OF THESE PRIORITY AREAS. 2. ST. JUDE MEDICAL CENTER CONTINUED TO SUPPORT THE MOVE MORE, EAT HEALTHY INITIATIVE AS PART OF THE HEALTH EQUITY/RACIAL DISPARITIES PRIORITY. MOVE MORE EAT HEALTHY SERVED A TOTAL OF 24,248 PARTICIPANTS. THIS INITIATIVE ALSO ADDRESSED FOOD INSECURITY AND NUTRITION. ST. JUDE MEDICAL CENTER DONATED UNUSED FOOD AS PART OF OUR EFFORTS TO ADDRESS FOOD INSECURITY. ST. JUDE MEDICAL CENTER DONATES TO MEALS ON WHEELS AND FOOD FINDERS, INC. AND HAS DONE SO FOR YEARS. A TOTAL OF 8,068 MEALS WERE PROVIDED. FOR MORE INFORMATION GO TO: HTTPS://WWW.PROVIDENCE.ORG/LOCATIONS/ST-JUDE-MEDICAL-CENTER