CHICAGO, Jan. 13 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- In honor of its broad-based
efforts to improve the lives of the most vulnerable members of its community,
St. Mary's Health System in Lewiston, Maine, is the recipient of the
prestigious 2008 Foster G. McGaw Prize for Excellence in Community Service,
one of the most esteemed community service honors in health care.
Each year, this $100,000 prize is presented to a health care organization
that provides innovative programs that significantly improve the health and
well-being of its community. The Foster G. McGaw Prize is sponsored by the
American Hospital Association (AHA), The Baxter International Foundation and
the Cardinal Health Foundation.
Named as finalists for this year's award and receiving $10,000 each are
Bon Secours Baltimore Health System in Baltimore, Md., Denver Health in Denver
and ThedaCare in Appleton, Wis.
"The Foster G. McGaw Prize recognizes health care organizations that serve
as role models for improving the health and well-being of the people in their
communities. This year's winner and finalists exemplify what it takes to meet
the unique needs of the diverse communities they serve," said Susan Manilow,
chair of the Foster G. McGaw Prize Committee. "Through strong leadership,
innovative collaboration and partnerships, and unwavering commitment, these
organizations provide a wide array of programs and services that positively
impact people's lives."
This year's McGaw Prize winner, St. Mary's Health System, is a member of
Covenant Health Systems based in Lexington, Mass., and provides health care
services in central and western Maine from its 16-acre campus in Lewiston.
Operating in a federally designated medically underserved area, St. Mary's
Health System includes a 233-bed acute care hospital; a rehabilitative care
facility; a 128-apartment independent living facility for low-income elderly
and disabled community members; residential treatment homes for children and
adolescents; and a school for children with emotional disabilities. St. Mary's
also offers clinical services with sliding scale fees through a diverse
network of 65 physicians, and provides a range of preventive and occupational
medical services to more than 400 local employers and their employees.
"Mission is at the heart of everything St. Mary's Health System
undertakes," said James Cassidy, president and CEO of St. Mary's. "We are
proud of our efforts in the community -- including health screenings, our food
pantry, our community gardening program, our housing initiative and our
nutrition center. Each of these programs ties back to our mission as a
Catholic health system, and support for this mission runs straight through our
organization from line staff right up to our board."
Among other programs, St. Mary's was recognized for the following
innovative community service initiatives:
-- The Neighborhood Housing Initiative - Recognizing the dire local need
for healthy, affordable housing, St. Mary's led the development of a community
housing project that has resulted in the construction of 12 affordable new
homes for families who would otherwise not have had access to quality housing.
In doing so, this initiative also served as a catalyst for housing investments
in downtown Lewiston neighborhoods, which were in a severe state of physical
and social deterioration.
-- The B Street Health Center - Since 2003, this full-service medical
practice, located in the heart of a federally designated enterprise community,
offers culturally appropriate, affordable behavioral medicine and dental
services on a sliding scale to the area's poor and to its rapidly expanding
immigrant community. Each month, the Center provides care to more than 525
patients, many of whom would not otherwise have had affordable access to
health care.
-- The St. Mary's Food Pantry - One of the largest emergency food pantries
in New England, this food pantry has provided emergency food assistance to
local residents for more than 25 years. Operating five days a week, this
pantry served more than 17,500 individuals in 2007, more than 10,600 of whom
were families. The pantry also educates families on food purchasing,
nutritious eating, and cooking.
-- Lots to Gardens - This community- and youth-driven program leverages
urban agriculture to teach community members how to grow their own food,
provide affordable access to fresh food, live healthier lifestyles and involve
youth as leaders. Since its inception in 1999, program participants have built
15 community gardens and green spaces in four diverse Lewiston neighborhoods,
growing more than 19,000 pounds of organic produce for low-income community
members.
-- Take Charge - Since its inception, this community outreach program has
provided more than 6,300 individuals with low-cost health screenings and
health care referrals, helping overcome barriers to good health including lack
of health insurance, poverty and lack of transportation.
