Mercy Health announces Community Health Improvement Plan

Mercy Health – Youngstown announced the launch of its Community Health Improvement Plan (CHIP), a three-year roadmap designed to address the health priorities identified by residents, community organizations and public health leaders across the region.

Developed through the months-long Community Health Needs Assessment process, the plan reflects feedback from community members and local stakeholders, combined with health data and community trends, to identify the issues having the greatest impact on health and well-being throughout the region. Community surveys, key informant interviews, focus groups and stakeholder prioritization sessions helped inform the priorities outlined in the plan.

Over the next three years, Mercy Health – Youngstown will focus its efforts on three priority areas: access to care, chronic diseases and maternal, infant and child health. Within these areas, particular attention will be given to chronic conditions such as cancer, diabetes and heart disease, with efforts focused on improving access to resources, strengthening prevention and management strategies and supporting healthier outcomes for individuals and families.

“The priorities identified through our Community Health Needs Assessment reflect both the data and the voices of our community. By listening to residents, providers and community partners, we can focus our efforts on the areas where we have the greatest opportunity to improve health outcomes and reduce barriers to care,” said Leigh Greene, Community Health director, Mercy Health – Youngstown.

Health strategies and investments

The Community Health Improvement Plan outlines strategies and investments focused on the priority areas identified by the community. Mercy Health – Youngstown will concentrate its implementation efforts on improving access to care, addressing chronic diseases and strengthening maternal, infant and child health outcomes through initiatives such as the Care-A-Van mobile clinic, nutrition and healthy living programs and expanded pregnancy support services. Behavioral health needs will continue to be supported through education, referrals and partnerships with Mercy Health Behavioral Hospital.

Achieving meaningful progress will require collaboration across the community. Among the most important partners advancing this work are community organizations hosting the Care-A-Van mobile clinic; fresh markets, community-based programs and community centers supporting nutrition and healthy living initiatives; county health departments and members of the region’s infant mortality coalition.

One example of how the CHIP is already being put into action is the Mercy Health Youngstown Care-A-Van mobile clinic. By bringing health services directly into neighborhoods and trusted community locations, the Care-A-Van seeks to improve access to care, connect residents with health resources and address barriers that can prevent individuals from receiving timely medical attention.

“Improving community health requires meeting people where they are and creating stronger connections between health services and the communities we serve. Through innovative programs and community partnerships, we are working to bring care closer to residents and support healthier futures for individuals and families across the Mahoning Valley,” Greene said. “This plan reflects the priorities our community identified and provides a framework for working together to improve health outcomes across our region.”

Mercy Health – Youngstown CHIP is one of 11 plans recently launched across Bon Secours Mercy Health. While each plan reflects the unique needs of its local community, all reinforce the ministry’s commitment to improving health outcomes, advancing health equity and addressing the social and economic factors that influence health and well-being.

“Community health is about looking beyond the walls of our hospitals and understanding the factors that shape health in people’s everyday lives,” said Gina Hemenway, system director of Community Health, Bon Secours Mercy Health. “This work challenges us to think differently about how we support our patients, families and communities and to build partnerships that can address barriers to health in meaningful, lasting ways.”

The Community Health Improvement Plan for Mercy Health – Youngstown is available here.