"St. Mary's Health System embraces the vision of its founders to 'do what
needs to be done,' whether or not the task is characteristic of a health care
system. With a dedication to leveraging financial and human resources to meet
community needs in a culturally sensitive manner, St. Mary's addresses a wide
range of issues," said Manilow. "Whether creating new, affordable housing,
establishing a much needed outreach center for health and community services,
addressing the health issues of a growing Somali population or meeting
community nutritional needs, St. Mary's provides invaluable social and health
care services to its community under outstanding leadership."
2008 Finalists
Three Foster G. McGaw Prize finalists were also recognized for their
significant accomplishments in community service. Each received a $10,000
prize:
-- Bon Secours Baltimore Health System in Baltimore, Md., for ensuring
access to and delivery of quality health care, life skills education and
affordable housing in one of the poorest areas of Baltimore.
-- Denver Health in Denver, for innovative programs to provide its
community's most vulnerable populations -- including low-income children,
newborns and the uninsured -- with high quality health care.
-- ThedaCare in Appleton, Wis., for establishing a number of collaborative
programs that provide both rural farm families and urban underserved
populations with improved access to quality health care and for developing
health education and prevention programs targeting teens and physically
inactive adults and children.
About St. Mary's Health System
The St. Mary's Health System includes St. Mary's Regional Medical Center,
a 233-bed acute care facility; Community Clinical Services, with primary care
and specialty physicians, physician assistants, nurse practitioners, and
midwives; St. Mary's d'Youville Pavilion, one of the largest nursing homes
north of Boston, with 210 beds dedicated to long-term care, a secure
Alzheimer's unit and Rehab Center; St. Mary's Residences, an independent
living center; and St. Mary's WorkMed occupational health services, providing
comprehensive worksite services to businesses in Androscoggin County and
beyond.
About The Foster G. McGaw Prize
The Foster G. McGaw Prize, first awarded in 1986, recognizes health care
organizations that demonstrate commitment to community service through a range
of programs that demonstrate a passion and continuous commitment to making
communities healthier and more vital. The prize inspires hospitals, health
systems and communities to assess and implement programs that improve their
communities.
The American Hospital Association is a not-for-profit association of
health care provider organizations and individuals that are committed to the
health improvement of their communities. The AHA is the national advocate for
its members, which include almost 5,000 hospitals, health care systems,
networks, other providers of care and 37,000 individual members. Founded in
1898, the AHA provides education for health care leaders and is a source of
information on health care issues and trends. For more information, visit the
AHA Web site at www.aha.org.
The Baxter International Foundation, the philanthropic arm of Baxter
International Inc. (NYSE: BAX), helps organizations expand access to health
care in the United States and around the world. The foundation, established in
1981, began to focus exclusively on increasing access to health care in 2002
-- particularly for the disadvantaged and underserved -- in communities where
Baxter employees live and work. Baxter International Inc. develops,
manufactures and markets products that save and sustain the lives of people
with hemophilia, immune disorders, infectious diseases, kidney disease,
trauma, and other chronic and acute medical conditions. As a global,
diversified health care company, Baxter applies a unique combination of
expertise in medical devices, pharmaceuticals and biotechnology to create
products that advance patient care worldwide. For more information, please
visit www.baxter.com.
Supported by the global resources of Cardinal Health and its more than
40,000 employees, the Cardinal Health Foundation supports regional, national
and international programs that improve health care quality and build healthy
communities. The Cardinal Health Foundation also offers grants to encourage
employee service to the community and works through international agencies to
donate much-needed medical supplies and funding to those who need them in
times of disaster. With annual revenues of $91 billion and operations on five
continents, Cardinal Health serves the health care industry with products and
services that help hospitals, physician offices and pharmacies reduce costs,
improve safety, productivity and profitability, and deliver better care to
patients. To learn more about the Cardinal Health Foundation, visit
www.CardinalHealth.com/community.
